Blood Royal (21 page)

Another two minutes stole by.

Then very gently the doctor let go the wrist he had held so long.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “it is over. His Royal Highness is dead.”

For a long moment nobody moved.

Then I turned on my heel and opened my door.

I set it wide and passed through – to the door which led out of the dining-room into the hall.

There I took my stand, with my back to the mahogany and, if I am to be honest, with my heart in my mouth.

Duke Paul entered the room, white as a sheet. I could see his eyes shifting to and fro, as though he would see behind him without turning his head.

At his heels came the Grand Duchess, a little paler than usual, but very calm.

I saw her glance over her shoulder. Then she touched the Duke’s arm and pointed to a massive armchair. He took his seat there, and she passed to his left.

Johann entered slowly, and I saw his eyes fly to the door before which I stood. He put the table between himself and Duke Paul.

Sully followed and moved to the right of Duke Paul.

The Countess Dresden stepped to the Grand Duchess’ side.

The lords-in-waiting entered – Kneller, dark red in the face, and Brooch, the colour of parchment, moistening his lips.

Last of all came George Hanbury, and shut the door.

The Lord President looked about him and folded his hands. Then he lifted his voice.

“His Royal Highness,” said Sully, “will hold a Council this morning at ten o’clock. There are certain matters, however, which may not so long be left, which fall to be dealt with by the Lord President, aided by such of the Household as he may call upon. These are the tolling of the great bell of St Jude’s, the discharge of the minute guns, the issue of summonses and the
communiqué
: finally there is the Proclamation of Prince Paul which must in accordance with custom be made in the forecourt of the palace at nine o’clock.”

He paused there, and Johann cleared his throat.

“My presence is not needed,” he said, and turned to the door.

“Your Highness,” said Sully quietly, “will be pleased to remain. It is the Prince’s pleasure.”

Johann turned.

“I will return,” he said shortly. “As commanding the Body Guard, I have orders to give.”

Again he turned to the door.

“Your Highness,” said Sully coldly, “misunderstood what I said. The Prince desires your presence.”

Johann hesitated. Then he shrugged his shoulders and turned.

“Well?” he said sharply.

“The Proclamation,” said Sully, “depends upon the—”

“Is it customary,” said Johann, “that during the private discussion of matters of State, servants should remain in the room?”

“It is the Prince’s pleasure.”

Johann drew himself up.

“My Lord President,” he said, “since we have been in this room Duke Paul has not opened his mouth. When I wish to go about my business, it is you that command me to stay: when I protest that the servants should leave the room, it is you that quash my remonstrance out of hand. You take too much upon you, my lord. I do not allow that such conduct is convenient or customary.”

“Your Highness,” said Sully, “will appreciate that the Prince can hardly be expected to be familiar with the discharge of an office to which he succeeded only five minutes ago.”

“He has a tongue,” said Johann.

“I am his spokesman,” said Sully. “If I go too far for his liking, his Royal Highness will pull me up. Till then, it is my bounden duty—”

“Why your duty?”

“By virtue of my office,” said Sully.

“I take precedence of you.”

“Without doubt, sir,” said Sully. “But you are not an Officer of State.”

“I command the Body Guard.”

“What of that, sir? Since when has the Colonel of the Guard advised his Sovereign?”

Johann made a gesture of impatience.

“I dispute,” he said, “your right to assume the functions of Prince.”

There was a little silence.

Then—

“Why do you?” said the Grand Duchess. “I don’t.”

Johann’s eyes narrowed.

“Madam,” he said darkly, “I counsel you to keep your hand out of this.”

“Out of what?” said the Grand Duchess.

Johann swallowed.

“Out of this difference,” he said.

“Why?”

Johann made no answer, but looked very black. As he turned again to Sully—

“You protest,” said the Grand Duchess, “that the Lord President is exceeding his authority.”

“I do,” said Johann.

“What of the Colonel of the Guard?”

Johann started.

“What of him, madam?” he said.

“This. Twenty minutes ago his sentries refused to let me pass. The officer on duty told me that those were your orders.”

Johann raised his eyebrows, but I saw his fingers twitching behind his back.

“Then how are you here, madam?”

The Grand Duchess shrugged her shoulders.

“I asked the officer whether he was for you or for Duke Paul.”

Slowly the blood came into Johann’s face. All eyes were upon him, but his were fast upon the table which stood between him and Duke Paul. He made no attempt to answer, and I fancy his thoughts were unruly and were fighting between themselves.

My lady’s downright speech had disconcerted him, but its burden had shaken him badly for all to see. He had no choice but to believe her story – the only explanation of how she had reached the suite. And if the Guard was to fail him…

The man turned to the door and came up to me.

I never moved.

“Open,” he said thickly.

I looked him full in the eyes and gave no sign.

For a moment he stood, glowering. Then he swung round.

“So I am prisoner,” he said, and let out a laugh.

I saw his hand flash to his breast and take hold of a chain. As he drew the whistle, I took it out of his hand. Then I put up my other hand, snapped the chain asunder and put the whistle away.

“Your Highness,” said I, “I have orders that you are to make no noise. I am prepared to go all lengths to carry those orders out. All lengths.”

Johann’s eyes burned in his head.

At length—

“Who is this man?” he said.

“Ask Grieg,” said the Grand Duchess.

I have never seen rage so dominant yet suppressed, and I thought the fellow would have fallen down in a fit. His face was twisted with wrath and his upper lip was lifted like that of a snarling dog.

Presently he turned to the table.

“Your Highness,” said Sully firmly, “the murder is out. Everyone in this room is aware of your purpose to make yourself Prince.”

There was a long silence, breathless and pregnant.

Brooch looked ready to drop: Kneller stood like a statue, staring ahead.

Johann drew himself up. Then he threw back his head and laughed.

“I reserve my defence,” he said shortly. With that, he sat down in a chair and crossed his legs. “There were certain formalities, you were saying. No doubt you will carry them out. The bell to be tolled, for instance, and the minute guns.”

There was another silence, and, to be perfectly honest, my heart sank down like a stone.

The worst had happened. Johann had drawn our trumps and was now going to smile – and
wait
. We had come to a deadlock. George Hanbury’s prophecy had come true.

Sully’s eyes sought mine – desperately: but I had no comfort to give. When I glanced at George, his face was the picture of distress. The Grand Duchess was looking before her, with a little hand to her head.

If proof were needed of our helplessness, it was written in Johann’s face. With his last words, his anger seemed to have died, to be succeeded by a confident scorn, far more offensive than his wrath. As though to point his outlook, the fellow stared placidly upon the ceiling and, putting his hands together, began to twiddle his thumbs.

It has been said that the hour will produce the man. Whether that is true, of this case I cannot say, but I am inclined to think that Johann cut his own throat. His insufferable behaviour was too much for an old martinet.

Kneller stepped forward.

Be sure he wasted no words.

“My Lord Duke,” he said bluntly, “but one Prince sits at a time, and, unless and until you displace him, you must up on your feet.”

Johann drew in his breath.

“So,” he said hoarsely. “I thought—”

“So did I, sir,” said Kneller. “But, now that I am put to the touch – well, no man can serve two masters, and I am no exception to the rule.”

“I shall remember this, Kneller.”

“So be it, Lord Duke,” rasped the General. “
I am for Prince Paul
. You will please to give me your sword.”

Johann rose, glaring.

“Why?”

“For what I have seen, sir, – no more. You have flouted authority: you have trampled good order and discipline under foot. That was uncalled for – and you are the Colonel of the Guard.”

Kneller was growing angry, and Johann made another mistake.

“General,” he said soothingly, “you forget—”

“Your sword, sir,” barked Kneller. “I have put you under arrest.”

The fellow made no movement, so I stepped to his side and made to take his sword from its frog.

He raised his hand to strike me, but Hanbury had moved when I had and caught his arm.

I took his sword and scabbard and presented them to the General. He pointed to the table, and I laid them down on the oak.

“And now,” said Kneller, “for these Orders.” He turned to Duke Paul. “By your Royal Highness’ leave, I will send for pen and paper, and the Lord President will tell me what he requires to be done.”

The rough draft of those ‘Orders to the Body Guard’ lies before me today.

It is too long to set out, for it covers two pages of foolscap, and, even if it were shorter, it is but dry matter, bristling with military terms. But I shall always value it, for, by Sully’s express desire, George and I suggested certain additions to what Kneller and he had composed, and, though the former grunted and blew through his nose, he shaped them to our joint liking and then embodied them without a word.

Then he made a fair copy, and Johann signed his name at the foot of the sheet – this at the point of my pistol and after an ugly scene. For all that, he did it, and Kneller took the Orders to the Orderly Room before the ink was dry.

Ten minutes later the sentries were withdrawn from the doors of the private apartments. By that time the telephone was working, and the Second-in-command of the Body Guard reported in person to Kneller at five o’clock.

Perhaps because it was Sunday, all Vigil came thronging to hear the Proclamation at nine o’clock.

Five minutes before the hour I opened the great French window at the end of the hall, and George and I stepped on to the balcony.

At the sight of the state liveries a long murmur of excitement came from the crowds. These were without the forecourt. The broad boulevard between the gates and the river was choked with a press of people which stretched far beyond the palace on either side. To the right, the Bridge of Arches was lodging a multitude through which no traffic could have passed, and even across the water I could see the embankment swarming and the windows of the houses alive with citizens.

In the forecourt itself two squadrons of the Black Hussars were mounting guard – one in column and the other lining the enclosure from end to end. Before and below the balcony the trumpeters sat in their saddles with their trumpets upon their thighs. A little crowd of privileged persons, most of whom wore some uniform or other, was looking towards the Grand Entrance which lay on its left. This was directly below the balcony and was, therefore, out of my sight, so that, though I heard it, to this day I do not know who made the Proclamation or, indeed, what company stood by his side upon the steps; but that Sully was there with Kneller I have no doubt.

George and I took our stand, one at each end of the balcony, which was some seven feet long.

Looking down, I saw the sergeant-trumpeter watching my face. In the mouth of the window behind me stood Grimm, with his watch in his hand.

So we stood waiting in the hot sunshine, while the river ran white against the piers of the Bridge of Arches and the crowds swayed and whispered and the troop-horses stamped and shivered, to rout the flies.

“Two minutes to the hour, sir,” said Grimm. “I am going to fetch the Prince.”

It seemed to me an age before he was back.

At last—

“Half a minute to the hour, sir. Will you please count thirty seconds and give the sign?”

I counted thirty. Then I looked at the sergeant-trumpeter and nodded my head.

He gave an order, and the trumpeters raised their arms.

Floating across the water came the agreeable jingle of the Cathedral bells.

Then the long fanfare rang out, and the Prince and the Grand Duchess stepped on to the balcony.

I dared not look at my lady; but she was standing beside me and, since the balcony was small, so close that I could smell her perfume and tell when she bent her head.

What was in her mind at that moment I cannot tell, but I know that I was glad of her presence, for here was the end she had wanted – the consummation she had so desperately wished, and I had done my part to bring it about.

My thoughts flung back to Barabbas and that other sunshiny morning when I had stood by her side – when she had asked me to help her and I had promised to do whatever she asked.

‘Once he’s proclaimed’…

Duke Johann was not present. I doubt if he heard the cheers. He was seated on the steps of the passage, and the door to the wardrobe was shut. Brooch and Rowley were with him, but I think the man needed no guard. There was no more spirit in him, and, when, later on, he was given the choice of standing his trial by court-martial or resigning his Commission and withdrawing from Riechtenburg, he immediately chose withdrawal and requested permission to leave the palace by the passage under cover of night.

Here let me say that he was the last to use that tunnel which had cost him so dear, for, at my instance, masons were put to work and both of its mouths were sealed the following day.