“He takes the risk.”
“Of what?” It was I who asked the question, curious to hear what penalty attached to the handsome Rittmeister’s temerity1.
The three men gave glances at each other, as though inquiring which of them could answer. My friend Von Lindheim broke the pause, replying with a shrug2—
“He is a Captain of Cavalry3, Master of the Horse; a gentleman, noble, no doubt, by birth, but a simple, if magnificent, Rittmeister. The lady”—he glanced round towards the dark shadows of the trees, gave another shrug of caution and lowered his voice,—“is what we all know. To couple their names is high treason; and, a fortiori, it is treason in a higher degree for the Bursche to aspire4.”
“We have not forgotten,” another said, “the case of poor Steiner.”
I saw they were not inclined to run risks by discussing State secrets under the very walls of the palace, so postponed5 the gratification of my curiosity until I should get Von Lindheim alone in my rooms or his house. We four had slipped out into the [Pg 6]gardens, to snatch ten minutes for a cigarette from the rather dreary6 formality of a State ball at the palace of Buyda. My three companions were guests in their official capacities, being attached to the bureau of the world-known Chancellor7 Rallenstein; I, Jasper Tyrrell, a mere8 traveller, through the friendly offices of Von Lindheim, to whom I had an introduction. I had gone abroad in a restless, roving frame of mind, ready for any adventure, and heartily9 sick of the monotony of inaction, forced inaction, very slightly relieved by the problematical fun of entertaining big shooting parties at my place in Norfolk. That seemed all I had to look forward to in the year, and the more I thought of my autumn programme the more restless and discontented had I grown. Even the temporary diversion of marriage, strenuously10 commended to me by certain not altogether disinterested11 friends, had failed to take hold on my fancy; amusements of that sort can be arranged at any time and at comparatively short notice. So one night at dinner, during which several friends and relations were good enough to map out a very pretty six months’ programme for me—and themselves—my resolution was taken, and before I had got into bed that night my kit12 for an extended solitary13 ramble14 was packed. Next day I made a bolt of it, leaving to an astute15 aunt full authority, by letter, to carry on Sharnston in my absence, and after a month’s desultory16 progress found myself at Buyda.
A generation ago there were, as every student of European diplomacy17 knows, some very curious political intrigues18 (we know more about them now) in several of the Courts of Europe. More or less secret acts of aggressive statesmanship were perpetrated which, had they not been diplomatically covered up or explained away, would have seemed to set the forces of civilization to right-about-face. [Pg 7]But the press, like speech, often serves, in some countries at any rate, to withhold19 rather than to give out information, while special correspondents are mostly acclimatized and often merely human.
Still, there was somewhere, in east central Europe for choice, a chance of seeing something of life a little more adventurous20 than the cricket field or the covert21 at home had to offer, and with young blood in one’s veins22, a perfect digestion23, a muscular system second to none at Angelo’s, the idea of a possible running into adventures is not displeasing24. The dull smoothness and security of a well-policed community is monotonous25 to a man of spirit.
Such were the vague anticipations26 with which I set forth27, but my imagination certainly never suggested such a series of adventures as that which I was to pass through before I got back.
I had purposely left my destination uncertain, even to my own mind. In the true spirit of adventure I would be bound by no fixed28 route, but let my fancy and the circumstances of the moment carry me whither they would. Only one indication of any sort of purpose did I take with me. That was a letter of introduction from an F. O. friend to an old school-fellow of his, Gustav von Lindheim, a rich young fellow who had been educated in England, and who now held a post in the Chancellory of his native State. It was in that corner of Europe that something of an adventure seemed most likely to be had, and it was there, to pass over my earlier wanderings, that I eventually found myself.
Through the half-open windows of the great ball-room came “Amorettent?nze,” thundered out with military swing and insistence29 by the resplendent Court band. In company with my three acquaintances I had strolled away from the illuminated30 portion of the gardens, and we were now pacing a dark [Pg 8]and comparatively secluded31 walk. Encouraged perhaps by the lessened32 probability of eavesdropping33 (for methods under Rallenstein, the dread34 Chancellor’s rule, were medi?val, more or less), one of my companions remarked:
“Our Princess looks bewitchingly pretty to-night. The bold Rittmeister has indeed an excuse.”
“And she also,” Von Lindheim replied. “The fellow is the most splendid clothes-peg and wig-block combined that I know. He is magnificent, the sort of magnificence that does not live to see its grandchildren.”
“And the Jaguar is couched and ready to spring at the right moment.”
“Our dear chief does not make a mistake or let another man make it against his policy.”
“Or woman.”
“Ah! He has a plan, and the Herr Rittmeister von Orsova forms no part of it.”
“No use for him. Prince Theodor——” I began incautiously, when I was stopped by a subdued37 chorus of “Hush!”
“Secrets of State, my dear fellow,” Von Lindheim said, laughing, but with a warning gesture. “You will get us into trouble. You Englishmen, with your excess of freedom, can’t realize how circumspect38 we have to be. You have no Jaguar ever ready for the spring. You don’t know our famous Red Chancellor—even by reputation.”
Strolling and talking thus, we had passed through the gardens and struck into a path, skirting a little wood beyond the pleasaunce of the royal grounds. My companions stopped and turned.
[Pg 9]
“I’ll just finish my cigar and follow you,” I said. The Emperadore was too good to throw away for the sake of hurrying back to an entertainment of which, to tell the truth, the petty splendour rather bored me.
Nevertheless, we all turned back together. Suddenly Szalay halted, and pointed39 into the wood. “What is that?”
We all looked. A light was glimmering40 from the depth of the blackness; a light suggested rather than seen.
“Yes; but what can any one be doing there at this time of night.”
“Come, then. We can get round this way again to the terrace, and perhaps——”
They had plunged43 into the wood, making for the light. I followed them a step or two, then stopped and regained44 the path, not seeing how the question of the irregular illumination could interest me. Enjoying my cigar I strolled on. The night was pleasant enough. A slight warm breeze drove the clouds slowly across a gibbous moon, giving a pretty play of light and shade. So I sauntered on in a frame of mind attuned45 to my present surroundings. I had become so far acclimatized as to take an interest in the Court intrigues which flourished in the air of that Chancellor-ruled kingdom. I had an idea of seeking a temporary commission in the State cavalry, that dazzling regiment46 with its picture-book cattle and its theatrical47 accoutrements. I was only awaiting to see whether there was any grit48 inside all that fur and brass49 and steel and bullion50, not caring to ear-mark myself with a regiment of costumiers’ dummies51. This doubt made me take a peculiar52 interest in that [Pg 10]magnificent spectacular warrior53, the Rittmeister von Orsova. Granted he was a fool, he might be a plucky54 fool. That the pretty Princess Casilde (and she was lovely) was in love with him, or something near it, was common gossip in the inner circle of Court officialdom. But the despotic Chancellor held other views and plans. Having made himself the foremost man in the State (for the King, with all his parade of authority, was notoriously under his thumb), he now nursed the one idea of the State’s aggrandizement55 as the only way left of increasing his own power. And it was evident that that aggrandizement could best be attained56 by allying his master’s house with the richer and more important state of which Prince Theodor was heir-apparent. Hence the projected marriage between that Prince and the Princess Casilde. Such was the state of affairs when I found myself in Buyda.
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1
temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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strenuously
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| adv.奋发地，费力地 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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12
kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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14
ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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15
astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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19
withhold
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| v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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23
digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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displeasing
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| 不愉快的，令人发火的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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31
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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32
lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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eavesdropping
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| n. 偷听 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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jaguar
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| n.美洲虎 | |
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36
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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circumspect
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| adj.慎重的，谨慎的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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40
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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41
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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42
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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43
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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44
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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45
attuned
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| v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 )；调音 | |
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46
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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47
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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48
grit
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| n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关 | |
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49
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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50
bullion
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| n.金条，银条 | |
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51
dummies
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| n.仿制品( dummy的名词复数 )；橡皮奶头；笨蛋；假传球 | |
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52
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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53
warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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54
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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55
aggrandizement
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| n.增大，强化，扩大 | |
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56
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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