‘Where is he now?’ she asked, on his arrival.
‘Madam, he is with the Chancellor,’ replied the Baron1. ‘Wonder of wonders, he is at work!’
‘Ah,’ she said, ‘he was born to torture me! O what a fall, what a humiliation2! Such a scheme to wreck3 upon so small a trifle! But now all is lost.’
‘Madam,’ said Gondremark, ‘nothing is lost. Something, on the other hand, is found. You have found your senses; you see him as he is — see him as you see everything where your too-good heart is not in question — with the judicial4, with the statesman’s eye. So long as he had a right to interfere5, the empire that may be was still distant. I have not entered on this course without the plain foresight6 of its dangers; and even for this I was prepared. But, madam, I knew two things: I knew that you were born to command, that I was born to serve; I knew that by a rare conjuncture, the hand had found the tool; and from the first I was confident, as I am confident to-day, that no hereditary7 trifler has the power to shatter that alliance.’
‘I, born to command!’ she said. ‘Do you forget my tears?’
‘Madam, they were the tears of Alexander,’ cried the Baron. ‘They touched, they thrilled me; I, forgot myself a moment — even I! But do you suppose that I had not remarked, that I had not admired, your previous bearing? your great self-command? Ay, that was princely!’ He paused. ‘It was a thing to see. I drank confidence! I tried to imitate your calm. And I was well inspired; in my heart, I think that I was well inspired; that any man, within the reach of argument, had been convinced! But it was not to be; nor, madam, do I regret the failure. Let us be open; let me disclose my heart. I have loved two things, not unworthily: Grunewald and my sovereign!’ Here he kissed her hand. ‘Either I must resign my ministry9, leave the land of my adoption10 and the queen whom I had chosen to obey — or -’ He paused again.
‘Alas, Herr von Gondremark, there is no “or,”’ said Seraphina.
‘Nay11, madam, give me time,’ he replied. ‘When first I saw you, you were still young; not every man would have remarked your powers; but I had not been twice honoured by your conversation ere I had found my mistress. I have, madam, I believe, some genius; and I have much ambition. But the genius is of the serving kind; and to offer a career to my ambition, I had to find one born to rule. This is the base and essence of our union; each had need of the other; each recognised, master and servant, lever and fulcrum12, the complement13 of his endowment. Marriages, they say, are made in heaven: how much more these pure, alborious, intellectual fellowships, born to found empires! Nor is this all. We found each other ripe, filled with great ideas that took shape and clarified with every word. We grew together — ay, madam, in mind we grew together like twin children. All of my life until we met was petty and groping; was it not — I will flatter myself openly — it WAS the same with you! Not till then had you those eagle surveys, that wide and hopeful sweep of intuition! Thus we had formed ourselves, and we were ready.’
‘It is true,’ she cried. ‘I feel it. Yours is the genius; your generosity14 confounds your insight; all I could offer you was the position, was this throne, to be a fulcrum. But I offered it without reserve; I entered at least warmly into all your thoughts; you were sure of me — sure of my support — certain of justice. Tell me, tell me again, that I have helped you.’
‘Nay, madam,’ he said, ‘you made me. In everything you were my inspiration. And as we prepared our policy, weighing every step, how often have I had to admire your perspicacity15, your man-like diligence and fortitude16! You know that these are not the words of flattery; your conscience echoes them; have you spared a day? have you indulged yourself in any pleasure? Young and beautiful, you have lived a life of high intellectual effort, of irksome intellectual patience with details. Well, you have your reward: with the fall of Brandenau, the throne of your Empire is founded.’
‘What thought have you in your mind?’ she asked. ‘Is not all ruined?’
‘Nay, my Princess, the same thought is in both our minds,’ he said.
‘Herr von Gondremark,’ she replied, ‘by all that I hold sacred, I have none; I do not think at all; I am crushed.’
‘You are looking at the passionate17 side of a rich nature, misunderstood and recently insulted,’ said the Baron. ‘Look into your intellect, and tell me.’
‘I find nothing, nothing but tumult,’ she replied.
‘You find one word branded, madam,’ returned the Baron: ‘“Abdication18!”’
‘O!’ she cried. ‘The coward! He leaves me to bear all, and in the hour of trial he stabs me from behind. There is nothing in him, not respect, not love, not courage — his wife, his dignity, his throne, the honour of his father, he forgets them all!’
‘Yes,’ pursued the Baron, ‘the word Abdication. I perceive a glimmering19 there.’
‘I read your fancy,’ she returned. ‘It is mere20 madness, midsummer madness. Baron, I am more unpopular than he. You know it. They can excuse, they can love, his weakness; but me, they hate.’
‘Such is the gratitude21 of peoples,’ said the Baron. ‘But we trifle. Here, madam, are my plain thoughts. The man who in the hour of danger speaks of abdication is, for me, a venomous animal. I speak with the bluntness of gravity, madam; this is no hour for mincing22. The coward, in a station of authority, is more dangerous than fire. We dwell on a volcano; if this man can have his way, Grunewald before a week will have been deluged23 with innocent blood. You know the truth of what I say; we have looked unblenching into this ever-possible catastrophe24. To him it is nothing: he will abdicate25! Abdicate, just God! and this unhappy country committed to his charge, and the lives of men and the honour of women . . .’ His voice appeared to fail him; in an instant he had conquered his emotion and resumed: ‘But you, madam, conceive more worthily8 of your responsibilities. I am with you in the thought; and in the face of the horrors that I see impending26, I say, and your heart repeats it — we have gone too far to pause. Honour, duty, ay, and the care of our own lives, demand we should proceed.’
She was looking at him, her brow thoughtfully knitted. ‘I feel it,’ she said. ‘But how? He has the power.’
‘The power, madam? The power is in the army,’ he replied; and then hastily, ere she could intervene, ‘we have to save ourselves,’ he went on; ‘I have to save my Princess, she has to save her minister; we have both of us to save this infatuated youth from his own madness. He in the outbreak would be the earliest victim; I see him,’ he cried, ‘torn in pieces; and Grunewald, unhappy Grunewald! Nay, madam, you who have the power must use it; it lies hard upon your conscience.’
‘Show me how!’ she cried. ‘Suppose I were to place him under some constraint27, the revolution would break upon us instantly.’
The Baron feigned28 defeat. ‘It is true,’ he said. ‘You see more clearly than I do. Yet there should, there must be, some way.’ And he waited for his chance.
‘No,’ she said; ‘I told you from the first there is no remedy. Our hopes are lost: lost by one miserable29 trifler, ignorant, fretful, fitful — who will have disappeared to-morrow, who knows? to his boorish30 pleasures!’
Any peg31 would do for Gondremark. ‘The thing!’ he cried, striking his brow. ‘Fool, not to have thought of it! Madam, without perhaps knowing it, you have solved our problem.’
‘What do you mean? Speak!’ she said.
He appeared to collect himself; and then, with a smile, ‘The Prince,’ he said, ‘must go once more a-hunting.’
‘Ay, if he would!’ cried she, ‘and stay there!’
‘And stay there,’ echoed the Baron. It was so significantly said, that her face changed; and the schemer, fearful of the sinister32 ambiguity33 of his expressions, hastened to explain. ‘This time he shall go hunting in a carriage, with a good escort of our foreign lancers. His destination shall be the Felsenburg; it is healthy, the rock is high, the windows are small and barred; it might have been built on purpose. We shall intrust the captaincy to the Scotsman Gordon; he at least will have no scruple34. Who will miss the sovereign? He is gone hunting; he came home on Tuesday, on Thursday he returned; all is usual in that. Meanwhile the war proceeds; our Prince will soon weary of his solitude35; and about the time of our triumph, or, if he prove very obstinate36, a little later, he shall be released upon a proper understanding, and I see him once more directing his theatricals37.’
Seraphina sat gloomy, plunged38 in thought. ‘Yes,’ she said suddenly, ‘and the despatch39? He is now writing it.’
‘It cannot pass the council before Friday,’ replied Gondremark; ‘and as for any private note, the messengers are all at my disposal. They are picked men, madam. I am a person of precaution.’
‘It would appear so,’ she said, with a flash of her occasional repugnance40 to the man; and then after a pause, ‘Herr von Gondremark,’ she added, ‘I recoil41 from this extremity42.’
‘I share your Highness’s repugnance,’ answered he. ‘But what would you have? We are defenceless, else.’
‘I see it, but this is sudden. It is a public crime,’ she said, nodding at him with a sort of horror.
‘Look but a little deeper,’ he returned, ‘and whose is the crime?’
‘His!’ she cried. ‘His, before God! And I hold him liable. But still — ’
‘It is not as if he would be harmed,’ submitted Gondremark.
‘I know it,’ she replied, but it was still unheartily.
And then, as brave men are entitled, by prescriptive right as old as the world’s history, to the alliance and the active help of Fortune, the punctual goddess stepped down from the machine. One of the Princess’s ladies begged to enter; a man, it appeared, had brought a line for the Freiherr von Gondremark. It proved to be a pencil billet, which the crafty43 Greisengesang had found the means to scribble44 and despatch under the very guns of Otto; and the daring of the act bore testimony45 to the terror of the actor. For Greisengesang had but one influential46 motive47: fear. The note ran thus: ‘At the first council, procuration to be withdrawn48. — CORN. GREIS.’
So, after three years of exercise, the right of signature was to be stript from Seraphina. It was more than an insult; it was a public disgrace; and she did not pause to consider how she had earned it, but morally bounded under the attack as bounds the wounded tiger.
‘Enough,’ she said; ‘I will sign the order. When shall he leave?’
‘It will take me twelve hours to collect my men, and it had best be done at night. To-morrow midnight, if you please?’ answered the Baron.
‘Excellent,’ she said. ‘My door is always open to you, Baron. As soon as the order is prepared, bring it me to sign.’
‘Madam,’ he said, ‘alone of all of us you do not risk your head in this adventure. For that reason, and to prevent all hesitation49, I venture to propose the order should be in your hand throughout.’
‘You are right,’ she replied.
He laid a form before her, and she wrote the order in a clear hand, and re-read it. Suddenly a cruel smile came on her face. ‘I had forgotten his puppet,’ said she. ‘They will keep each other company.’ And she interlined and initiated50 the condemnation51 of Doctor Gotthold.
‘Your Highness has more memory than your servant,’ said the Baron; and then he, in his turn, carefully perused52 the fateful paper. ‘Good!’ said he.
‘You will appear in the drawing-room, Baron?’ she asked.
‘I thought it better,’ said he, ‘to avoid the possibility of a public affront53. Anything that shook my credit might hamper54 us in the immediate55 future.’
‘You are right,’ she said; and she held out her hand as to an old friend and equal.
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1
baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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foresight
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| n.先见之明，深谋远虑 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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worthily
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| 重要地，可敬地，正当地 | |
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ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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adoption
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| n.采用，采纳，通过；收养 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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fulcrum
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| n.杠杆支点 | |
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complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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perspicacity
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| n. 敏锐, 聪明, 洞察力 | |
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fortitude
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| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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abdication
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| n.辞职；退位 | |
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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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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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deluged
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| v.使淹没( deluge的过去式和过去分词 )；淹没；被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没；穷于应付 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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abdicate
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| v.让位，辞职，放弃 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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boorish
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| adj.粗野的，乡巴佬的 | |
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peg
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| n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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ambiguity
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| n.模棱两可；意义不明确 | |
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scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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theatricals
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| n.（业余性的）戏剧演出，舞台表演艺术；职业演员；戏剧的( theatrical的名词复数 )；剧场的；炫耀的；戏剧性的 | |
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38
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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39
despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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40
repugnance
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| n.嫌恶 | |
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41
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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42
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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scribble
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| v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文 | |
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45
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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46
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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48
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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49
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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50
initiated
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| n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入 | |
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51
condemnation
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| n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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52
perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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53
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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54
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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