The Lady of the Shroud

"I'm very tired with that long journey, Rupert. Would you and Mrs. SentLeger mind if I go to my own room and turn in? My man can ask for a cupof tea and a sandwich for me."

RUPERT'S JOURNAL.

_August_ 10, 1907.

When Ernest said he wished to retire it was about the wisest thing hecould have said or done, and it suited Teuta and me down to the ground.I could see that the dear girl was agitated about something, so thoughtit would be best for her to be quiet, and not worried with being civil tothe Bounder. Though he is my cousin, I can't think of him as anythingelse. The Voivode and I had certain matters to attend to arising out ofthe meeting of the Council, and when we were through the night wasclosing in. When I saw Teuta in our own rooms she said at once:

"Do you mind, dear, if I stay with Aunt Janet to-night? She is veryupset and nervous, and when I offered to come to her she clung to me andcried with relief."

So when I had had some supper, which I took with the Voivode, I came downto my old quarters in the Garden Room, and turned in early.

I was awakened a little before dawn by the coming of the fighting monkTheophrastos, a notable runner, who had an urgent message for me. Thiswas the letter to me given to him by Rooke. He had been cautioned togive it into no other hand, but to find me wherever I might be, andconvey it personally. When he had arrived at Plazac I had left on theaeroplane, so he had turned back to Vissarion.

When I read Rooke's report of Ernest Melton's abominable conduct I wasmore angry with him than I can say. Indeed, I did not think before thatthat I could be angry with him, for I have always despised him. But thiswas too much. However, I realized the wisdom of Rooke's advice, and wentaway by myself to get over my anger and reacquire my self-mastery. Theaeroplane _Teuta_ was still housed on the tower, so I went up alone andtook it out.

When I had had a spin of about a hundred miles I felt better. Thebracing of the wind and the quick, exhilarating motion restored me tomyself, and I felt able to cope with Master Ernest, or whatever elsechagrinable might come along, without giving myself away. As Teuta hadthought it better to keep silence as to Ernest's affront, I felt I mustnot acknowledge it; but, all the same, I determined to get rid of himbefore the day was much older.

When I had had my breakfast I sent word to him by a servant that I wascoming to his rooms, and followed not long behind the messenger.

He was in a suit of silk pyjamas, such as not even Solomon in all hisglory was arrayed in. I closed the door behind me before I began tospeak. He listened, at first amazed, then disconcerted, then angry, andthen cowering down like a whipped hound. I felt that it was a case forspeaking out. A bumptious ass like him, who deliberately insultedeveryone he came across--for if all or any of his efforts in that waywere due to mere elemental ignorance he was not fit to live, but shouldbe silenced on sight as a modern Caliban--deserved neither pity normercy. To extend to him fine feeling, tolerance, and such-likegentlenesses would be to deprive the world of them without benefit toany. So well as I can remember, what I said was something like this:

"Ernest, as you say, you've got to go, and to go quick, you understand.I dare say you look on this as a land of barbarians, and think that anyof your high-toned refinements are thrown away on people here. Well,perhaps it is so. Undoubtedly, the structure of the country is rough;the mountains may only represent the glacial epoch; but so far as I cangather from some of your exploits--for I have only learned a small partas yet--you represent a period a good deal farther back. You seem tohave given our folk here an exhibition of the playfulness of the hooliganof the Saurian stage of development; but the Blue Mountains, rough asthey are, have come up out of the primeval slime, and even now the peopleaim at better manners. They may be rough, primitive, barbarian,elemental, if you will, but they are not low down enough to tolerateeither your ethics or your taste. My dear cousin, your life is not safehere! I am told that yesterday, only for the restraint exercised bycertain offended mountaineers on other grounds than your own worth, youwould have been abbreviated by the head. Another day of your fascinatingpresence would do away with this restraint, and then we should have ascandal. I am a new-comer here myself--too new a comer to be able toafford a scandal of that kind--and so I shall not delay your going.Believe me, my dear cousin, Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, of Humcroft,Salop, that I am inconsolable about your resolution of immediatedeparture, but I cannot shut my eyes to its wisdom. At present thematter is altogether amongst ourselves, and when you have gone--if it beimmediately--silence will be observed on all hands for the sake of thehouse wherein you are a guest; but if there be time for scandal tospread, you will be made, whether you be alive or dead, a Europeanlaughing-stock. Accordingly, I have anticipated your wishes, and haveordered a fast steam yacht to take you to Ancona, or to whatever otherport you may desire. The yacht will be under the command of CaptainDesmond, of one of our battleships--a most determined officer, who willcarry out any directions which may be given to him. This will insureyour safety so far as Italian territory. Some of his officials willarrange a special carriage for you up to Flushing, and a cabin on thesteamer to Queenboro'. A man of mine will travel on the train andsteamer with you, and will see that whatever you may wish in the way offood or comfort will be provided. Of course, you understand, my dearcousin, that you are my guest until you arrive in London. I have notasked Rooke to accompany you, as when he went to meet you, it was amistake. Indeed, there might have been a danger to you which I nevercontemplated--a quite unnecessary danger, I assure you. But happilyAdmiral Rooke, though a man of strong passions, has wonderfulself-control."

"Admiral Rooke?" he queried. "Admiral?"

"Admiral, certainly," I replied, "but not an ordinary Admiral--one ofmany. He is _the_ Admiral--the Lord High Admiral of the Land of the BlueMountains, with sole control of its expanding navy. When such a man istreated as a valet, there may be . . . But why go into this? It is allover. I only mention it lest anything of a similar kind should occurwith Captain Desmond, who is a younger man, and therefore with probablyless self-repression."

I saw that he had learned his lesson, and so said no more on the subject.

There was another reason for his going which I did not speak of. SirColin MacKelpie was coming with his clansmen, and I knew he did not likeErnest Melton. I well remembered that episode of his offering one fingerto the old gentleman in Mr. Trent's office, and, moreover, I had mysuspicions that Aunt Janet's being upset was probably in some measure dueto some rudeness of his that she did not wish to speak about. He isreally an impossible young man, and is far better out of this countrythan in it. If he remained here, there would be some sort of a tragedyfor certain.

I must say that it was with a feeling of considerable relief that I sawthe yacht steam out of the creek, with Captain Desmond on the bridge andmy cousin beside him.

Quite other were my feelings when, an hour after, _The Lady_ came flyinginto the creek with the Lord High Admiral on the bridge, and beside him,more splendid and soldier-like than ever, Sir Colin MacKelpie. Mr.Bingham Trent was also on the bridge.

The General was full of enthusiasm regarding his regiment, for in all,those he brought with him and those finishing their training at home, theforce is near the number of a full regiment. When we were alone heexplained to me that all was arranged regarding the non-commissionedofficers, but that he had held over the question of officers until weshould have had a suitable opportunity of talking the matter overtogether. He explained to me his reasons, which were certainly simpleand cogent. Officers, according to him, are a different class, andaccustomed to a different standard altogether of life and living, ofduties and pleasures. They are harder to deal with and more difficult toobtain. "There was no use," he said, "in getting a lot of failures, withold-crusted ways of their own importance. We must have young men for ourpurpose--that is, men not old, but with some experience--men, of course,who know how to behave themselves, or else, from what little I have seenof the Blue Mountaineers, they wouldn't last long here if they went on assome of them do elsewhere. I shall start things here as you wish me to,for I am here, my dear b

oy, to stay with you and Janet, and we shall, ifit be given to us by the Almighty, help to build up together a new'nation'--an ally of Britain, who will stand at least as an outpost ofour own nation, and a guardian of our eastern road. When things areorganized here on the military side, and are going strong, I shall, ifyou can spare me, run back to London for a few weeks. Whilst I am thereI shall pick up a lot of the sort of officers we want. I know that thereare loads of them to be had. I shall go slowly, however, and carefully,too, and every man I bring back will be recommended to me by some oldsoldier whom I know, and who knows the man he recommends, and has seenhim work. We shall have, I dare say, an army for its size second to nonein the world, and the day may come when your old country will be proud ofyour new one. Now I'm off to see that all is ready for my people--yourpeople now."

I had had arrangements made for the comfort of the clansmen and thewomen, but I knew that the good old soldier would see for himself thathis men were to be comfortable. It was not for nothing that hewas--is--looked on as perhaps the General most beloved by his men in thewhole British Army.

When he had gone, and I was alone, Mr. Trent, who had evidently beenwaiting for the opportunity, came to me. When we had spoken of mymarriage and of Teuta, who seems to have made an immense impression onhim, he said suddenly:

"I suppose we are quite alone, and that we shall not be interrupted?" Isummoned the man outside--there is always a sentry on guard outside mydoor or near me, wherever I may be--and gave orders that I was not to bedisturbed until I gave fresh orders. "If," I said, "there be anythingpressing or important, let the Voivodin or Miss MacKelpie know. Ifeither of them brings anyone to me, it will be all right."

When we were quite alone Mr. Trent took a slip of paper and somedocuments from the bag which was beside him. He then read out items fromthe slip, placing as he did so the documents so checked over before him.

1. New Will made on marriage, to be signed presently.

2. Copy of the Re-conveyance of Vissarion estates to Peter Vissarion, asdirected by Will of Roger Melton.

3. Report of Correspondence with Privy Council, and proceedingsfollowing.

Taking up the last named, he untied the red tape, and, holding the bundlein his hand, went on:

"As you may, later on, wish to examine the details of the Proceedings, Ihave copied out the various letters, the originals of which are putsafely away in my strong-room where, of course, they are always availablein case you may want them. For your present information I shall give youa rough synopsis of the Proceedings, referring where advisable to thispaper.

"On receipt of your letter of instructions regarding the Consent of thePrivy Council to your changing your nationality in accordance with theterms of Roger Melton's Will, I put myself in communication with theClerk of the Privy Council, informing him of your wish to be naturalizedin due time to the Land of the Blue Mountains. After some lettersbetween us, I got a summons to attend a meeting of the Council.