Her Royal Highness Part 43

His Excellency, quickly taking the safe key attached to his watch-chain, rose eagerly and opened the big steel door.

"Yes," he gasped, turning pale, "it's gone! What do you know about it, signore?"

"No," laughed the Englishman; "this is not quite so serious, for though it was actually stolen last night I already have it safe in my possession."

"You!"

"Yes. I recovered it. But first please tell me to what the tracing refers."

"Why, to the plans of our new fortresses along the Austrian frontier,"

was his prompt reply. "I doubt if they would be understood without that key. Pironti declares they would be valueless."

"Then the same person who stole the key would have stolen the original plans--eh?"

"Without a doubt. Who was the thief? You know, signore! I can tell it from your face."

"True, I do know, but at present Your Excellency must excuse me if I remain silent. I hope in His Majesty's interest--indeed in the interest of the Italian nation to be able to avoid a scandal."

"But surely you can tell me in confidence. Signor Waldron," the General protested. "The plans disappeared and I know from my own personal observations that His Majesty held me in suspicion, as responsible for their safe keeping."

"No suspicion can further attach to you, General Cataldi," the Englishman a.s.sured him, "nor to your secretary. But I have called to ascertain exactly the nature of the key plans."

"I am much relieved if suspicion has been lifted from my shoulders, signore," was the General's reply. "I know that both you and our friend, the Commendatore Ghelardi suspected that someone in the Ministry had connived at this act of espionage."

"The theft has been committed by a person outside the Ministry."

"Who--do tell me who, signore," he cried eagerly.

"Not at present. I can say nothing. I am only here to obtain further information, so that I may make a complete report to His Majesty and explain of what a.s.sistance Your Excellency has been to me."

The General--the man who had accepted bribes from every quarter-- hesitated for a few seconds. This man whom he had hitherto regarded as his enemy was, he thought, evidently his friend, after all!

"The tracings of the key were purposely upon a smaller scale, so that they would have to be enlarged by photography, or re-drawn, to be of any use," he said. "Three days ago they were examined by the Committee of National Defence in view of the theft of the plans themselves; my secretary placed them in the safe prior to being returned to the Department of Fortifications."

"Then I take it that the missing plans are quite useless to any outsider without the measurements and calculations upon the key?"

"That is so."

"You have never stated this before," remarked Waldron in surprise.

"No question has been put to me."

"But the plans were stolen and the consequences extremely grave."

"And Ghelardi has been in search of the thief. He is no friend of mine," said the General with an expressive smile.

"Hence you have not mentioned the key--eh?" His Excellency smiled again in the affirmative. "Then, if the key is safe, the plans are, after all, useless?"

"Exactly, Signor Waldron. Indeed I question whether a foreign Power could make out what new construction were intended--and certainly they could not--without the tracings you refer to--discover the strength of the armaments of the forts."

"Then that is all I require to know at present," Hubert said, and a few moments later, as Pironti entered, he took his leave.

At noon he was standing in his room when the crooked-backed Peters ushered in Her Royal Highness. She was dressed smartly, but neatly, in deep black, with a large hat which suited her admirably, though her face was white as paper.

"I was unable to go out to Frascati," she explained, as she put out her gloved hand to him. "So I thought it better to risk being seen and to call on you, Mr Waldron."

The door was closed and they stood alone.

His eyes were fixed upon her, and for some seconds he did not reply.

"Lola," he said at last, "I--I really hardly know what to say. The whole affair of last night is too terrible for words."

"I know, Mr Waldron. Ah! I--I feel that I cannot face you, for what excuse can I make? I have no excuse--none whatever."

"But why in Heaven's name have you betrayed your country--why have you placed yourself so utterly and entirely in the hands of your enemies?"

he cried in blank dismay.

"Because--ah! because I have been compelled."

"Compelled to hand Italy's secrets over to the hands of her enemies?" he asked in bitter reproach.

"Yes. But, at the time, I was in ignorance of what I was doing--of the fateful consequences--until, alas! too late."

"And then?"

"Then, when I realised what! Had done--when I knew that I had made such a terrible mistake, and, further, that you were in search of the thief, I became horrified. Ah! you do not know what I have suffered--how horrible, how awful it has all been; in what constant dread I have lived all these long months, forced as I was to betray my country which I love."

"Forced--what do you mean?" he asked with a very grave look.

"I was forced, because I was utterly helpless," she gasped, her gloved hand upon the back of a chair to steady herself. "Last night I failed, because--because of you, Mr Waldron, and that failure means to me but one thing--death--_death by my own hand_!"

He stared at her, starting at her strange words. "Why, what do you mean, Lola?" he asked quickly. "Are you really in your right senses that you should say this?"

"I tell you quite openly and frankly, that I have come this morning to see you, because of my promise of last night--but it is to see you for the last time. Now, when I leave you I shall go back, and before to-day is out, I shall have bidden farewell to you--and to all!"

"No, no. You are not yourself to-day," he said. "You--a Royal Princess--contemplating suicide! It's absurd! Think of the terrible scandal--of your family, of the Royal House."

"The scandal would be greater, if I dared to live and face exposure."

"But why face exposure?"

"There is no other way. Last night, just as I was within an ace of releasing myself from the terrible bondage, you entered and discovered the disgraceful truth. Ghelardi, too, knows it. He will tell His Majesty--for he hates both you and I, as you well know."

"Your Highness may rest absolutely a.s.sured that he will say no word to the King--he dare not."

"Dare not? Why? Ghelardi will dare anything."

"He will not dare to utter a syllable regarding the events of last night," said Waldron. "Therefore this affair remains between you and me."