TALKING-TALBOT-Chapter-11

It did not take an instant for Talbot to realize what had happened : They had come upon the Duke of Jankovacz in the midst of his friends. Afterward he learned that it was the duke’s own castle.

It was another kind of trouble, but at least it was not one that meant any immediate danger for the princess, and was far preferable to the peril he had rescued her from.

The duke was still standing in the doorway, peering out into the darkness, when Talbot bent over the. shrinking girl and whispered: “Play your part boldly, Sonia. Be the princess you are, and trust to me. We shall escape from this as from the other.”

He felt her press his arm and heard her murmur: “I’ll try.” Then he saw a glad smile break over the face of the duke, and saw him hurry down the steps with outstretched hand.

He cried out something in Hungarian by way of joyous greeting, and led her up the steps with a ceremony that betrayed the importance he endowed her with.

She was greeted with effusion and respect by the little party of men who had stood behind the duke, and with still more effusion and respect by the throng of gayly dressed men and women who had remained crowded eagerly together a short distance away.

Timid and shrinking at first, the princess cast a swift look back at Talbot, and then accepted the greetings with a dignity that gained a wonderful charm from her sweet simplicity.

It was the most brilliant gathering Talbot had ever seen, what with the men in their gay and picturesque uniforms and the ladies in full dress.

The princess looked as out of place as he knew she was feeling; and he followed slowly after her, wondering how he was going to make any headway against so many.

He stood back and to one side, unnoticed save for an occasional glance from some one facing him in the throng. The duke maintained his place by the side of the princess, his handsome but dissipated face glowing with delight as he looked down at her.

There was much talk, but it was all in Hungarian, and therefore unintelligible to Talbot, until the duke said something that made the gay throng open out before him and the princess. Then she turned and, looking straight at Talbot, said in German :

“I owe my liberty to this American gentleman. Your highness, this is Herr Talbot. Herr Talbot, please come with us.”

She said this with a decision that seemed amazing in her. Indeed, it had taken all her self-control to enable her to do it. Rut the truth was that she was afraid her courage would all go if she were separated from Talbot.

The American bowed composedly to the duke, whom he instinctively disliked, and went fonvard. The duke, looking him up and down with a swift glance, knew him for a man to be met on equal terms, so stretched out his hand in greeting.

Talbot shook the almost royal hand, and turned to the princess. “At your service, highness.”

A twitch of her red lip and a fleeting dimple in her round cheek betrayed the sense of her amusement at the sudden formality of their relations.

“We are most grateful to you, Herr Talbot, for the service you have rendered our beloved Princess Sonia.”

“Most grateful,” repeated the small number of men who kept near all the time.

The princess flashed a look of intelligence at Talbot, and said : “Some of these gentlemen are nobles devoted to the duke, some are of my party. I presume they have come together to devise measures for my rescue.”

Talbot was sure he saw some of the faces flush at her words, but the response was quick and eager: “Yes, highness; yes.”

“Luckily for me Herr Talbot was there,” said the princess, her courage high now, and her manner oddly lofty. “You wish to know the story of my escape? He shall tell it, for he knows it better than I. Shall I stand while he recites it?”

Talbot saw that she was playing her part as he had bidden her, boldly and like a princess, and it amused him all the more, therefore, to see the looks of wonder that were exchanged among the nobles.

“Shall we retire, highness?” demanded the duke, evidently taken aback also by this unexpected exhibition of poise and dignity.

“I presume they will all wish to hear,” answered the princess, looking over the throng of ladies and gentlemen, whose lesser rank kept them at a discreet distance.

There was an instant murmur of desire from them to hear the story, and an equally swift frown of dislike from the small group. But Talbot, without fully understanding, saw that the princess wished to let all of them know what had happened; so, seeing a large chair by the open fire in the hall, he quickly went to it and said :

“If your highness wishes to sit, here is a chair.”

The duke bent his head and whispered something to her, but with her eyes fixed on Talbot, as if to maintain her courage, she shook her head and said in a loud voice: “No, highness; I prefer to tell it now and here. AH of our friends will be curious, and they may as well hear the story at once. I’.csides, I am tired and cold.”

The duke, who was plainly a masterful man, bit his lip, looked at the high nobles near him, shrugged his shoulders, and led her to the chair beside which Talbot stood.

The princess began to undo the fastenings of her coat, but instantly was surrounded by a group of ladies eager to help her. This act, as much as anything else, impressed upon Talbot the knowledge of the princess’ importance, and his heart sank. These people must feel that the revolution was almost accomplished to be so ready to serve the princess in this eager way.

“If you would like to make a toilet first, highness?” suggested one of the nobles. “I am sure that among these ladies there will be plenty with which ”

“All that her highness wishes if she will put up with such poor things as we have to offer,” cried the lady who was fortunate enough to be assisting her.

“Afterward,” the princess said, seating herself comfortably in the big chair. “Won’t you be seated, highness?” she said to the duke.

The duke bit his lip and looked angrily about him, but already a chair was being brought. In a few moments he also was seated within the circle that had been formed.

Talbot saw how his heavy brows were drawn down as he sat staring at the princess, who was exhibiting a side of

herself unknown to him. Then he felt the searching glance bent on him, though he pretended unconsciousness. He was beginning to feel that the duke was a man to fear as well as to dislike.

“Now will you tell them, Herr Talbot?” the princess said, looking up at him and smiling a bit tremulously.

She had been enjoying the play, but she, too, had caught the expression of the duke, and it recalled to her how afraid of him she had been. But there was Talbot — her Sir Chester — looking cool and unconcerned, as if in no wise disturbed; so she determined to go on with courage.

She wished them all to hear the story of the outrage on her because she was afraid of the compromises the high nobles might be inclined to make, for she knew they were all afraid of the Countess Elsa.

“It was not much of a story,” Talbot said quietly. “I came upon her highness quite by accident in the inclosure of the castle of Prince Szchymsl.”

“It was the prince, then?” murmured the duke, exchanging glances with the high nobles. A low murmur came from the other eager listeners.

“It was the prince.” the princess said.

“I was going to carry her off from there,” Talbot resumed, “which would have been easy, but she was taken to the castle and put in a cell to be held for court-martial.”

An audible gasp came from the audience. The duke bent suddenly forward, his eyes glowing.

“Are you sure of what you are saying, Herr Talbot ?” he demanded.

“Yes,” replied Talbot quietly, “I am sure. I am sure because I overheard them planning it.”

“Who?” demanded the duke.

“The prince, the Countess Elsa, and the others.”
“The Countess Elsa was there?” demanded the duke in a lower tone.

” Ves, she was there, and I knew from what was said that the life of her highness was in danger; so 1 borrowed the automobile of the prince and brought her highness away.”

There was a dead silence when he ceased speaking, and it was plain that fear had fallen on them all. The name of the Countess Elsa was evidently something to conjure with.

“It seems very easy as he tells it,” cried the princess. “W hat he doesn’t say is that he entered the castle, broke open the door of my cell, captured the Countess Elsa right in their midst, and single-handed took us botli out of the castle before the eyes of all those men.”

“You brought the Countess Elsa away with you?” demanded the duke.

“We left her on the way, about thirty miles from the castle, I should say.” Talbot answered. “She promised to take no unfriendly step toward her highness if I let her go.”

“She knew you would fall into the hands either of the prince’s friends or of the troops of the emperor,” said the duke.

“So I suspected; therefore I let her go-”

Every eye was on the man who spoke so simply of the daring thing he had done. Without in the least intending it, he looked the part of a hero of romance as he stood there. It wasn’t only the princess who thought him magnificent.

One of the high nobles approached the duke and said something in Hungarian which made the duke start and say to Talbot : ”You have done a great service to-night, Herr Talbot. I hope you will join us at dinner. It will be put off until you can change your clothes — you and her highness. I trust you will permit me to supply the deficiencies of your wardrobe. I know you will be glad to wait for her highher supple, rounded figure. A band of pearls sat like a crown on her brown hair, and a rope of pearls hung about her white throat.

Talbot caught his breath, and a feeling almost of despondency took possession of him. He could not fail to see that nature had planned her for the queenly role it was designed by men that she should fill.

He stood moodily back, but her eager gray eyes searched about until they found him, when, with a sigh that lifted her snowy bosom, her lips parted in a smile of pleasure.

She went toward him at once, swept him with her eyes for an instant, and cried out : “Now you are one of my followers in your gallant uniform, Herr Talbot.”

“I was one before,” he answered.

“No,” she laughed, drawing very near to him, “you were leader before.” Then she lowered her voice. “My party has increased in power, it seems, and I am more important than ever. Countess Elsa is less to be feared; other things more to be feared. I will play my part as bravely as I can, but you must rescue me from the new peril or life is worth nothing to me.”

“I am devoted as always, highness,” he answered in a whisper. “You can depend on me.”

She frowned, and looked reproachfully at him. “Since when have I ceased to be Sonia?”

He drew a long breath. “You look so royal,” he stammered.

“I am only cowardly little Sbnia, whose surface courage is all due to you,” she said. “Tell me I am still Sonia to you.”

“You will always be Sonia to me.”

The coming of the duke separated them, but enough had been said to restore to him his equanimity, and he saw her conducted to the dining hall by the duke without disturbance of mind.

She certainly played her part right

royally, as with her little hand resting on the duke’s arm she went the length of the great room, smiling graciously at every one.

Talbot, watching her, saw her stop and look about before sitting down. He knew she was seeking him, and guessed in a moment that she was going to demand his presence near her; so when her eye caught his, he shook his head slightly.

She tossed her head, and pouted her red lips for an instant as if in rebellion at his wish, but suddenly smiled and took her seat at the right hand of the duke.

From where Talbot sat he could see her. though the length of the table was between them. The master of ceremonies had made his own judgment of the social value of an American gentleman, even though dressed as a Hungarian officer.

The dinner was a very merry one. with everybody drinking plentifully of the delicious native wines, and with everybody smoking cigarettes during the whole time.

It seemed to Talbot, who hardly touched his glasses as they were filled with the different wines, that the duke was doing more drinking than eating, and that he was beginning to feel the effects of it.

He saw Sonia flash a look of appeal at him now and then, but although he hated the big, handsome brute by her side he knew he must restrain himself and not betray any feeling.

After dinner the ladies left the men at the table, and then brandy and liqueurs were brought, and the duke seemed to pour the brandy down his throat.

This conduct manifestly disturbed the high nobles, and one of them whispered what must have been a remonstrance. The duke fell back in his chair and broke into a loud laugh, saying loud enough to be heard by all in the room:
“Don’t worry! I’m drinking to the bride.”

Talbot couldn’t help but understand that this referred to the princess, and it made him desperately uneasy. He knew that a marriage between the two was contemplated.

He had promised to stand by Sonia, and at any cost lie meant to do it ; but he realized his insignificance there in the midst of all these people, in the heart of a strange country, surrounded and hemmed in by the armies of the empire.

The duke sought out the princess the moment he left the dining hall, and Talbot was obliged to stand aloof and see him bend amorously over the shrinking g»ri- .

The princess, seeing at a glance that the duke had been drinking too freely, started up from her chair and drew back, casting an appealing glance about her and betraying what it was she sought by the relief she showed when her eyes fell on Talbot standing stern and grim not far from her.

She made a scarcely perceptible sign to him to come to her, and, reckless of consequences, he had started when a restraining hand was placed on his arm. He looked around and saw that it was one of the high nobles who had stopped him.

‘•Well, sir?” he demanded sharply.

The other was a distinguished-looking man of about fifty, with a keen, intelligent face and the manner of one accustomed to authority. He smiled suavely as he met the cold blue eyes. “A few words with you, Herr Talbot,” he said.

“A very few, please. The princess wishes to speak to me.”

“And it is precisely of that that I wish to talk with you,” was the smiling response. “Will you not come over here and sit down with me?”

Talbot studied him for a moment, his face unsmiling, his eyes unpleasantly

cold. “I will talk with you when I have learned what her highness wishes of tne,” he answered, and started toward her.

“1 can tell you what she wishes.”

“I prefer to hear it from her own lips.”

“You would intrude on the duke?” the other demanded, a note of anger in his voice.

‘ [ do not intrude when I obey her highness’ wishes.” He stopped, however, for he saw the princess elude the reaching hand of the duke and come toward him.

The noble, seeing what had happened, waited beside Talbot until the princess, panting, but with eyes sparkling angrily, reached them. Then he spoke to her in Hungarian, evidently conveying reproach if not reproof. She answered him in German :

“He is drunk. 1 will not have him paw me. I will not endure it.”

The noble answered her in Hungarian. She drew a deep breath, looked into Talbot’s set face, and said angrily : “Speak in German, since Herr Talbot does not understand Hungariati.”

“And why must Herr Talbot know what we say?” »

“Because I wish it for one thing: for another because he rescued me from death when my party friends would have left me to die. I trust Herr Talbot.”

There was silence then. Talbot looked anxiously about. The situation was becoming tense. The duke, with flushed face and slightly swaying body, was approaching; the noble was furious at the open rebellion of the hitherto docile princess; the princess was alarmed at her own temerity.

At this moment there was a sudden bustle at the other end of the great salon, and the noble, turning to see what it was, cried out in a tone of relief : “The archbishop !”

“The archbishop?” gasped the princess, catching at Talbot’s arm. “Why is he here?”

“Is he not one of your highness* adherents?” the noble said, with an enigmatic smile.

“Ha, ha!” roared the duke, stopping beside them and looking at the prelate. “Welcome, monseigneur !”

He added more, but as he spoke in Hungarian, Talbot understood only the first words. Then he saw the princess turn pale and shrink close to him, and by that knew that the words had to do with her.

“He has come to marry me to him,” she breathed, looking up appealingly at Talbot.