The Traitors by E. Phillips Oppenheim

Author:E. Phillips Oppenheim [Oppenheim, E. Phillips]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery & Crime
Publisher: Project Gutenberg
Published: 2011-09-07T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XXV

IT CHANCED that a brilliant autumn brought a season of great prosperity to the Thetian wine-growers and farmers, and the year of Ughtred’s accession to the throne seemed likely to be marked with a white stone in their annals. Never had a ruler been more popular with all classes. His military system, while it made no undue demands upon the people, provoked the admiration of Europe, and several important and successful industrial undertakings were due entirely to his instigation. Mr. Van Decht, fascinated by the climate, the primitive but delightful life, and a firm believer in the possibilities of the country, still lingered in the capital, and already the results of his large investments were beginning to be felt. Only a few people knew of the hidden danger which was ever brooding over the land—a danger which Ughtred had realized from the first, and which from the first he had set himself steadfastly to avert. A soldier himself, he knew something of the horrors of war. Nothing seemed to him more awful than the vision of this beautiful country blackened and devastated, her corn-fields soaked with blood, her pleasant pastoral life swept away in the grim struggle against an only partially-civilized enemy. He set himself passionately to work to strive for peace.

Reist came to him one evening straight from the House of Laws with a suggestion.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “the people are asking for a queen.”

Ughtred laughed.

“I’m sorry I can’t oblige them off-hand,” he answered.

“Has your Majesty never thought of an alliance through marriage with one of the Powers? Not a direct alliance, perhaps, but one which might be useful to us if the worst should come.”

Ughtred shook his head.

“A dream, my friend,” he answered. “There is only one country in the world who could help us, and I fear an English princess would be beyond our wildest dreams. Friendship with Russia is more to be dreaded than her open enmity. France has no royal family, and is bound up with Russia. Germany and Austria are tied.”

“Your marriage has been spoken of, sire,” Reist said slowly. “I have promised to convey to the House your views. A queen would be very popular.”

“I am not prepared at present to make any announcement upon the subject,” Ughtred answered.

“I should not hesitate at any sacrifice which the safety or benefit of Theos seemed to require. At present there is no question of anything of the sort.”

Reist bowed, and abandoned the subject. But late that night he sought his sister. She was sitting on the stone balcony which led from her own suite of rooms, her elbow upon the worn balustrade, her clear, beautiful face clouded with thought. For the first time Nicholas noticed a change in her. She was thinner, and there were dark lines under her eyes. A vague trouble was in her eyes.

“Marie,” he said, “you have not been to the palace lately.”

“No.”

“Tell me why.”

She turned slowly towards him.

“Need you ask! I hate that American girl. She is always there. She monopolizes everything.

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