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General Braze tore off his own epaulets and presented himself to Quinnox as a soldier of the file; lords and dukes, pages and ministers, followed the example of the head of the War Department. No one stood on the dignity of his position; no one does, as a rule, with the executioner staring him in the face. Every man took up arms for the defence of the Castle, its Prince and its lovely women.
"Your Highness," said Quinnox, with a glance at his fellow-officers, "you may rely upon it, Count Marlanx will never reach you until he has slain every man in the Royal Guard." "And in the army our poor little army," added General Braze. "Thank you," said the Prince. "You needn't have told me. I knew it."
The present dynasty was to end at one o'clock! So said Marlanx! How could Dangloss or Braze or Quinnox say him nay? They would be dead or in irons before the first shock of disaster had ceased to thrill. The others? Pah! They were as chaff to the Iron Count. The calm that precedes the storm fell upon the waiting throng; an ominous silence spread from one end of the avenue to the other.
The dazed groom's story hardly had been told to the horrified brother before he was engaged in telephoning to General Braze and Baron Dangloss. A hurried consultation followed.
In talking with the Vicomte de Braze in the intervals of the dance, he had made some passing remark on her beauty. De Braze had said, "Yes, she is charming; I will present you," and hastened to do so before Rochebriant even learned her name. So introduced, he could but invite her to give him her first disengaged dance, and when that was fixed, he had retired, without entering into conversation.
"No; ugly, old too; thirty at least." Duplessis felt relieved. He did not wish his daughter to fall in love with an Englishman. "And the next?" "The next?" she said hesitatingly, and he observed that a soft blush accompanied the hesitation. "Yes, the next. Not English too?" "Oh, no; the Marquis de Rochebriant." "Ah! who presented him to thee?" "Thy friend, petit pere, M. de Braze."
It is the only friendly house I know of in all Graustark. Some day I may be able to recompense its beauteous mistress. My good friends, Dangloss, and Halfont, and Braze and Tullis, whom I know only by reputation are, as yet, unaware of my glorious return to Graustark, else they would honour me with their distinguished presence. Some day I may invite them to dine with me.
About the table sat the three regents and the other men high in the administration of affairs, among them General Braze of the Army, Baron Pultz of the Mines, Roslon of Agriculture. The Duke of Perse was discussing the great loan question. The Prince was watching his gaunt, saturnine face with more than usual interest.
I am a rough, hardened soldier, and you have misconstrued my devotion. Forgive the harsh words my passion may have inspired. Farewell! I must off to undo the damage we all lay at the door of the man you and I are protecting." He was too wise to give her the chance to reply. A moment later he was mounted and off for the eastern gates, there to direct the movements of Colonel Braze and his scouts.
Strict orders, backed by method, were issued to the effect that no one was to pass through the gates during the day, except by special permission from General Braze. Count Vos Engo was eager to accompany the expedition to Dawsbergen in search of his wayward lady-love.
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