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Updated: July 26, 2025
For the rest, I made up a packet for Varvilliers containing a present for Coralie. To make any other preparations would not have been fair to Wetter; for my death, if it happened, must seem absolutely accidental. After all I did not feel such confidence in my value to the country, or in my wisdom, as to desire to leave my last will and testament. Victoria would do very well, no doubt.
And, being there, she would not go, and was seen by two doctors, by Baptiste, and by the shooting-master, who came to carry me to my apartments. Then at last Varvilliers prevailed on her to allow herself to be smuggled out through the back gate of the gardens, and himself took her to her house in a condition of great distress and collapse.
Varvilliers laughed. "I have the same old servant. He's very discreet!" "But you'll put it in the Vorwärts!" "No, no, not if the meeting-place is my own house." "I'll do it!" I cried. "Come, let's have a carriage." "Mine waits," said Varvilliers, "at your disposal. I'll see about it," and off he ran. Wetter turned to me. "An interesting quartette there in the recess," said he.
The women would lose no time in telling one another; then there would be a bustle. I had now a quiet half-hour. By a movement that seemed inevitable I sat down at my writing-table and took up a pen. For several minutes I sat twirling the quill between my fingers. Then I began to write: "MY DEAR VARVILLIERS: The impossible has happened, and was all through full of its own impossibility.
We can't sacrifice everything to give Varvilliers a Princess." She appeared to reflect for a few seconds. "I don't know how to arrange it." "Positively I should be at a loss myself if I were called upon to govern the world at short notice." "I think I must let it alone. I don't see how to make it better." "Thank you. For my own part I have the good luck to be in love with my cousin."
I dropped the letter with a laugh, wondering whether the charming lady played the game as he did and a stake as light. Or did she suffer? Well, anybody can suffer. The talent is almost universal. There was, it seemed, reason to suppose that Struboff suffered. I acquiesced, but with a sense of discontent. Pain should not be vulgarized. Varvilliers' immunity gave him a new distinction in my eyes.
The sentry had been seized with scruples, and the officer of the guard had been summoned. Varvilliers pleaded an express appointment with me, and the officer, surprised but conquered, had let them pass. All this Varvilliers told us in his usual airy manner, Wetter sitting apart the while. The clock struck a quarter past six.
"Then you're a rascal, Wetter; I want you, man, and you ought not to be expected anywhere this time of night." "Not at home, sire?" "Home least of all," said Varvilliers, smiling. "But I have guests at home," cried Wetter. "I've left them too long. But Her Royal Highness didn't invite them; besides it was necessary to practise the song." "What? Are they with you?"
We must have sat there a long while in that unbroken eloquent silence, hardly moving, never looking at one another. For her I was full of grief; a wayward thing it was, indeed, of fate to fashion out of Varvilliers' pleasant friendship this new weapon of attack. She had been on the way to contentment at least to resignation but was now thrust back. And she was ashamed.
I heard what they said, though I was unconscious of speaking myself. "It wasn't!" Coralie cried. "On my honour, a pure accident," said Varvilliers. Then the whole scene faded away from me. There can be no doubt that it was Wetter's intention to take his own life in case he hit me. I had discovered this resolution; Varvilliers was not behind me.
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