The Poacher; Or, Joseph Rushbrook. Фредерик МарриетЧитать онлайн книгу.
you know more than I do,” replied McShane, correcting himself, “for I’m not exactly in my master’s secrets; all that I do know is, that my master met her in England, and I thought her very handsome.”
“And so did he?”
“That’s as may be; between ourselves, I’ve an idea he was a little smitten in that quarter; but that’s only my own opinion, nothing more.”
“Has he ever spoken about her since you were here?” said Dimitri.
“Just once, as I handed his waistcoat to him; he said—‘I wonder if all the ladies are as handsome as that Polish princess that we met in Cumberland?’ ”
“If I thought he wished it, or cared for her, I would make inquiry, and soon find out all about her; but otherwise, it’s no use taking the trouble,” replied the courier.
“Well, then, will you give me your hand, and promise to serve faithfully, if I tell you all I know about the matter?”
“By the blessed Saint Nicholas, I do!” replied Dimitri; “you may trust me.”
“Well, then, it’s my opinion that my master’s over head and ears in love with her, and has come here for no other purpose.”
“Well, I’m glad you told me that; it will satisfy the police.”
“The police; why murder and Irish! you’re not going to inform the police, you villain?”
“Not with whom he is in love, most certainly, but that he has come here on that account; it will satisfy them, for they have no fear of a man that’s in love, and he will not be watched. Depend upon it, I cannot do a better thing to serve our master.”
“Well, then, perhaps you are right. I don’t like this champagne—get a bottle of Burgundy, Dimitri. Don’t look so hard—it’s all right. The captain dines out every day, and has ordered me to drink for the honour of the house.”
“He’s a capital master,” replied Dimitri, who had begun to feel the effects of the former bottles.
As soon as the third bottle was tapped, McShane continued—
“Now, Dimitri, I’ve given my opinion, and I can tell you, if my master has, as I suspect, come here about this young lady, and succeeds in obtaining her, it will be a blessed thing for you and me; for he’s as generous as the day, and has plenty of money. Do you know who she is?”
“To be sure I do; she is an only daughter of the late Prince Czartorinski, and now a sort of ward under the protection of the Emperor. She inherits all the estates, except one which was left to found an hospital at Warsaw, and is a rich heiress. It is supposed the emperor will bestow her upon one of his generals. She is at the palace, and a maid of honour to the empress.”
“Whew!” whistled McShane; “won’t there be a difficulty.”
“I should think so,” replied the courier, gravely.
“He must run away with her,” said McShane, after a pause.
“How will he get to see her?”
“He will not see her, so as to speak with her, in the palace; that is not the custom here; but he might meet her elsewhere.”
“To be sure, at a party or a ball,” said McShane.
“No, that would not do; ladies and gentlemen keep very apart here in general company. He might say a word or two when dancing, but that is all.”
“But how is he to meet her, when, in this cursed place of yours, if men and women keep at arm’s length?”
“That must depend upon her. Tell me, does she love him?”
“Well, now, that’s a home question: she never told him she did, and she never told me, that’s certain; but still I’ve an idea that she does.”
“Then all I can say, Macshanovich, is, that your master had better be very careful what he is about. Of course, he knows not that you have told me anything; but as soon as he thinks proper to trust me, I then will do my utmost in his service.”
“You speak like a very rational, sensible, intelligent courier,” replied McShane, “and so now let us finish the bottle. Here’s good luck to Captain O’Donahue, alive or dead: and now—please the fleas—I’ll be asleep in less than ten minutes.”
Chapter Fourteen.
Going to Court, and Courting.
When McShane awoke the next morning he tried to recall what had passed between him and Dimitri, and did not feel quite convinced that he had not trusted him too much. “I think,” said he, “it was all upon an if. Yes, sure; if O’Donahue was in love, and if she was. Yes, I’m sure that it was all upon ifs. However, I must go and tell O’Donahue what has taken place.”
McShane did so; and O’Donahue, after a little thought, replied, “Well, I don’t know: perhaps it’s all for the best; for you see I must have trusted somebody, and the difficulty would have been to know whom to trust, for everybody belongs to the police here, I believe: I think, myself, the fellow is honest; at all events, I can make it worth his while to be so.”
“He would not have told me he belonged to the police if he wished to trap us,” replied McShane.
“That’s very true, and on the whole I think we could not do better. But we are going on too fast; who knows whether she meant anything by what she said to me when we parted; or, if she did then, whether she may not have altered her mind since?”
“Such things have been—that’s a fact, O’Donahue.”
“And will be, as long as the world lasts. However, to-morrow I am to be presented—perhaps I may see her. I’m glad that I know that I may chance to meet her, as I shall now be on my guard.”
“And what shall I say to Dimitri?”
“Say that you mentioned her name, and where she was, and that I had only replied, that I should like to see her again.”
“Exactly; that will leave it an open question, as the saying is,” replied McShane.
The next day O’Donahue, in his uniform, drove to the ambassador’s hotel, to accompany him to the Annishkoff palace, where he was to be presented to the emperor. O’Donahue was most graciously received, the emperor walking up to him, as he stood in the circle, and inquiring after the health of his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, what service he had been employed upon, etcetera. He then told O’Donahue that the Empress would be most glad to make his acquaintance, and hoped that he would make a long stay at Saint Petersburg.
It was with a quickened pulse that O’Donahue followed the ambassador into the empress’s apartments. He had not waited there more than five minutes, in conversation with the ambassador when the doors opened, and the empress, attended by her chamberlain, and followed by her ladies in waiting and maids of honour, entered the room. O’Donahue had made up his mind not to take his eyes off the empress until the presentation was over. As soon as he had kissed hands, and answered the few questions which were graciously put to him, he retired to make room for others, and then, for the first time, did he venture to cast his eyes on the group of ladies attending the empress. The first that met his view were unknown, but, behind all the rest, he at length perceived the Princess Czartorinski, talking and laughing with another lady. After a short time she turned round, and their eyes met. The princess recognised him with a start, and then turned away and put her hand up to her breast, as if the shock had taken away her breath. Once more she turned her face to O’Donahue, and this time he was fully satisfied by her looks that he was welcome. Ten minutes