CHAPTER XXX - A COMPACT

The paralysing consternation which had fallen upon the Council spread over the whole city when it awoke to learn the tidings, and the suspicion of Teresh was shared by not a few. This latter, however, had to be cherished in secret. There is no restraint equal to that of fear, and stalwart courage did not flourish in Velia. Lais had always been aware that the feeling extended to her was that of toleration rather than affection, and she had been careful to answer it by a delicately veiled, but none the less contemptuous indifference. To do her justice, this spirit of antagonism was perhaps to be found more consequent upon her foreign traits and tendencies than in actual intent - the difficulties in adapting herself to such comparative simplicity of life and conduct - more than a definite desire to outrage the feelings of her adopted countrymen at the outset. But the effect was all the same, and outside a very limited circle, Lais was not popular, in fact, had very few real friends.

This mistrusted woman had, between midnight and morning, seen the Queen-mother and the popular idol of the nation, who but yesterday was the hope and inspiration of every heart, thrust aside, and she - the unloved, the feared, who smiled at every tradition and time - honoured custom of the people - had taken Sazone's seat with power to establish a despotism against which there was no appeal. The Queen and Princess had fallen. Had the quiet traditions of Sahama also gone? Who could say! By what means or instrumentality had such a change been brought about?

Everyone wondered, but none dare ask. If one had but found the courage to enquire ten thousand echoes would have spread the question far and wide, but Teresh, with all his devotion to the Prince, shrank from the consequences, and thus the cause of right was lost.

Meanwhile the new Queen was certain of nothing but the fact of her own danger. She had succeeded to the throne by bequest of her predecessor and the wish of the Council, but of the three ministers who had so apprised her, the foremost, she knew, was actively opposed to her welfare, and of the other two she was in no way certain. For the time she had to feel her way carefully step by step, until she discovered in whom she could trust, then gradually strengthen her position and carefully inaugurate her own regime. In this course she was so far uncertain as to fear to approach any member of the Council - discovered herself to be so entirely friendless as to be without one adviser upon whom she could confidently rely. Yet time was all-important. Teresh would not sleep, and if he once reached Glarces the truth would be out, and her cause lost even now.

This was her next step, to be taken at once, and she touched the chime as the thought occurred to her.

“Bid the captain of the guard attend me at once,” she commanded.

There was more of anxiety than sorrow in her tone, but she had no need to be scrupulously punctilious with Zosine, though she carefully adjusted herself to receive the stalwart officer who immediately answered her summons.

“My good Petronius,” she enquired with tremulous difficulty, “have you any news of my poor brother?”

“He sleeps, O Queen.”

“The gods be praised for so much mercy. See that he is not disturbed. And when he wakes, let no one see him but his slave, without my consent. I will break the remainder of this awful news to him myself.”

“I have already commanded that none must see him without my permission, O Queen.”

“That is thoughtful of you so to consider his good, but in my own sorrow it had not occurred to me before. I am so overpowered I know not what to

“If the Queen can only indicate her wish to her most humble servant I shall most loyally serve her sacred person and cause.”

“Thanks, my trusted servant, this first assurance of loyalty shall neither be forgotten nor go unrewarded. Where is Casca?”

“He has not yet recovered from the effects of the banquet.” “Does he still sleep?”

“Most soundly. The guard has never left him.”

“That is also well. And yet,” she added, as if from an afterthought, “he must be rested now. Go and bring him hither. Let no one speak to him, nor tell him anything of all our troubles.”

The soldier bowed, and retired to summon the chamberlain.

“So far, so good,” murmured Lais, as the curtain fell; “I have at last secured one partisan, nor is there need to fear the capture of the whole brood if I humour them and take my time. Bah! What danger can there be? There is not one real man in all the country. My success has intoxicated and made me nervous. Vedrona has gone, the throne is securely mine, it only remains for me to bring Glarces to his senses, and every wish of my life will be attained. Surely, I have not come so far to be foiled at the last? No! the fates have been hitherto propitious; the stars in their courses have fought for me and brought me so near to the goal that I am able to compel the rest. Why need I consider Teresh or another man? At the first sign of opposition or disloyalty I have but to make an example of my foe, and the remainder of his friends will fall at my feet in fear and trembling. Men are plastic enough in the hands of a cool and skilful woman, but a whole nation of these creatures may be purchased with a smile, or conquered with a frown. But now, what shall I do with Casca? He will whine like a child when he hears what has happened, and what with disappointment and the effects of the wine, may allow his tongue to speak too freely to be convenient. I would silence him with an extra cup of liquor, and so put him out of temptation, but he may be useful, even necessary, to the orderly disposal of the funeral ceremonies. I would gladly avoid the danger of his presence, but caution demands it; too many such accidents cannot with safety be attributed to the gods, so I shall be compelled to guard him from all indiscretions, until the dead are disposed of, then perhaps the gods may think of him and remove him to Paradise and Vedrona.”

She had scarcely reached this conclusion when Petronius returned, half­leading, half-dragging the still incapable but protesting eunuch.

“I don't want to see th' Queen - won't see th' Queen. I w'nt Lais.”Then, resisting the somewhat rough handling necessitated by his incompetence, he cut a most ludicrous figure by trying to trip the captain while struggling for liberty. “Le' me alone,” he cried, “d' t' think I'm a dog, or a fool, or a - “ At that moment he recognised Lais. “Hello!” he cried, with a drunken hiccough, “here y' are, Lais, I thought I'd fin' y' here. Where's Vedrona? Y' said I should have her. Where's she?”

At a sign from the Queen, Petronius deposited his charge in a corner of a couch, where he propped him in with cushions.

“Now leave us,” commanded Lais, “perhaps I can find a means of waking his sleeping senses.”

“Yesh ! leave ush 'lone,” and in his energetic waving the captain off, he overbalanced and rolled to the floor.

It mat be wondered that he should be so helpless after such a sleep, but the fact was, Casca found very congenial company in his guard, who, not averse to accept his pressing invitation, being also instructed to serve him with all the liquor he required in order to render him helpless made a long night of their carousal, and the sleep had therefore been of short duration.

“Let the beasst lie,” exclaimed the Queen, as the captain turned to pick him up, “I will make him find his feet presently.”

The officer at once retired, and she dropped upon her knee beside the now contended chamberlain.

“Casca! Casca!” giving him an energetic shake as she spoke. “Are you really so helpless, or are you only playing at it?”

“I wansh V'drona! Shesh mine, an' I wansh her now.” “Then wake up and hear what I have to tell you.”

“I won't wake till I getsh V'drona.”

“Then you will be quite sober when you do awake,” she murmured. Then, shaking him again, she enquired, “Casca! Will you hear what I wish to tell you?”

“Isht 'bout V'drona?” “Yes. Certainly!”

“Go on, then. I hear you.” “She is dead - murdered!”

She struck with deliberate and forceful purpose, not being inclined to waste time with one in his condition, and she was somewhat amused in watching the effect. The announcement penetrated deeper than the drink - it went straight through him and made a double exit for his drunkenness to escape. Sobered by the blow, he scrambled trembling to his feet and wiped the leering oblivion from his eyes.

“Eh! What? Vedrona what? Ye gods, where am I?

Who are you - Lais. No! Yes! Then you are laughing at me! You are jesting because I fell asleep over my cup.

But I did what you wanted. Now my head is bad - don't jest with me - don't jest with me.”

“You of all men ought to know that I am not given to jesting. If you had only kept as far from the drink as I am now from humour, we should have saved her; but now she is dead, and you have lost her through your own folly.”

“No - no! Lais, this is not true, but it is a cruel revenge for my foolishness to perpetrate such a jest.”

“By the gods, I wish it were a jest.”

“It is a jest,” he cried. “She is not dead!” “She is dead, Casca.”

“Then you have killed her! Look to yourself, for, by all the gods, I swear that you shall die as well!”

His passionate vehemence alarmed and placed her at a disadvantage for the moment. Again the unexpected had transpired. It was impossible to anticipate such an outburst from Casca, and she knew not how to meet it. It was now too late to seek the assistance of the previously contemplated cup; her own dagger would cause too much suspicion; and to order his immediate execution would be equally injudicious, nor would it save him from bringing his threatened charge against her. This must not be. She must temporise, conciliate, and by flattery disarm him; pander to his arrogant ambition, and by promises, conquer and win him over until such time as it was safe to dispose of him. This purpose could be best secured by a preliminary display of heroics.

“It needs neither prophet, priest, nor magician to declare that fact, my lord; but if death is going to be dealt out with the liberal uncertainty we have seen to-night, wine-bibbers and fools can scarcely expect to escape. Every plan I devised has been frustrated, every intention ruined, and in place of this, all that I wished to avoid has happened. And why? For no other reason than that you had drowned your wits in wine, and when I needed help, you were wallowing like a beast in drunken helplessness. When I needed assistance I had to protect you - even save you, from those who sought to take your life, and in doing so I have lost every thing. Now you would show your gratitude by denouncing me. Would you rather I had saved Vedrona and let you be slain? If so, I must apologise, since I imagined you placed the highest estimation upon yourself.”

“What good would anything be to me if I were dead?” “So I reasoned with myself, and saved you; but in doing so I have lost far more than you think. Lost it because you were so horribly incapable. If you had been dead I could have saved myself and mine, but I was true to you even while my heart was broken, and now you would repay me by attempting to take my

She had not only succeeded in rousing his curiosity, but had also considerably confused him by the pregnant references she made, but as carefully refrained from explaining, and having accomplished this, she adroitly touched up her accusation with an imitation shower of grief, the combined effect being the capitulation of Casca and a clear course for herself.

“I want nothing unreasonable,” he replied, in a very conciliatory tone. “When you left me, why did you send me more wine, unless you wanted me to drink!”?

“Because I gave you credit for possessing the control of a man, not the appetite of a beast.”

“Well, well; we will say no more about that. Tell me what has happened. Is it really true what you say about Vedrona?”

“Yes, and much worse than that - the whole country has gone to pieces, and here are you babbling about a single woman.”

“What do you mean? But tell me who killed her, for by all the gods that live I will kill him.”

“Glarces did it,” she answered briefly. “Glarces!”

“Did I not say so? Now you can understand how I am smitten equally with yourself. He was suddenly possessed by some foul fiend, and Vedrona had been long dead before the fact was discovered.”

“Where is the Prince?”

“He is hopelessly distraught, and so rejoices over what he has done that he laughed himself to sleep, from which, it may be, he will never wake again. But, hear me further - “

“No, no, Lais; this is too incredible. There can be nothing worse than this.”

“Of that you may judge afterwards. When Vedrona was discovered the alarm in the palace awoke the Queen, who was so affected by the news that she is also dead.” “The Queen dead! Vedrona murdered, and Glarces possessed of devils! Ye gods, what next?”

“There can be nothing worse, therefore what follows is of a more consoling nature. The Queen had time to express her wish that I should take her place, and already the Council have proclaimed me. Now you know all! You, with myself, can see how, in the short space of one night, the gods are able to change the fortunes not only of an individual but also of a nation. In this new position in which we so unexpectedly find ourselves, it is necessary that we at once consider our mutual interests, since we have men around us who are already full of suspicion, and, if possible, will even now rob us of our victory. For this reason I have sent for you, and beg of you to listen carefully to all I have to say.” “I am all attention.”