BOOK VII: THE EMPIRE OF THE AIR

by Bram Stoker

　　FROM THE REPORT OF CRISTOFEROS, WAR-SCRIBE TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL.July 7, 1907.When the Gospodar Rupert and Captain Rooke came within hailing distanceof the strange ship, the former hailed her, using one after another thelanguages of England, Germany, France, Russia, Turkey, Greece, Spain,Portugal, and another which I did not know; I think it must have beenAmerican. By this time the whole line of the bulwark was covered by arow of Turkish faces. When, in Turkish, the Gospodar asked for theCaptain, the latter came to the gangway, which had been opened, and stoodthere. His uniform was that of the Turkish navy--of that I am preparedto swear--but he made signs of not understanding what had been said;whereupon the Gospodar spoke again, but in French this time. I appendthe exact conversation which took place, none other joining in it. Itook down in shorthand the words of both as they were spoken:THE GOSPODAR. "Are you the Captain of this ship?"THE CAPTAIN. "I am."GOSPODAR. "To what nationality do you belong?"CAPTAIN. "It matters not. I am Captain of this ship."GOSPODAR. "I alluded to your ship. What national flag is she under?"CAPTAIN (throwing his eye over the top-hamper). "I do not see that anyflag is flying."GOSPODAR. "I take it that, as commander, you can allow me on board withmy two companions?"CAPTAIN. "I can, upon proper request being made!"GOSPODAR (taking off his cap). "I ask your courtesy, Captain. I amthe representative and accredited officer of the National Council of theLand of the Blue Mountains, in whose waters you now are; and on theiraccount I ask for a formal interview on urgent matters."The Turk, who was, I am bound to say, in manner most courteous as yet,gave some command to his officers, whereupon the companion-ladders andstage were lowered and the gangway manned, as is usual for the receptionon a ship of war of an honoured guest.CAPTAIN. "You are welcome, sir--you and your two companions--as yourequest."The Gospodar bowed. Our companion-ladder was rigged on the instant, anda launch lowered. The Gospodar and Captain Rooke--taking me withthem--entered, and rowed to the warship, where we were all honourablyreceived. There were an immense number of men on board, soldiers as wellas seamen. It looked more like a warlike expedition than a fighting-shipin time of peace. As we stepped on the deck, the seamen and marines, whowere all armed as at drill, presented arms. The Gospodar went firsttowards the Captain, and Captain Rooke and I followed close behind him.The Gospodar spoke:"I am Rupert Sent Leger, a subject of his Britannic Majesty, presentlyresiding at Vissarion, in the Land of the Blue Mountains. I am atpresent empowered to act for the National Council in all matters. Hereis my credential!" As he spoke he handed to the Captain a letter. Itwas written in five different languages--Balkan, Turkish, Greek, English,and French. The Captain read it carefully all through, forgetful for themoment that he had seemingly been unable to understand the Gospodar'squestion spoken in the Turkish tongue. Then he answered:"I see the document is complete. May I ask on what subject you wish tosee me?"GOSPODAR. "You are here in a ship of war in Blue Mountain waters, yetyou fly no flag of any nation. You have sent armed men ashore in yourboats, thus committing an act of war. The National Council of the Landof the Blue Mountains requires to know what nation you serve, and why theobligations of international law are thus broken."The Captain seemed to wait for further speech, but the Gospodar remainedsilent; whereupon the former spoke.CAPTAIN. "I am responsible to my own--chiefs. I refuse to answer yourquestion."The Gospodar spoke at once in reply.GOSPODAR. "Then, sir, you, as commander of a ship--and especially a shipof war--must know that in thus violating national and maritime laws you,and all on board this ship, are guilty of an act of piracy. This is noteven piracy on the high seas. You are not merely within territorialwaters, but you have invaded a national port. As you refuse to disclosethe nationality of your ship, I accept, as you seem to do, your status asthat of a pirate, and shall in due season act accordingly."CAPTAIN (with manifest hostility). "I accept the responsibility of myown acts. Without admitting your contention, I tell you now thatwhatever action you take shall be at your own peril and that of yourNational Council. Moreover, I have reason to believe that my men whowere sent ashore on special service have been beleaguered in a towerwhich can be seen from the ship. Before dawn this morning firing washeard from that direction, from which I gather that attack was made onthem. They, being only a small party, may have been murdered. If suchbe so, I tell you that you and your miserable little nation, as you callit, shall pay such blood-money as you never thought of. I am responsiblefor this, and, by Allah! there shall be a great revenge. You have not inall your navy--if navy you have at all--power to cope with even one shiplike this, which is but one of many. My guns shall be trained on Ilsin,to which end I have come inshore. You and your companions have freeconduct back to port; such is due to the white flag which you fly.Fifteen minutes will bring you back whence you came. Go! And rememberthat whatever you may do amongst your mountain defiles, at sea you cannoteven defend yourselves."GOSPODAR (slowly and in a ringing voice). "The Land of the BlueMountains has its own defences on sea and land. Its people know how todefend themselves."CAPTAIN (taking out his watch). "It is now close on five bells. Atthe first stroke of six bells our guns shall open fire."GOSPODAR (calmly). "It is my last duty to warn you, sir--and to warnall on this ship--that much may happen before even the first stroke ofsix bells. Be warned in time, and give over this piratical attack, thevery threat of which may be the cause of much bloodshed."CAPTAIN (violently). "Do you dare to threaten me, and, moreover, myship's company? We are one, I tell you, in this ship; and the last manshall perish like the first ere this enterprise fail. Go!"With a bow, the Gospodar turned and went down the ladder, we followinghim. In a couple of minutes the yacht was on her way to the port.FROM RUPERT'S JOURNAL.July 10, 1907.When we turned shoreward after my stormy interview with the pirateCaptain--I can call him nothing else at present, Rooke gave orders to aquartermaster on the bridge, and The Lady began to make to a littlenorthward of Ilsin port. Rooke himself went aft to the wheel-house,taking several men with him.When we were quite near the rocks--the water is so deep here that thereis no danger--we slowed down, merely drifting along southwards towardsthe port. I was myself on the bridge, and could see all over the decks.I could also see preparations going on upon the warship. Ports wereopened, and the great guns on the turrets were lowered for action. Whenwe were starboard broadside on to the warship, I saw the port side of thesteering-house open, and Rooke's men sliding out what looked like a hugegrey crab, which by tackle from within the wheel-house was lowered softlyinto the sea. The position of the yacht hid the operation from sight ofthe warship. The doors were shut again, and the yacht's pace began toquicken. We ran into the port. I had a vague idea that Rooke had somedesperate project on hand. Not for nothing had he kept the wheel-houselocked on that mysterious crab.All along the frontage was a great crowd of eager men. But they hadconsiderately left the little mole at the southern entrance, whereon wasa little tower, on whose round top a signal-gun was placed, free for myown use. When I was landed on this pier I went along to the end, and,climbing the narrow stair within, went out on the sloping roof. I stoodup, for I was determined to show the Turks that I was not afraid formyself, as they would understand when the bombardment should begin. Itwas now but a very few minutes before the fatal hour--six bells. But allthe same I was almost in a state of despair. It was terrible to think ofall those poor souls in the town who had done nothing wrong, and who wereto be wiped out in the coming blood-thirsty, wanton attack. I raised myglasses to see how preparations were going on upon the warship.As I looked I had a momentary fear that my eyesight was giving way. Atone moment I had the deck of the warship focussed with my glasses, andcould see every detail as the gunners waited for the word to begin thebombardment with the great guns of the barbettes. The next I saw nothingbut the empty sea. Then in another instant there was the ship as before,but the details were blurred. I steadied myself against the signal-gun,and looked again. Not more than two, or at the most three, seconds hadelapsed. The ship was, for the moment, full in view. As I looked, shegave a queer kind of quick shiver, prow and stern, and then sideways. Itwas for all the world like a rat shaken in the mouth of a skilledterrier. Then she remained still, the one placid thing to be seen, forall around her the sea seemed to shiver in little independent eddies, aswhen water is broken without a current to guide it.I continued to look, and when the deck was, or seemed, quite still--forthe shivering water round the ship kept catching my eyes through theouter rays of the lenses--I noticed that nothing was stirring. The menwho had been at the guns were all lying down; the men in thefighting-tops had leaned forward or backward, and their arms hung downhelplessly. Everywhere was desolation--in so far as life was concerned.Even a little brown bear, which had been seated on the cannon which wasbeing put into range position, had jumped or fallen on deck, and laythere stretched out--and still. It was evident that some terrible shockhad been given to the mighty war-vessel. Without a doubt or a thoughtwhy I did so, I turned my eyes towards where The Lady lay, portbroadside now to the inside, in the harbour mouth. I had the key now tothe mystery of Rooke's proceedings with the great grey crab.As I looked I saw just outside the harbour a thin line of cleaving water.This became more marked each instant, till a steel disc with glass eyesthat shone in the light of the sun rose above the water. It was aboutthe size of a beehive, and was shaped like one. It made a straight linefor the aft of the yacht. At the same moment, in obedience to somecommand, given so quietly that I did not hear it, the men went below--allsave some few, who began to open out doors in the port side of thewheel-house. The tackle was run out through an opened gangway on thatside, and a man stood on the great hook at the lower end, balancinghimself by hanging on the chain. In a few seconds he came up again. Thechain tightened and the great grey crab rose over the edge of the deck,and was drawn into the wheel-house, the doors of which were closed,shutting in a few only of the men.I waited, quite quiet. After a space of a few minutes, Captain Rooke inhis uniform walked out of the wheel-house. He entered a small boat,which had been in the meantime lowered for the purpose, and was rowed tothe steps on the mole. Ascending these, he came directly towards thesignal-tower. When he had ascended and stood beside me, he saluted."Well?" I asked."All well, sir," he answered. "We shan't have any more trouble with thatlot, I think. You warned that pirate--I wish he had been in truth aclean, honest, straightforward pirate, instead of the measly Turkish swabhe was--that something might occur before the first stroke of six bells.Well, something has occurred, and for him and all his crew that six bellswill never sound. So the Lord fights for the Cross against the Crescent!Bismillah. Amen!" He said this in a manifestly formal way, as thoughdeclaiming a ritual. The next instant he went on in the thoroughlypractical conventional way which was usual to him:"May I ask a favour, Mr. Sent Leger?""A thousand, my dear Rooke," I said. "You can't ask me anything which Ishall not freely grant. And I speak within my brief from the NationalCouncil. You have saved Ilsin this day, and the Council will thank youfor it in due time.""Me, sir?" he said, with a look of surprise on his face which seemedquite genuine. "If you think that, I am well out of it. I was afraid,when I woke, that you might court-martial me!""Court-martial you! What for?" I asked, surprised in my turn."For going to sleep on duty, sir! And the fact is, I was worn out in theattack on the Silent Tower last night, and when you had your interviewwith the pirate--all good pirates forgive me for the blasphemy!Amen!--and I knew that everything was going smoothly, I went into thewheel-house and took forty winks." He said all this without moving somuch as an eyelid, from which I gathered that he wished absolute silenceto be observed on my part. Whilst I was revolving this in my mind hewent on:"Touching that request, sir. When I have left you and the Voivode--andthe Voivodin, of course--at Vissarion, together with such others as youmay choose to bring there with you, may I bring the yacht back here for aspell? I rather think that there is a good deal of cleaning up to bedone, and the crew of The Lady with myself are the men to do it. Weshall be back by nightfall at the creek.""Do as you think best, Admiral Rooke," I said."Admiral?""Yes, Admiral. At present I can only say that tentatively, but byto-morrow I am sure the National Council will have confirmed it. I amafraid, old friend, that your squadron will be only your flagship for thepresent; but later we may do better.""So long as I am Admiral, your honour, I shall have no other flagshipthan The Lady. I am not a young man, but, young or old, my pennonshall float over no other deck. Now, one other favour, Mr. Sent Leger?It is a corollary of the first, so I do not hesitate to ask. May Iappoint Lieutenant Desmond, my present First Officer, to the command ofthe battleship? Of course, he will at first only command the prize crew;but in such case he will fairly expect the confirmation of his ranklater. I had better, perhaps, tell you, sir, that he is a very capableseaman, learned in all the sciences that pertain to a battleship, andbred in the first navy in the world.""By all means, Admiral. Your nomination shall, I think I may promiseyou, be confirmed."Not another word we spoke. I returned with him in his boat to TheLady, which was brought to the dock wall, where we were received withtumultuous cheering.I hurried off to my Wife and the Voivode. Rooke, calling Desmond to him,went on the bridge of The Lady, which turned, and went out at terrificspeed to the battleship, which was already drifting up northward on thetide.FROM THE REPORT OF CRISTOFEROS, SCRIBE OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THELAND OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.July 8, 1907.The meeting of the National Council, July 6, was but a continuation ofthat held before the rescue of the Voivodin Vissarion, the members of theCouncil having been during the intervening night housed in the Castle ofVissarion. When, in the early morning, they met, all were jubilant; forlate at night the fire-signal had flamed up from Ilsin with the glad newsthat the Voivode Peter Vissarion was safe, having been rescued with greatdaring on an aeroplane by his daughter and the Gospodar Rupert, as thepeople call him--Mister Rupert Sent Leger, as he is in his British nameand degree.Whilst the Council was sitting, word came that a great peril to the townof Ilsin had been averted. A war-vessel acknowledging to no nationality,and therefore to be deemed a pirate, had threatened to bombard the town;but just before the time fixed for the fulfilment of her threat, she wasshaken to such an extent by some sub-aqueous means that, though sheherself was seemingly uninjured, nothing was left alive on board. Thusthe Lord preserves His own! The consideration of this, as well as theother incident, was postponed until the coming Voivode and the GospodarRupert, together with who were already on their way hither.THE SAME (LATER IN THE SAME DAY).The Council resumed its sitting at four o'clock. The Voivode PeterVissarion and the Voivodin Teuta had arrived with the "Gospodar Rupert,"as the mountaineers call him (Mr. Rupert Sent Leger) on the armouredyacht he calls The Lady. The National Council showed great pleasurewhen the Voivode entered the hall in which the Council met. He seemedmuch gratified by the reception given to him. Mr. Rupert Sent Leger, bythe express desire of the Council, was asked to be present at themeeting. He took a seat at the bottom of the hall, and seemed to preferto remain there, though asked by the President of the Council to sit atthe top of the table with himself and the Voivode.When the formalities of such Councils had been completed, the Voivodehanded to the President a memorandum of his report on his secret missionto foreign Courts on behalf of the National Council. He then explainedat length, for the benefit of the various members of the Council, thebroad results of his mission. The result was, he said, absolutelysatisfactory. Everywhere he had been received with distinguishedcourtesy, and given a sympathetic hearing. Several of the Powersconsulted had made delay in giving final answers, but this, he explained,was necessarily due to new considerations arising from the internationalcomplications which were universally dealt with throughout the world as"the Balkan Crisis." In time, however (the Voivode went on), thesematters became so far declared as to allow the waiting Powers to formdefinite judgment--which, of course, they did not declare to him--as totheir own ultimate action. The final result--if at this initial stagesuch tentative setting forth of their own attitude in each case can be sonamed--was that he returned full of hope (founded, he might say, upon ajustifiable personal belief) that the Great Powers throughout theworld--North, South, East, and West--were in thorough sympathy with theLand of the Blue Mountains in its aspirations for the continuance of itsfreedom. "I also am honoured," he continued, "to bring to you, the GreatCouncil of the nation, the assurance of protection against unworthyaggression on the part of neighbouring nations of present greaterstrength."Whilst he was speaking, the Gospodar Rupert was writing a few words on astrip of paper, which he sent up to the President. When the Voivode hadfinished speaking, there was a prolonged silence. The President rose,and in a hush said that the Council would like to hear Mr. Rupert SentLeger, who had a communication to make regarding certain recent events.Mr. Rupert Sent Leger rose, and reported how, since he had been entrustedby the Council with the rescue of the Voivode Peter of Vissarion, he had,by aid of the Voivodin, effected the escape of the Voivode from theSilent Tower; also that, following this happy event, the mountaineers,who had made a great cordon round the Tower so soon as it was known thatthe Voivode had been imprisoned within it, had stormed it in the night.As a determined resistance was offered by the marauders, who had used itas a place of refuge, none of these escaped. He then went on to tell howhe sought interview with the Captain of the strange warship, which,without flying any flag, invaded our waters. He asked the President tocall on me to read the report of that meeting. This, in obedience to hisdirection, I did. The acquiescent murmuring of the Council showed howthoroughly they endorsed Mr. Sent Leger's words and acts.When I resumed my seat, Mr. Sent Leger described how, just before thetime fixed by the "pirate Captain"--so he designated him, as did everyspeaker thereafter--the warship met with some under-sea accident, whichhad a destructive effect on all on board her. Then he added certainwords, which I give verbatim, as I am sure that others will some timewish to remember them in their exactness:"By the way, President and Lords of the Council, I trust I may ask you toconfirm Captain Rooke, of the armoured yacht The Lady, to be Admiral ofthe Squadron of the Land of the Blue Mountains, and also Captain(tentatively) Desmond, late First-Lieutenant of The Lady, to thecommand of the second warship of our fleet--the as yet unnamed vessel,whose former Captain threatened to bombard Ilsin. My Lords, AdmiralRooke has done great service to the Land of the Blue Mountains, anddeserves well at your hands. You will have in him, I am sure, a greatofficial. One who will till his last breath give you good and loyalservice."He had sat down, the President put to the Council resolutions, which werepassed by acclamation. Admiral Rooke was given command of the navy, andCaptain Desmond confirmed in his appointment to the captaincy of the newship, which was, by a further resolution, named The Gospodar Rupert.In thanking the Council for acceding to his request, and for the greathonour done him in the naming of the ship, Mr. Sent Leger said:"May I ask that the armoured yacht The Lady be accepted by you, theNational Council, on behalf of the nation, as a gift on behalf of thecause of freedom from the Voivodin Teuta?"In response to the mighty cheer of the Council with which the splendidgift was accepted the Gospodar Rupert--Mr. Sent Leger--bowed, and wentquietly out of the room.As no agenda of the meeting had been prepared, there was for a time, notsilence, but much individual conversation. In the midst of it theVoivode rose up, whereupon there was a strict silence. All listened withan intensity of eagerness whilst he spoke."President and Lords of the Council, Archbishop, and Vladika, I shouldbut ill show my respect did I hesitate to tell you at this the firstopportunity I have had of certain matters personal primarily to myself,but which, in the progress of recent events, have come to impinge on theaffairs of the nation. Until I have done so, I shall not feel that Ihave done a duty, long due to you or your predecessors in office, andwhich I hope you will allow me to say that I have only kept back forpurposes of statecraft. May I ask that you will come back with me inmemory to the year 1890, when our struggle against Ottoman aggression,later on so successfully brought to a close, was begun. We were then ina desperate condition. Our finances had run so low that we could notpurchase even the bread which we required. Nay, more, we could notprocure through the National Exchequer what we wanted more thanbread--arms of modern effectiveness; for men may endure hunger and yetfight well, as the glorious past of our country has proved again andagain and again. But when our foes are better armed than we are, thepenalty is dreadful to a nation small as our own is in number, no matterhow brave their hearts. In this strait I myself had to secretly raise asufficient sum of money to procure the weapons we needed. To this end Isought the assistance of a great merchant-prince, to whom our nation aswell as myself was known. He met me in the same generous spirit which hehad shown to other struggling nationalities throughout a long andhonourable career. When I pledged to him as security my own estates, hewished to tear up the bond, and only under pressure would he meet mywishes in this respect. Lords of the Council, it was his money, thusgenerously advanced, which procured for us the arms with which we hewedout our freedom."Not long ago that noble merchant--and here I trust you will pardon methat I am so moved as to perhaps appear to suffer in want of respect tothis great Council--this noble merchant passed to his account--leaving toa near kinsman of his own the royal fortune which he had amassed. Only afew hours ago that worthy kinsman of the benefactor of our nation made itknown to me that in his last will he had bequeathed to me, by secrettrust, the whole of those estates which long ago I had forfeited byeffluxion of time, inasmuch as I had been unable to fulfil the terms ofmy voluntary bond. It grieves me to think that I have had to keep you solong in ignorance of the good thought and wishes and acts of this greatman."But it was by his wise counsel, fortified by my own judgment, that I wassilent; for, indeed, I feared, as he did, lest in our troublous timessome doubting spirit without our boundaries, or even within it, mightmistrust the honesty of my purposes for public good, because I was nolonger one whose whole fortune was invested within our confines. Thisprince-merchant, the great English Roger Melton--let his name be for evergraven on the hearts of our people!--kept silent during his own life, andenjoined on others to come after him to keep secret from the men of theBlue Mountains that secret loan made to me on their behalf, lest in theireyes I, who had striven to be their friend and helper, should sufferwrong repute. But, happily, he has left me free to clear myself in youreyes. Moreover, by arranging to have--under certain contingencies, whichhave come to pass--the estates which were originally my own retransferredto me, I have no longer the honour of having given what I could to thenational cause. All such now belongs to him; for it was his money--andhis only--which purchased our national armament."His worthy kinsman you already know, for he has not only been amongstyou for many months, but has already done you good service in his ownperson. He it was who, as a mighty warrior, answered the summons of theVladika when misfortune came upon my house in the capture by enemies ofmy dear daughter, the Voivodin Teuta, whom you hold in your hearts; who,with a chosen band of our brothers, pursued the marauders, and himself,by a deed of daring and prowess, of which poets shall hereafter sing,saved her, when hope itself seemed to be dead, from their ruthless hands,and brought her back to us; who administered condign punishment to themiscreants who had dared to so wrong her. He it was who later took me,your servant, out of the prison wherein another band of Turkishmiscreants held me captive; rescued me, with the help of my deardaughter, whom he had already freed, whilst I had on my person thedocuments of international secrecy of which I have already advisedyou--rescued me whilst I had been as yet unsubjected to the indignity ofsearch."Beyond this you know now that of which I was in partial ignorance: howhe had, through the skill and devotion of your new Admiral, wroughtdestruction on a hecatomb of our malignant foes. You who have receivedfor the nation the splendid gift of the little warship, which alreadyrepresents a new era in naval armament, can understand the great-souledgenerosity of the man who has restored the vast possessions of my House.On our way hither from Ilsin, Rupert Sent Leger made known to me theterms of the trust of his noble uncle, Roger Melton, and--believe me thathe did so generously, with a joy that transcended my own--restored to thelast male of the Vissarion race the whole inheritance of a noble line."And now, my Lords of the Council, I come to another matter, in which Ifind myself in something of a difficulty, for I am aware that in certainways you actually know more of it than even I myself do. It is regardingthe marriage of my daughter to Rupert Sent Leger. It is known to me thatthe matter has been brought before you by the Archbishop, who, asguardian of my daughter during my absence on the service of the nation,wished to obtain your sanction, as till my return he held her safety intrust. This was so, not from any merit of mine, but because she, in herown person, had undertaken for the service of our nation a task of almostincredible difficulty. My Lords, were she child of another father, Ishould extol to the skies her bravery, her self-devotion, her loyalty tothe land she loves. Why, then, should I hesitate to speak of her deedsin fitting terms, since it is my duty, my glory, to hold them in higherhonour than can any in this land? I shall not shame her--or evenmyself--by being silent when such a duty urges me to speak, as Voivode,as trusted envoy of our nation, as father. Ages hence loyal men andwomen of our Land of the Blue Mountains will sing her deeds in song andtell them in story. Her name, Teuta, already sacred in these regions,where it was held by a great Queen, and honoured by all men, willhereafter be held as a symbol and type of woman's devotion. Oh, myLords, we pass along the path of life, the best of us but a little timemarching in the sunlight between gloom and gloom, and it is during thatmarch that we must be judged for the future. This brave woman has wonknightly spurs as well as any Paladin of old. So is it meet that ere shemight mate with one worthy of her you, who hold in your hands the safetyand honour of the State, should give your approval. To you was it givento sit in judgment on the worth of this gallant Englisher, now my son.You judged him then, before you had seen his valour, his strength, andskill exercised on behalf of a national cause. You judged wisely, oh, mybrothers, and out of a grateful heart I thank you one and all for it.Well has he justified your trust by his later acts. When, in obedienceto the summons of the Vladika, he put the nation in a blaze and rangedour boundaries with a ring of steel, he did so unknowing that what wasdearest to him in the world was at stake. He saved my daughter's honourand happiness, and won her safety by an act of valour that outvies anytold in history. He took my daughter with him to bring me out from theSilent Tower on the wings of the air, when earth had for me nopossibility of freedom--I, that had even then in my possession thedocuments involving other nations which the Soldan would fain havepurchased with the half of his empire."Henceforth to me, Lords of the Council, this brave man must ever be as ason of my heart, and I trust that in his name grandsons of my own maykeep in bright honour the name which in glorious days of old my fathersmade illustrious. Did I know how adequately to thank you for yourinterest in my child, I would yield up to you my very soul in thanks."The speech of the Voivode was received with the honour of the BlueMountains--the drawing and raising of handjars.FROM RUPERT'S JOURNAL.July 14, 1907.For nearly a week we waited for some message from Constantinople, fullyexpecting either a declaration of war, or else some inquiry so couched asto make war an inevitable result. The National Council remained on atVissarion as the guests of the Voivode, to whom, in accordance with myuncle's will, I had prepared to re-transfer all his estates. He was, bythe way, unwilling at first to accept, and it was only when I showed himUncle Roger's letter, and made him read the Deed of Transfer prepared inanticipation by Mr. Trent, that he allowed me to persuade him. Finallyhe said:"As you, my good friends, have so arranged, I must accept, be it only inhonour to the wishes of the dead. But remember, I only do so but for thepresent, reserving to myself the freedom to withdraw later if I sodesire."But Constantinople was silent. The whole nefarious scheme was one of the"put-up jobs" which are part of the dirty work of a certain order ofstatecraft--to be accepted if successful; to be denied in case offailure.The matter stood thus: Turkey had thrown the dice--and lost. Her menwere dead; her ship was forfeit. It was only some ten days after thewarship was left derelict with every living thing--that is, everythingthat had been living--with its neck broken, as Rooke informed me, when hebrought the ship down the creek, and housed it in the dock behind thearmoured gates--that we saw an item in The Roma copied from TheConstantinople Journal of July 9:"LOSS OF AN OTTOMAN IRONCLAD WITH ALL HANDS."News has been received at Constantinople of the total loss, with allhands, of one of the newest and finest warships in the Turkishfleet--The Mahmoud, Captain Ali Ali--which foundered in a storm onthe night of July 5, some distance off Cabrera, in the BalearicIsles. There were no survivors, and no wreckage was discovered bythe ships which went in relief--the Pera and the Mustapha--orreported from anywhere along the shores of the islands, of whichexhaustive search was made. The Mahmoud was double-manned, as shecarried a full extra crew sent on an educational cruise on the mostperfectly scientifically equipped warship on service in theMediterranean waters."When the Voivode and I talked over the matter, he said:"After all, Turkey is a shrewd Power. She certainly seems to know whenshe is beaten, and does not intend to make a bad thing seem worse in theeyes of the world."Well, 'tis a bad wind that blows good to nobody. As The Mahmoud waslost off the Balearics, it cannot have been her that put the marauders onshore and trained her big guns on Ilsin. We take it, therefore, that thelatter must have been a pirate, and as we have taken her derelict in ourwaters, she is now ours in all ways. Anyhow, she is ours, and is thefirst ship of her class in the navy of the Blue Mountains. I am inclinedto think that even if she was--or is still--a Turkish ship, Admiral Rookewould not be inclined to let her go. As for Captain Desmond, I think hewould go straight out of his mind if such a thing was to be evensuggested to him.It will be a pity if we have any more trouble, for life here is veryhappy with us all now. The Voivode is, I think, like a man in a dream.Teuta is ideally happy, and the real affection which sprang up betweenthem when she and Aunt Janet met is a joy to think of. I had postedTeuta about her, so that when they should meet my wife might not, by anyinadvertence, receive or cause any pain. But the moment Teuta saw hershe ran straight over to her and lifted her in her strong young arms,and, raising her up as one would lift a child, kissed her. Then, whenshe had put her sitting in the chair from which she had arisen when weentered the room, she knelt down before her, and put her face down in herlap. Aunt Janet's face was a study; I myself could hardly say whether atthe first moment surprise or joy predominated. But there could be nodoubt about it the instant after. She seemed to beam with happiness.When Teuta knelt to her, she could only say:"My dear, my dear, I am glad! Rupert's wife, you and I must love eachother very much." Seeing that they were laughing and crying in eachother's arms, I thought it best to come away and leave them alone. And Ididn't feel a bit lonely either when I was out of sight of them. I knewthat where those two dear women were there was a place for my own heart.When I came back, Teuta was sitting on Aunt Janet's knee. It seemedrather stupendous for the old lady, for Teuta is such a splendid creaturethat even when she sits on my own knee and I catch a glimpse of us insome mirror, I cannot but notice what a nobly-built girl she is.My wife was jumping up as soon as I was seen, but Aunt Janet held hertight to her, and said:"Don't stir, dear. It is such happiness to me to have you there. Ruperthas always been my 'little boy,' and, in spite of all his being such agiant, he is so still. And so you, that he loves, must be my littlegirl--in spite of all your beauty and your strength--and sit on my knee,till you can place there a little one that shall be dear to us all, andthat shall let me feel my youth again. When first I saw you I wassurprised, for, somehow, though I had never seen you nor even heard ofyou, I seemed to know your face. Sit where you are, dear. It is onlyRupert--and we both love him."Teuta looked at me, flushing rosily; but she sat quiet, and drew the oldlady's white head on her young breast.JANET MACKELPIE'S NOTES.July 8, 1907.I used to think that whenever Rupert should get married or start on theway to it by getting engaged--I would meet his future wife with somethingof the same affection that I have always had for himself. But I know nowthat what was really in my mind was jealousy, and that I was reallyfighting against my own instincts, and pretending to myself that I wasnot jealous. Had I ever had the faintest idea that she would be anythingthe least like Teuta, that sort of feeling should never have had even afoothold. No wonder my dear boy is in love with her, for, truth to tell,I am in love with her myself. I don't think I ever met a creature--awoman creature, of course, I mean--with so many splendid qualities. Ialmost fear to say it, lest it should seem to myself wrong; but I thinkshe is as good as a woman as Rupert is as a man. And what more than thatcan I say? I thought I loved her and trusted her, and knew her all Icould, until this morning.I was in my own room, as it is still called. For, though Rupert tells mein confidence that under his uncle's will the whole estate of Vissarion,Castle and all, really belongs to the Voivode, and though the Voivode hasbeen persuaded to accept the position, he (the Voivode) will not allowanything to be changed. He will not even hear a word of my going, orchanging my room, or anything. And Rupert backs him up in it, and Teutatoo. So what am I to do but let the dears have their way?Well, this morning, when Rupert was with the Voivode at a meeting of theNational Council in the Great Hall, Teuta came to me, and (after closingthe door and bolting it, which surprised me a little) came and knelt downbeside me, and put her face in my lap. I stroked her beautiful blackhair, and said:"What is it, Teuta darling? Is there any trouble? And why did you boltthe door? Has anything happened to Rupert?" When she looked up I sawthat her beautiful black eyes, with the stars in them, were overflowingwith tears not yet shed. But she smiled through them, and the tears didnot fall. When I saw her smile my heart was eased, and I said withoutthinking: "Thank God, darling, Rupert is all right.""I thank God, too, dear Aunt Janet!" she said softly; and I took her inmy arms and laid her head on my breast."Go on, dear," I said; "tell me what it is that troubles you?" This timeI saw the tears drop, as she lowered her head and hid her face from me."I'm afraid I have deceived you, Aunt Janet, and that you willnot--cannot--forgive me.""Lord save you, child!" I said, "there's nothing that you could do that Icould not and would not forgive. Not that you would ever do anythingbase, for that is the only thing that is hard to forgive. Tell me nowwhat troubles you."She looked up in my eyes fearlessly, this time with only the signs oftears that had been, and said proudly:"Nothing base, Aunt Janet. My father's daughter would not willingly bebase. I do not think she could. Moreover, had I ever done anything baseI should not be here, for--for--I should never have been Rupert's wife!""Then what is it? Tell your old Aunt Janet, dearie." She answered mewith another question:"Aunt Janet, do you know who I am, and how I first met Rupert?""You are the Voivodin Teuta Vissarion--the daughter of the Voivode--Or,rather, you were; you are now Mrs. Rupert Sent Leger. For he is still anEnglishman, and a good subject of our noble King.""Yes, Aunt Janet," she said, "I am that, and proud to be it--prouder thanI would be were I my namesake, who was Queen in the old days. But howand where did I see Rupert first?" I did not know, and frankly told herso. So she answered her question herself:"I saw him first in his own room at night." I knew in my heart that inwhatever she did had been nothing wrong, so I sat silent waiting for herto go on:"I was in danger, and in deadly fear. I was afraid I might die--not thatI fear death--and I wanted help and warmth. I was not dressed as I amnow!"On the instant it came to me how I knew her face, even the first time Ihad seen it. I wished to help her out of the embarrassing part of herconfidence, so I said:"Dearie, I think I know. Tell me, child, will you put on the frock . . .the dress . . . costume you wore that night, and let me see you in it?It is not mere idle curiosity, my child, but something far, far abovesuch idle folly.""Wait for me a minute, Aunt Janet," she said, as she rose up; "I shallnot be long." Then she left the room.In a very few minutes she was back. Her appearance might have frightenedsome people, for she was clad only in a shroud. Her feet were bare, andshe walked across the room with the gait of an empress, and stood beforeme with her eyes modestly cast down. But when presently she looked upand caught my eyes, a smile rippled over her face. She threw herselfonce more before me on her knees, and embraced me as she said:"I was afraid I might frighten you, dear." I knew I could truthfullyreassure her as to that, so I proceeded to do so:"Do not worry yourself, my dear. I am not by nature timid. I come of afighting stock which has sent out heroes, and I belong to a familywherein is the gift of Second Sight. Why should we fear? We know!Moreover, I saw you in that dress before. Teuta, I saw you and Rupertmarried!" This time she herself it was that seemed disconcerted."Saw us married! How on earth did you manage to be there?""I was not there. My Seeing was long before! Tell me, dear, what day,or rather what night, was it that you first saw Rupert?" She answeredsadly:"I do not know. Alas! I lost count of the days as I lay in the tomb inthat dreary Crypt.""Was your--your clothing wet that night?" I asked."Yes. I had to leave the Crypt, for a great flood was out, and thechurch was flooded. I had to seek help--warmth--for I feared I mightdie. Oh, I was not, as I have told you, afraid of death. But I hadundertaken a terrible task to which I had pledged myself. It was for myfather's sake, and the sake of the Land, and I felt that it was a part ofmy duty to live. And so I lived on, when death would have been relief.It was to tell you all about this that I came to your room to-day. Buthow did you see me--us--married?""Ah, my child!" I answered, "that was before the marriage took place.The morn after the night that you came in the wet, when, having beentroubled in uncanny dreaming, I came to see if Rupert was a'richt, I lostremembrance o' my dreaming, for the floor was all wet, and that took offmy attention. But later, the morn after Rupert used his fire in his roomfor the first time, I told him what I had dreamt; for, lassie, my dear, Isaw ye as bride at that weddin' in fine lace o'er yer shrood, andorange-flowers and ithers in yer black hair; an' I saw the stars in yerbonny een--the een I love. But oh, my dear, when I saw the shrood, andkent what it might mean, I expeckit to see the worms crawl round yerfeet. But do ye ask yer man to tell ye what I tell't him that morn.'Twill interest ye to know how the hairt o' men can learn by dreams. Hashe ever tellt ye aught o' this?""No, dear," she said simply. "I think that perhaps he was afraid thatone or other of us, if not both, might be upset by it if he did. Yousee, he did not tell you anything at all of our meeting, though I am surethat he will be glad when he knows that we both know all about it, andhave told each other everything."That was very sweet of her, and very thoughtful in all ways, so I saidthat which I thought would please her best--that is, the truth:"Ah, lassie, that is what a wife should be--what a wife should do.Rupert is blessed and happy to have his heart in your keeping."I knew from the added warmth of her kiss what I had said had pleased her.Letter from Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, Humcroft, Salop, toRupert Sent Leger, Vissarion, Land of the Blue Mountains.July 29, 1907.MY DEAR COUSIN RUPERT,We have heard such glowing accounts of Vissarion that I am coming outto see you. As you are yourself now a landowner, you will understandthat my coming is not altogether a pleasure. Indeed, it is a dutyfirst. When my father dies I shall be head of the family--the familyof which Uncle Roger, to whom we were related, was a member. It istherefore meet and fitting that I should know something of our familybranches and of their Seats. I am not giving you time for muchwarning, so am coming on immediately--in fact, I shall arrive almostas soon as this letter. But I want to catch you in the middle ofyour tricks. I hear that the Blue Mountaineer girls are peaches, sodon't send them all away when you hear I'm coming!Do send a yacht up to Fiume to meet me. I hear you have all sorts ofcraft at Vissarion. The MacSkelpie, I hear, said you received her asa Queen; so I hope you will do the decent by one of your own fleshand blood, and the future Head of the House at that. I shan't bringmuch of a retinue with me. I wasn't made a billionaire by oldRoger, so can only take my modest "man Friday"--whose name isJenkinson, and a Cockney at that. So don't have too much gold laceand diamond-hilted scimitars about, like a good chap, or else he'llwant the very worst--his wyges ryzed. That old image Rooke that cameover for Miss McS., and whom by chance I saw at the attorney man's,might pilot me down from Fiume. The oldgentleman-by-Act-of-Parliament Mr. Bingham Trent (I suppose he hashyphened it by this time) told me that Miss McS. said he "did herproud" when she went over under his charge. I shall be at Fiume onthe evening of Wednesday, and shall stay at the Europa, which is, Iam told, the least indecent hotel in the place. So you know where tofind me, or any of your attendant demons can know, in case I am tosuffer "substituted service."Your affectionate Cousin,ERNEST ROGER HALBARD MELTON.Letter from Admiral Rooke to the Gospodar Rupert.August 1, 1907.SIR,In obedience to your explicit direction that I should meet Mr. ErnestR. H. Melton at Fiume, and report to you exactly what occurred,"without keeping anything back,"--as you will remember you said, Ibeg to report.I brought the steam-yacht Trent to Fiume, arriving there on themorning of Thursday. At 11.30 p.m. I went to meet the train fromSt. Peter, due 11.40. It was something late, arriving just as theclock was beginning to strike midnight. Mr. Melton was on board, andwith him his valet Jenkinson. I am bound to say that he did not seemvery pleased with his journey, and expressed much disappointment atnot seeing Your Honour awaiting him. I explained, as you directed,that you had to attend with the Voivode Vissarion and the Vladika theNational Council, which met at Plazac, or that otherwise you wouldhave done yourself the pleasure of coming to meet him. I had, ofcourse, reserved rooms (the Prince of Wales's suite), for him at theRe d'Ungheria, and had waiting the carriage which the proprietor hadprovided for the Prince of Wales when he stayed there. Mr. Meltontook his valet with him (on the box-seat), and I followed in aStadtwagen with the luggage. When I arrived, I found the maitred'hotel in a stupor of concern. The English nobleman, he said, hadfound fault with everything, and used to him language to which he wasnot accustomed. I quieted him, telling him that the stranger wasprobably unused to foreign ways, and assuring him that Your Honourhad every faith in him. He announced himself satisfied and happy atthe assurance. But I noticed that he promptly put everything in thehands of the headwaiter, telling him to satisfy the milor at anycost, and then went away to some urgent business in Vienna. Cleverman!I took Mr. Melton's orders for our journey in the morning, and askedif there was anything for which he wished. He simply said to me:"Everything is rotten. Go to hell, and shut the door after you!"His man, who seems a very decent little fellow, though he is as vainas a peacock, and speaks with a Cockney accent which is simplyterrible, came down the passage after me, and explained "on his own,"as he expressed it, that his master, "Mr. Ernest," was upset by thelong journey, and that I was not to mind. I did not wish to make himuncomfortable, so I explained that I minded nothing except what YourHonour wished; that the steam-yacht would be ready at 7 a.m.; andthat I should be waiting in the hotel from that time on till Mr.Melton cared to start, to bring him aboard.In the morning I waited till the man Jenkinson came and told me thatMr. Ernest would start at ten. I asked if he would breakfast onboard; he answered that he would take his cafe-complet at thehotel, but breakfast on board.We left at ten, and took the electric pinnace out to the Trent,which lay, with steam up, in the roads. Breakfast was served onboard, by his orders, and presently he came up on the bridge, where Iwas in command. He brought his man Jenkinson with him. Seeing methere, and not (I suppose) understanding that I was in command, heunceremoniously ordered me to go on the deck. Indeed, he named aplace much lower. I made a sign of silence to the quartermaster atthe wheel, who had released the spokes, and was going, I feared, tomake some impertinent remark. Jenkinson joined me presently, andsaid, as some sort of explanation of his master's discourtesy (ofwhich he was manifestly ashamed), if not as an amende:"The governor is in a hell of a wax this morning."When we got in sight of Meleda, Mr. Melton sent for me and asked mewhere we were to land. I told him that, unless he wished to thecontrary, we were to run to Vissarion; but that my instructions wereto land at whatever port he wished. Whereupon he told me that hewished to stay the night at some place where he might be able to seesome "life." He was pleased to add something, which I presume hethought jocular, about my being able to "coach" him in such matters,as doubtless even "an old has-been like you" had still some sort ofan eye for a pretty girl. I told him as respectfully as I could thatI had no knowledge whatever on such subjects, which were possibly ofsome interest to younger men, but of none to me. He said no more; soafter waiting for further orders, but without receiving any, I said:"I suppose, sir, we shall run to Vissarion?""Run to the devil, if you like!" was his reply, as he turned away.When we arrived in the creek at Vissarion, he seemed muchmilder--less aggressive in his manner; but when he heard that youwere detained at Plazac, he got rather "fresh"--I use the Americanterm--again. I greatly feared there would be a serious misfortunebefore we got into the Castle, for on the dock was Julia, the wife ofMichael, the Master of the Wine, who is, as you know, very beautiful.Mr. Melton seemed much taken with her; and she, being flattered bythe attention of a strange gentleman and Your Honour's kinsman, putaside the stand-offishness of most of the Blue Mountain women.Whereupon Mr. Melton, forgetting himself, took her in his arms andkissed her. Instantly there was a hubbub. The mountaineers presentdrew their handjars, and almost on the instant sudden death appearedto be amongst us. Happily the men waited as Michael, who had justarrived on the quay-wall as the outrage took place, ran forward,wheeling his handjar round his head, and manifestly intending todecapitate Mr. Melton. On the instant--I am sorry to say it, for itcreated a terribly bad effect--Mr. Melton dropped on his knees in astate of panic. There was just this good use in it--that there was apause of a few seconds. During that time the little Cockney valet,who has the heart of a man in him, literally burst his way forward,and stood in front of his master in boxing attitude, calling out:"'Ere, come on, the 'ole lot of ye! 'E ain't done no 'arm. He honlykissed the gal, as any man would. If ye want to cut off somebody's'ed, cut off mine. I ain't afride!" There was such genuine pluck inthis, and it formed so fine a contrast to the other's craven attitude(forgive me, Your Honour; but you want the truth!), that I was gladhe was an Englishman, too. The mountaineers recognized his spirit,and saluted with their handjars, even Michael amongst the number.Half turning his head, the little man said in a fierce whisper:"Buck up, guv'nor! Get up, or they'll slice ye! 'Ere's Mr. Rooke;'e'll see ye through it."By this time the men were amenable to reason, and when I remindedthem that Mr. Melton was Your Honour's cousin, they put aside theirhandjars and went about their work. I asked Mr. Melton to follow,and led the way to the Castle.When we got close to the great entrance within the walled courtyard,we found a large number of the servants gathered, and with them manyof the mountaineers, who have kept an organized guard all round theCastle ever since the abducting of the Voivodin. As both Your Honourand the Voivode were away at Plazac, the guard had for the time beendoubled. When the steward came and stood in the doorway, theservants stood off somewhat, and the mountaineers drew back to thefarther sides and angles of the courtyard. The Voivodin had, ofcourse, been informed of the guest's (your cousin) coming, and cameto meet him in the old custom of the Blue Mountains. As Your Honouronly came to the Blue Mountains recently, and as no occasion has beensince then of illustrating the custom since the Voivode was away, andthe Voivodin then believed to be dead, perhaps I, who have lived hereso long, may explain:When to an old Blue Mountain house a guest comes whom it is wished todo honour, the Lady, as in the vernacular the mistress of the houseis called, comes herself to meet the guest at the door--or, rather,outside the door--so that she can herself conduct him within. Itis a pretty ceremony, and it is said that of old in kingly days themonarch always set much store by it. The custom is that, when sheapproaches the honoured guest (he need not be royal), she bends--ormore properly kneels--before him and kisses his hand. It has beenexplained by historians that the symbolism is that the woman, showingobedience to her husband, as the married woman of the Blue Mountainsalways does, emphasizes that obedience to her husband's guest. Thecustom is always observed in its largest formality when a young wifereceives for the first time a guest, and especially one whom herhusband wishes to honour. The Voivodin was, of course, aware thatMr. Melton was your kinsman, and naturally wished to make theceremony of honour as marked as possible, so as to show overtly hersense of her husband's worth.When we came into the courtyard, I held back, of course, for thehonour is entirely individual, and is never extended to any other, nomatter how worthy he may be. Naturally Mr. Melton did not know theetiquette of the situation, and so for that is not to be blamed. Hetook his valet with him when, seeing someone coming to the door, hewent forward. I thought he was going to rush to his welcomer. Such,though not in the ritual, would have been natural in a young kinsmanwishing to do honour to the bride of his host, and would to anyonehave been both understandable and forgivable. It did not occur to meat the time, but I have since thought that perhaps he had not thenheard of Your Honour's marriage, which I trust you will, in justiceto the young gentleman, bear in mind when considering the matter.Unhappily, however, he did not show any such eagerness. On thecontrary, he seemed to make a point of showing indifference. Itseemed to me myself that he, seeing somebody wishing to make much ofhim, took what he considered a safe opportunity of restoring tohimself his own good opinion, which must have been considerablylowered in the episode of the Wine Master's wife.The Voivodin, thinking, doubtless, Your Honour, to add a fresh lustreto her welcome, had donned the costume which all her nation has nowcome to love and to accept as a dress of ceremonial honour. She woreher shroud. It moved the hearts of all of us who looked on to seeit, and we appreciated its being worn for such a cause. But Mr.Melton did not seem to care. As he had been approaching she hadbegun to kneel, and was already on her knees whilst he was severalyards away. There he stopped and turned to speak to his valet, put aglass in his eye, and looked all round him and up and down--indeed,everywhere except at the Great Lady, who was on her knees before him,waiting to bid him welcome. I could see in the eyes of such of themountaineers as were within my range of vision a growing animosity;so, hoping to keep down any such expression, which I knew would causeharm to Your Honour and the Voivodin, I looked all round themstraight in their faces with a fixed frown, which, indeed, theyseemed to understand, for they regained, and for the time maintained,their usual dignified calm. The Voivodin, may I say, bore the trialwonderfully. No human being could see that she was in any degreepained or even surprised. Mr. Melton stood looking round him so longthat I had full time to regain my own attitude of calm. At last heseemed to come back to the knowledge that someone was waiting forhim, and sauntered leisurely forward. There was so muchinsolence--mind you, not insolence that was intended to appear assuch--in his movement that the mountaineers began to steal forward.When he was close up to the Voivodin, and she put out her hand totake his, he put forward one finger! I could hear the intake ofthe breath of the men, now close around, for I had moved forward,too. I thought it would be as well to be close to your guest, lestsomething should happen to him. The Voivodin still kept her splendidself-control. Raising the finger put forward by the guest with thesame deference as though it had been the hand of a King, she bent herhead down and kissed it. Her duty of courtesy now done, she waspreparing to rise, when he put his hand into his pocket, and, pullingout a sovereign, offered it to her. His valet moved his handforward, as if to pull back his arm, but it was too late. I am sure,Your Honour, that no affront was intended. He doubtless thought thathe was doing a kindness of the sort usual in England when one "tips"a housekeeper. But all the same, to one in her position, it was anaffront, an insult, open and unmistakable. So it was received by themountaineers, whose handjars flashed out as one. For a second it wasso received even by the Voivodin, who, with face flushing scarlet,and the stars in her eves flaming red, sprang to her feet. But inthat second she had regained herself, and to all appearances herrighteous anger passed away. Stooping, she took the hand of herguest and raised it--you know how strong she is--and, holding it inhers, led him into the doorway, saying:"You are welcome, kinsman of my husband, to the house of my father,which is presently my husband's also. Both are grieved that, dutyhaving called them away for the time, they are unable to be here tohelp me to greet you."I tell you, Your Honour, that it was a lesson in self-respect whichanyone who saw it can never forget. As to me, it makes my fleshquiver, old as I am, with delight, and my heart leap.May I, as a faithful servant who has had many years of experience,suggest that Your Honour should seem--for the present, at anyrate--not to know any of these things which I have reported, as youwished me to do. Be sure that the Voivodin will tell you hergracious self aught that she would wish you to know. And suchreticence on your part must make for her happiness, even if it didnot for your own.So that you may know all, as you desired, and that you may have timeto school yourself to whatever attitude you think best to adopt, Isend this off to you at once by fleet messenger. Were the aeroplanehere, I should take it myself. I leave here shortly to await thearrival of Sir Colin at Otranto.Your Honour's faithful servant,ROOKE.JANET MACKELPIE'S NOTES.August 9, 1907.To me it seems very providential that Rupert was not at home when thatdreadful young man Ernest Melton arrived, though it is possible that ifRupert had been present he would not have dared to conduct himself sobadly. Of course, I heard all about it from the maids; Teuta neveropened her lips to me on the subject. It was bad enough and stupidenough for him to try to kiss a decent young woman like Julia, who isreally as good as gold and as modest as one of our own Highland lassies;but to think of him insulting Teuta! The little beast! One would thinkthat a champion idiot out of an Equatorial asylum would know better! IfMichael, the Wine Master, wanted to kill him, I wonder what my Rupert andhers would have done? I am truly thankful that he was not present. AndI am thankful, too, that I was not present either, for I should have madean exhibition of myself, and Rupert would not have liked that. He--thelittle beast! might have seen from the very dress that the dear girl worethat there was something exceptional about her. But on one account Ishould have liked to see her. They tell me that she was, in her truedignity, like a Queen, and that her humility in receiving her husband'skinsman was a lesson to every woman in the Land. I must be careful notto let Rupert know that I have heard of the incident. Later on, when itis all blown over and the young man has been got safely away, I shalltell him of it. Mr. Rooke--Lord High Admiral Rooke, I should say--mustbe a really wonderful man to have so held himself in check; for, fromwhat I have heard of him, he must in his younger days have been worsethan Old Morgan of Panama. Mr. Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, of Humcroft,Salop, little knows how near he was to being "cleft to the chine" also.Fortunately, I had heard of his meeting with Teuta before he came to seeme, for I did not get back from my walk till after he had arrived.Teuta's noble example was before me, and I determined that I, too, wouldshow good manners under any circumstances. But I didn't know how mean heis. Think of his saying to me that Rupert's position here must be agreat source of pride to me, who had been his nursery governess. He said"nursemaid" first, but then stumbled in his words, seeming to remembersomething. I did not turn a hair, I am glad to say. It is a mercy UncleColin was not here, for I honestly believe that, if he had been, he wouldhave done the "cleaving to the chine" himself. It has been a narrowescape for Master Ernest, for only this morning Rupert had a message,sent on from Gibraltar, saying that he was arriving with his clansmen,and that they would not be far behind his letter. He would call atOtranto in case someone should come across to pilot him to Vissarion.Uncle told me all about that young cad having offered him one finger inMr. Trent's office, though, of course, he didn't let the cad see that henoticed it. I have no doubt that, when he does arrive, that young man,if he is here still, will find that he will have to behave himself, if itbe only on Sir Colin's account alone.THE SAME (LATER).I had hardly finished writing when the lookout on the tower announcedthat the Teuta, as Rupert calls his aeroplane, was sighted crossing themountains from Plazac. I hurried up to see him arrive, for I had not asyet seen him on his "aero." Mr. Ernest Melton came up, too. Teuta was,of course, before any of us. She seems to know by instinct when Rupertis coming.It was certainly a wonderful sight to see the little aeroplane, withoutspread wings like a bird in flight, come sailing high over themountains. There was a head-wind, and they were beating against it;otherwise we should not have had time to get to the tower before thearrival.When once the "aero" had begun to drop on the near side of the mountains,however, and had got a measure of shelter from them, her pace wasextraordinary. We could not tell, of course, what sort of pace she cameat from looking at herself. But we gathered some idea from the rate atwhich the mountains and hills seemed to slide away from under her. Whenshe got over the foot-hills, which are about ten miles away, she came onat a swift glide that seemed to throw the distance behind her. Whenquite close, she rose up a little till she was something higher than theTower, to which she came as straight as an arrow from the bow, and glidedto her moorings, stopping dead as Rupert pulled a lever, which seemed toturn a barrier to the wind. The Voivode sat beside Rupert, but I mustsay that he seemed to hold on to the bar in front of him even more firmlythan Rupert held to his steering-gear.When they had alighted, Rupert greeted his cousin with the utmostkindness, and bade him welcome to Vissarion."I see," he said, "you have met Teuta. Now you may congratulate me, ifyou wish."Mr. Melton made a long rodomontade about her beauty, but presently,stumbling about in his speech, said something regarding it being unluckyto appear in grave-clothes. Rupert laughed, and clapped him on theshoulder as he answered:"That pattern of frock is likely to become a national dress for loyalwomen of the Blue Mountains. When you know something of what that dressmeans to us all at present you will understand. In the meantime, take itthat there is not a soul in the nation that does not love it and honourher for wearing it." To which the cad replied:"Oh, indeed! I thought it was some preparation for a fancy-dress ball."Rupert's comment on this ill-natured speech was (for him) quite grumpilygiven:"I should not advise you to think such things whilst you are in this partof the world, Ernest. They bury men here for much less."The cad seemed struck with something--either what Rupert had said or hismanner of saying it--for he was silent for several seconds before hespoke."I'm very tired with that long journey, Rupert. Would you and Mrs. SentLeger mind if I go to my own room and turn in? My man can ask for a cupof tea and a sandwich for me."RUPERT'S JOURNAL.August 10, 1907.When Ernest said he wished to retire it was about the wisest thing hecould have said or done, and it suited Teuta and me down to the ground.I could see that the dear girl was agitated about something, so thoughtit would be best for her to be quiet, and not worried with being civil tothe Bounder. Though he is my cousin, I can't think of him as anythingelse. The Voivode and I had certain matters to attend to arising out ofthe meeting of the Council, and when we were through the night wasclosing in. When I saw Teuta in our own rooms she said at once:"Do you mind, dear, if I stay with Aunt Janet to-night? She is veryupset and nervous, and when I offered to come to her she clung to me andcried with relief."So when I had had some supper, which I took with the Voivode, I came downto my old quarters in the Garden Room, and turned in early.I was awakened a little before dawn by the coming of the fighting monkTheophrastos, a notable runner, who had an urgent message for me. Thiswas the letter to me given to him by Rooke. He had been cautioned togive it into no other hand, but to find me wherever I might be, andconvey it personally. When he had arrived at Plazac I had left on theaeroplane, so he had turned back to Vissarion.When I read Rooke's report of Ernest Melton's abominable conduct I wasmore angry with him than I can say. Indeed, I did not think before thatthat I could be angry with him, for I have always despised him. But thiswas too much. However, I realized the wisdom of Rooke's advice, and wentaway by myself to get over my anger and reacquire my self-mastery. Theaeroplane Teuta was still housed on the tower, so I went up alone andtook it out.When I had had a spin of about a hundred miles I felt better. Thebracing of the wind and the quick, exhilarating motion restored me tomyself, and I felt able to cope with Master Ernest, or whatever elsechagrinable might come along, without giving myself away. As Teuta hadthought it better to keep silence as to Ernest's affront, I felt I mustnot acknowledge it; but, all the same, I determined to get rid of himbefore the day was much older.When I had had my breakfast I sent word to him by a servant that I wascoming to his rooms, and followed not long behind the messenger.He was in a suit of silk pyjamas, such as not even Solomon in all hisglory was arrayed in. I closed the door behind me before I began tospeak. He listened, at first amazed, then disconcerted, then angry, andthen cowering down like a whipped hound. I felt that it was a case forspeaking out. A bumptious ass like him, who deliberately insultedeveryone he came across--for if all or any of his efforts in that waywere due to mere elemental ignorance he was not fit to live, but shouldbe silenced on sight as a modern Caliban--deserved neither pity normercy. To extend to him fine feeling, tolerance, and such-likegentlenesses would be to deprive the world of them without benefit toany. So well as I can remember, what I said was something like this:"Ernest, as you say, you've got to go, and to go quick, you understand.I dare say you look on this as a land of barbarians, and think that anyof your high-toned refinements are thrown away on people here. Well,perhaps it is so. Undoubtedly, the structure of the country is rough;the mountains may only represent the glacial epoch; but so far as I cangather from some of your exploits--for I have only learned a small partas yet--you represent a period a good deal farther back. You seem tohave given our folk here an exhibition of the playfulness of the hooliganof the Saurian stage of development; but the Blue Mountains, rough asthey are, have come up out of the primeval slime, and even now the peopleaim at better manners. They may be rough, primitive, barbarian,elemental, if you will, but they are not low down enough to tolerateeither your ethics or your taste. My dear cousin, your life is not safehere! I am told that yesterday, only for the restraint exercised bycertain offended mountaineers on other grounds than your own worth, youwould have been abbreviated by the head. Another day of your fascinatingpresence would do away with this restraint, and then we should have ascandal. I am a new-comer here myself--too new a comer to be able toafford a scandal of that kind--and so I shall not delay your going.Believe me, my dear cousin, Ernest Roger Halbard Melton, of Humcroft,Salop, that I am inconsolable about your resolution of immediatedeparture, but I cannot shut my eyes to its wisdom. At present thematter is altogether amongst ourselves, and when you have gone--if it beimmediately--silence will be observed on all hands for the sake of thehouse wherein you are a guest; but if there be time for scandal tospread, you will be made, whether you be alive or dead, a Europeanlaughing-stock. Accordingly, I have anticipated your wishes, and haveordered a fast steam yacht to take you to Ancona, or to whatever otherport you may desire. The yacht will be under the command of CaptainDesmond, of one of our battleships--a most determined officer, who willcarry out any directions which may be given to him. This will insureyour safety so far as Italian territory. Some of his officials willarrange a special carriage for you up to Flushing, and a cabin on thesteamer to Queenboro'. A man of mine will travel on the train andsteamer with you, and will see that whatever you may wish in the way offood or comfort will be provided. Of course, you understand, my dearcousin, that you are my guest until you arrive in London. I have notasked Rooke to accompany you, as when he went to meet you, it was amistake. Indeed, there might have been a danger to you which I nevercontemplated--a quite unnecessary danger, I assure you. But happilyAdmiral Rooke, though a man of strong passions, has wonderfulself-control.""Admiral Rooke?" he queried. "Admiral?""Admiral, certainly," I replied, "but not an ordinary Admiral--one ofmany. He is the Admiral--the Lord High Admiral of the Land of the BlueMountains, with sole control of its expanding navy. When such a man istreated as a valet, there may be . . . But why go into this? It is allover. I only mention it lest anything of a similar kind should occurwith Captain Desmond, who is a younger man, and therefore with probablyless self-repression."I saw that he had learned his lesson, and so said no more on the subject.There was another reason for his going which I did not speak of. SirColin MacKelpie was coming with his clansmen, and I knew he did not likeErnest Melton. I well remembered that episode of his offering one fingerto the old gentleman in Mr. Trent's office, and, moreover, I had mysuspicions that Aunt Janet's being upset was probably in some measure dueto some rudeness of his that she did not wish to speak about. He isreally an impossible young man, and is far better out of this countrythan in it. If he remained here, there would be some sort of a tragedyfor certain.I must say that it was with a feeling of considerable relief that I sawthe yacht steam out of the creek, with Captain Desmond on the bridge andmy cousin beside him.Quite other were my feelings when, an hour after, The Lady came flyinginto the creek with the Lord High Admiral on the bridge, and beside him,more splendid and soldier-like than ever, Sir Colin MacKelpie. Mr.Bingham Trent was also on the bridge.The General was full of enthusiasm regarding his regiment, for in all,those he brought with him and those finishing their training at home, theforce is near the number of a full regiment. When we were alone heexplained to me that all was arranged regarding the non-commissionedofficers, but that he had held over the question of officers until weshould have had a suitable opportunity of talking the matter overtogether. He explained to me his reasons, which were certainly simpleand cogent. Officers, according to him, are a different class, andaccustomed to a different standard altogether of life and living, ofduties and pleasures. They are harder to deal with and more difficult toobtain. "There was no use," he said, "in getting a lot of failures, withold-crusted ways of their own importance. We must have young men for ourpurpose--that is, men not old, but with some experience--men, of course,who know how to behave themselves, or else, from what little I have seenof the Blue Mountaineers, they wouldn't last long here if they went on assome of them do elsewhere. I shall start things here as you wish me to,for I am here, my dear boy, to stay with you and Janet, and we shall, ifit be given to us by the Almighty, help to build up together a new'nation'--an ally of Britain, who will stand at least as an outpost ofour own nation, and a guardian of our eastern road. When things areorganized here on the military side, and are going strong, I shall, ifyou can spare me, run back to London for a few weeks. Whilst I am thereI shall pick up a lot of the sort of officers we want. I know that thereare loads of them to be had. I shall go slowly, however, and carefully,too, and every man I bring back will be recommended to me by some oldsoldier whom I know, and who knows the man he recommends, and has seenhim work. We shall have, I dare say, an army for its size second to nonein the world, and the day may come when your old country will be proud ofyour new one. Now I'm off to see that all is ready for my people--yourpeople now."I had had arrangements made for the comfort of the clansmen and thewomen, but I knew that the good old soldier would see for himself thathis men were to be comfortable. It was not for nothing that hewas--is--looked on as perhaps the General most beloved by his men in thewhole British Army.When he had gone, and I was alone, Mr. Trent, who had evidently beenwaiting for the opportunity, came to me. When we had spoken of mymarriage and of Teuta, who seems to have made an immense impression onhim, he said suddenly:"I suppose we are quite alone, and that we shall not be interrupted?" Isummoned the man outside--there is always a sentry on guard outside mydoor or near me, wherever I may be--and gave orders that I was not to bedisturbed until I gave fresh orders. "If," I said, "there be anythingpressing or important, let the Voivodin or Miss MacKelpie know. Ifeither of them brings anyone to me, it will be all right."When we were quite alone Mr. Trent took a slip of paper and somedocuments from the bag which was beside him. He then read out items fromthe slip, placing as he did so the documents so checked over before him.1. New Will made on marriage, to be signed presently.2. Copy of the Re-conveyance of Vissarion estates to Peter Vissarion, asdirected by Will of Roger Melton.3. Report of Correspondence with Privy Council, and proceedingsfollowing.Taking up the last named, he untied the red tape, and, holding the bundlein his hand, went on:"As you may, later on, wish to examine the details of the Proceedings, Ihave copied out the various letters, the originals of which are putsafely away in my strong-room where, of course, they are always availablein case you may want them. For your present information I shall give youa rough synopsis of the Proceedings, referring where advisable to thispaper."On receipt of your letter of instructions regarding the Consent of thePrivy Council to your changing your nationality in accordance with theterms of Roger Melton's Will, I put myself in communication with theClerk of the Privy Council, informing him of your wish to be naturalizedin due time to the Land of the Blue Mountains. After some lettersbetween us, I got a summons to attend a meeting of the Council."I attended, as required, taking with me all necessary documents, andsuch as I conceived might be advisable to produce, if wanted."The Lord President informed me that the present meeting of the Councilwas specially summoned in obedience to the suggestion of the King, whohad been consulted as to his personal wishes on the subject--should hehave any. The President then proceeded to inform me officially that allProceedings of the Privy Council were altogether confidential, and werenot to be made public under any circumstances. He was gracious enough toadd:"'The circumstances of this case, however, are unique; and as you act foranother, we have thought it advisable to enlarge your permission in thematter, so as to allow you to communicate freely with your principal. Asthat gentleman is settling himself in a part of the world which has beenin the past, and may be again, united to this nation by some commoninterest, His Majesty wishes Mr. Sent Leger to feel assured of thegood-will of Great Britain to the Land of the Blue Mountains, and even ofhis own personal satisfaction that a gentleman of so distinguished alineage and such approved personal character is about to be--within hisown scope--a connecting-link between the nations. To which end he hasgraciously announced that, should the Privy Council acquiesce in therequest of Denaturalization, he will himself sign the Patent therefor."'The Privy Council has therefore held private session, at which thematter has been discussed in its many bearings; and it is content thatthe change can do no harm, but may be of some service to the two nations.We have, therefore, agreed to grant the prayer of the Applicant; and theofficials of the Council have the matter of the form of Grant in hand.So you, sir, may rest satisfied that as soon as the formalities--whichwill, of course, require the formal signing of certain documents by theApplicant--can be complied with, the Grant and Patent will obtain.'"Having made this statement in formal style, my old friend went on in morefamiliar way:"And so, my dear Rupert, all is in hand; and before very long you willhave the freedom required under the Will, and will be at liberty to takewhatever steps may be necessary to be naturalized in your new country."I may tell you, by the way, that several members of the Council madevery complimentary remarks regarding you. I am forbidden to give names,but I may tell you facts. One old Field-Marshal, whose name is familiarto the whole world, said that he had served in many places with yourfather, who was a very valiant soldier, and that he was glad that GreatBritain was to have in the future the benefit of your father's son in afriendly land now beyond the outposts of our Empire, but which had beenone with her in the past, and might be again."So much for the Privy Council. We can do no more at present until yousign and have attested the documents which I have brought with me."We can now formally complete the settlement of the Vissarion estates,which must be done whilst you are a British citizen. So, too, with theWill, the more formal and complete document, which is to take the placeof that short one which you forwarded to me the day after your marriage.It may be, perhaps, necessary or advisable that, later on, when you arenaturalized here, you shall make a new Will in strictest accordance withlocal law."TEUTA SENT LEGER'S DIARY.August 19, 1907.We had a journey to-day that was simply glorious. We had been waiting totake it for more than a week. Rupert not only wanted the weathersuitable, but he had to wait till the new aeroplane came home. It ismore than twice as big as our biggest up to now. None of the otherscould take all the party which Rupert wanted to go. When he heard thatthe aero was coming from Whitby, where it was sent from Leeds, hedirected by cable that it should be unshipped at Otranto, whence he tookit here all by himself. I wanted to come with him, but he thought itbetter not. He says that Brindisi is too busy a place to keep anythingquiet--if not secret--and he wants to be very dark indeed about this, asit is worked by the new radium engine. Ever since they found radium inour own hills he has been obsessed by the idea of an aerial navy for ourprotection. And after to-day's experiences I think he is right. As hewanted to survey the whole country at a glimpse, so that the generalscheme of defence might be put in hand, we had to have an aero big enoughto take the party as well as fast enough to do it rapidly, and all atonce. We had, in addition to Rupert, my father, and myself, Sir Colinand Lord High Admiral Rooke (I do like to give that splendid old fellowhis full title!). The military and naval experts had with themscientific apparatus of various kinds, also cameras and range-finders, sothat they could mark their maps as they required. Rupert, of course,drove, and I acted as his assistant. Father, who has not yet becomeaccustomed to aerial travel, took a seat in the centre (which Rupert hadthoughtfully prepared for him), where there is very little motion. Imust say I was amazed to see the way that splendid old soldier Sir Colinbore himself. He had never been on an aeroplane before, but, all thesame, he was as calm as if he was on a rock. Height or motion did nottrouble him. Indeed, he seemed to enjoy himself all the time. TheAdmiral is himself almost an expert, but in any case I am sure he wouldhave been unconcerned, just as he was in the Crab as Rupert has toldme.We left just after daylight, and ran down south. When we got to the eastof Ilsin, we kept slightly within the border-line, and went north or eastas it ran, making occasional loops inland over the mountains and backagain. When we got up to our farthest point north, we began to go muchslower. Sir Colin explained that for the rest all would be comparativelyplain-sailing in the way of defence; but that as any foreign Power otherthan the Turk must attack from seaward, he would like to examine theseaboard very carefully in conjunction with the Admiral, whose advice asto sea defence would be invaluable.Rupert was fine. No one could help admiring him as he sat working hislever and making the great machine obey every touch. He was wrapped upin his work. I don't believe that whilst he was working he ever thoughtof even me. He is splendid!We got back just as the sun was dropping down over the CalabrianMountains. It is quite wonderful how the horizon changes when you aresailing away up high on an aeroplane. Rupert is going to teach me how tomanage one all by myself, and when I am fit he will give me one, which heis to have specially built for me.I think I, too, have done some good work--at least, I have got some goodideas--from our journey to-day. Mine are not of war, but of peace, and Ithink I see a way by which we shall be able to develop our country in awonderful way. I shall talk the idea over with Rupert to-night, when weare alone. In the meantime Sir Colin and Admiral Rooke will think theirplans over individually, and to-morrow morning together. Then the nextday they, too, are to go over their idea with Rupert and my father, andsomething may be decided then.RUPERT'S JOURNAL--Continued.August 21, 1907.Our meeting on the subject of National Defence, held this afternoon, wentoff well. We were five in all, for with permission of the Voivode andthe two fighting-men, naval and military, I brought Teuta with me. Shesat beside me quite quietly, and never made a remark of any kind till theDefence business had been gone through. Both Sir Colin and Admiral Rookewere in perfect agreement as to the immediate steps to be taken fordefence. In the first instance, the seaboard was to be properlyfortified in the necessary places, and the navy largely strengthened.When we had got thus far I asked Rooke to tell of the navy increasealready in hand. Whereupon he explained that, as we had found the smallbattleship The Lady of an excellent type for coast defence, acting onlyin home waters, and of a size to take cover where necessary at manyplaces on our own shores, we had ordered nine others of the same pattern.Of these the first four were already in hand, and were proceeding withthe greatest expedition. The General then supplemented this by sayingthat big guns could be used from points judiciously chosen on theseaboard, which was in all so short a length that no very great quantityof armament would be required."We can have," he said, "the biggest guns of the most perfect kind yetaccomplished, and use them from land batteries of the most up-to-datepattern. The one serious proposition we have to deal with is the defenceof the harbour--as yet quite undeveloped--which is known as the 'BlueMouth.' Since our aerial journey I have been to it by sea with AdmiralRooke in The Lady, and then on land with the Vladika, who was born onits shores, and who knows every inch of it."It is worth fortifying--and fortifying well, for as a port it ispeerless in Mediterranean seas. The navies of the world might ride init, land-locked, and even hidden from view seawards. The mountains whichenclose it are in themselves absolute protection. In addition, these canonly be assailed from our own territory. Of course, Voivode, youunderstand when I say 'our' I mean the Land of the Blue Mountains, forwhose safety and well-being I am alone concerned. Any ship anchoring inthe roads of the Blue Mouth would have only one need--sufficient lengthof cable for its magnificent depth."When proper guns are properly placed on the steep cliffs to north andsouth of the entrance, and when the rock islet between has been armouredand armed as will be necessary, the Mouth will be impregnable. But weshould not depend on the aiming of the entrance alone. At certainsalient points--which I have marked upon this map--armour-plated sunkenforts within earthworks should be established. There should be coveringforts on the hillsides, and, of course, the final summits protected.Thus we could resist attack on any side or all sides--from sea or land.That port will yet mean the wealth as well as the strength of thisnation, so it will be well to have it properly protected. This should bedone soon, and the utmost secrecy observed in the doing of it, lest theso doing should become a matter of international concern."Here Rooke smote the table hard."By God, that is true! It has been the dream of my own life for thismany a year."In the silence which followed the sweet, gentle voice of Teuta came clearas a bell:"May I say a word? I am emboldened to, as Sir Colin has spoken sosplendidly, and as the Lord High Admiral has not hesitated to mention hisdreaming. I, too, have had a dream--a day-dream--which came in a flash,but no less a dream, for all that. It was when we hung on the aeroplaneover the Blue Mouth. It seemed to me in an instant that I saw thatbeautiful spot as it will some time be--typical, as Sir Colin said, ofthe wealth as well as the strength of this nation; a mart for the worldwhence will come for barter some of the great wealth of the BlueMountains. That wealth is as yet undeveloped. But the day is at handwhen we may begin to use it, and through that very port. Our mountainsand their valleys are clad with trees of splendid growth, virgin forestsof priceless worth; hard woods of all kinds, which have no superiorthroughout the world. In the rocks, though hidden as yet, is vastmineral wealth of many kinds. I have been looking through the reports ofthe geological exports of the Commission of Investigation which myhusband organized soon after he came to live here, and, according tothem, our whole mountain ranges simply teem with vast quantities ofminerals, almost more precious for industry than gold and silver are forcommerce--though, indeed, gold is not altogether lacking as a mineral.When once our work on the harbour is done, and the place has been madesecure against any attempt at foreign aggression, we must try to find away to bring this wealth of woods and ores down to the sea."And then, perhaps, may begin the great prosperity of our Land, of whichwe have all dreamt."She stopped, all vibrating, almost choked with emotion. We were allmoved. For myself, I was thrilled to the core. Her enthusiasm wasall-sweeping, and under its influence I found my own imaginationexpanding. Out of its experiences I spoke:"And there is a way. I can see it. Whilst our dear Voivodin wasspeaking, the way seemed to clear. I saw at the back of the Blue Mouth,where it goes deepest into the heart of the cliffs, the opening of agreat tunnel, which ran upward over a steep slope till it debouched onthe first plateau beyond the range of the encompassing cliffs. Thithercame by various rails of steep gradient, by timber-shoots andcable-rails, by aerial cables and precipitating tubes, wealth from overground and under it; for as our Land is all mountains, and as these towerup to the clouds, transport to the sea shall be easy and of little costwhen once the machinery is established. As everything of much weightgoes downward, the cars of the main tunnel of the port shall returnupward without cost. We can have from the mountains a head of waterunder good control, which will allow of endless hydraulic power, so thatthe whole port and the mechanism of the town to which it will grow can beworked by it."This work can be put in hand at once. So soon as the place shall beperfectly surveyed and the engineering plans got ready, we can start onthe main tunnel, working from the sea-level up, so that the cost of thetransport of material will be almost nil. This work can go on whilst theforts are building; no time need be lost."Moreover, may I add a word on National Defence? We are, though old inhonour, a young nation as to our place amongst Great Powers. And so wemust show the courage and energy of a young nation. The Empire of theAir is not yet won. Why should not we make a bid for it? As ourmountains are lofty, so shall we have initial power of attack or defence.We can have, in chosen spots amongst the clouds, depots of waraeroplanes, with which we can descend and smite our enemies quickly onland or sea. We shall hope to live for Peace; but woe to those who driveus to War!"There is no doubt that the Vissarions are a warlike race. As I spoke,Teuta took one of my hands and held it hard. The old Voivode, his eyesblazing, rose and stood beside me and took the other. The two oldfighting-men of the land and the sea stood up and saluted.This was the beginning of what ultimately became "The National Committeeof Defence and Development."I had other, and perhaps greater, plans for the future in my mind; butthe time had not come for their utterance.To me it seems not only advisable, but necessary, that the utmostdiscretion be observed by all our little group, at all events for thepresent. There seems to be some new uneasiness in the Blue Mountains.There are constant meetings of members of the Council, but no formalmeeting of the Council, as such, since the last one at which I waspresent. There is constant coming and going amongst the mountaineers,always in groups, small or large. Teuta and I, who have been about verymuch on the aeroplane, have both noticed it. But somehow we--that is,the Voivode and myself--are left out of everything; but we have not saidas yet a word on the subject to any of the others. The Voivode notices,but he says nothing; so I am silent, and Teuta does whatever I ask. SirColin does not notice anything except the work he is engaged on--theplanning the defences of the Blue Mouth. His old scientific training asan engineer, and his enormous experience of wars and sieges--for he wasfor nearly fifty years sent as military representative to all the greatwars--seem to have become directed on that point. He is certainlyplanning it all out in a wonderful way. He consults Rooke almost hourlyon the maritime side of the question. The Lord High Admiral has been awatcher all his life, and very few important points have ever escapedhim, so that he can add greatly to the wisdom of the defensiveconstruction. He notices, I think, that something is going on outsideourselves; but he keeps a resolute silence.What the movement going on is I cannot guess. It is not like theuneasiness that went before the abduction of Teuta and the Voivode, butit is even more pronounced. That was an uneasiness founded on somesuspicion. This is a positive thing, and has definite meaning--of somesort. We shall, I suppose, know all about it in good time. In themeantime we go on with our work. Happily the whole Blue Mouth and themountains round it are on my own property, the portion acquired long agoby Uncle Roger, exclusive of the Vissarion estate. I asked the Voivodeto allow me to transfer it to him, but he sternly refused and forbade me,quite peremptorily, to ever open the subject to him again. "You havedone enough already," he said. "Were I to allow you to go further, Ishould feel mean. And I do not think you would like your wife's fatherto suffer that feeling after a long life, which he has tried to live inhonour."I bowed, and said no more. So there the matter rests, and I have to takemy own course. I have had a survey made, and on the head of it theTunnel to the harbour is begun.