The Daltons; Or, Three Roads In Life. Volume II

“Not desirable, sir? you said not desirable. Why, really I shall begin to fancy I ought to go to school again in military matters. Are you aware, sir, it’s the very centre of these wretches; that it is fed from Switzerland and Piedmont with all that is infamous in political doctrine? Milan must be bombarded, sir!”

The Colonel bowed courteously to an opinion expressed with so much authority.

“You ‘ll find, at least, that the Field-Marshal will be of my opinion,” continued she. “As a military position, it is worth nothing.”

“But as a capital city, Madame?” mildly interposed the Colonel.

“The old story,” said she, contemptuously. “Women and children!”

“Most legitimate objects of protection, I trust, Madame.”

But she turned contemptuously away, as if controversy with such an adversary was beneath her.

“We have three rocket-batteries, Madame,” interposed a staff officer, desirous of offering himself to her notice.

“I hope you will use them with effect, sir. I envy you the pleasure of seeing them plunging amidst that vile mob it is the fashion to call the people nowadays.”

“I hope we shall do our duty, Madame,” said an old, stern-looking major, who felt little flattered at this interference.

“I should like to see more chivalry, – more ardent devotion in the defenders of a monarchy,” said the Countess. “I can understand coldness in the lower classes, but that the well-born and the noble should be apathetic and slow to move is beyond my comprehension.”

“Bey’m Blitzen,” retorted the Major, “that is not bad I Here we are going to shed our blood for the Kaiser, and we are told that it is not enough, without we are born counts and barons.”

“What is it, Heckenstein?” said Count Dalton, as he entered the room and laid his hand familiarly on the other’s shoulder. “I have seldom seen you look so angry.”

But the old soldier turned away without a reply.

“Madame de Heidendorf,” said the old General, “I know not what you have said to offend an old and tried servant of the Emperor, – a soldier of Wagram and Auster-litz, – a faithful follower, when the fortunes of this great Empire were at the lowest But, believe me, these are not times to flout loyalty and despise fidelity.”

“The times are worse than I thought them,” said the Countess, “when these principles have infected such men as Count Dalton. I had certainly hoped that his young relative would have received a very different lesson at his outset in life, nor can I wonder if such teachings end in evil. Here is the Archduke. How I wish his Highness had come a little earlier!”

As she spoke, the Prince entered, with all the careless ease of his ordinary manner. It was impossible to detect from his countenance whether he regarded the event as a serious one, or simply one of those popular commotions which are ever occurring in a large empire.

“I know you are discussing politics, or something akin to them,” said he, laughingly. “Madame de Heidendorf has her ‘cabinet countenance’ on, and Auersberg is looking as fierce as a field-marshal ought to do when contradicted. Come, General, present me to the Princess. It is an honor I have been long desiring. How tired you must be of all this, Madame!” said he to Kate. “Such wise people as will not talk gossip, – such high-minded souls as never will condescend to say a good thing, or hear one, are insupportable.” And, seating himself beside her, he rattled on about Vienna, its society, and its pleasures, with all the ease and flippancy of a young fashionable of the day, while, in an attitude of deep respect, not unmixed with a dash of impatience, stood the old Count before him.

“What does Auersberg want to tell us?” said the Prince, at last, looking up at the old General’s face.

“To say adieu, your Royal Highness.”

“You don’t go with the troops, surely?” said the Duke, laughing.

“At the head of my own regiment, your Royal Highness.”

“Ah, by the bye, the Auersbergs are in your brigade. Very proper that. And is this my protégé?” said he, taking Frank’s arm, and drawing him forward. “There’s your best example, sir. Be only as good a soldier, and the name of Dalton will be a title of nobility amongst us. Good-bye, Lieutenant General, farewell. Give that canaille a lesson quickly, and come back to us as soon as you can.”

Kate rose and followed Frank out of the room. For a few seconds they were closely locked in each other’s arms, without speaking. “Oh, Frank dearest! when are we to meet again, – and how?” cried she, passionately.

“In pride and happiness, too, Kate,” said the boy, joyfully. “I have no fears for the future. But what is this, sister dearest, – gold?”

“Do not refuse me, Frank. It is the only happiness left me.”

“But this is the Russian’s, Kate.”

“No, believe me, it is not Count Stephen has made me his heir; he has given me all his fortune. Even good luck can come too late!” said she, with a sigh.

“Do not leave this till I write to you, Kate. I will do so very soon, – that is, if I can; but these are anxious times. You know, Kate,” – here the boy whispered, in a voice low and tremulous from agitation, – “You know, Kate, that I only left the ranks a couple of days ago. I can tell then, better than all these great folk, what soldiers think and say; they are not as they used to be. Lead them against the Frenchman, and they will fight as they have ever fought; but if it be to fire on their own townsfolk, – to charge through streets where they lounged along, hand-in-hand with the people, like brothers, – they will not do it.”

“This is very alarming, Frank. Have you told the Count?”

“No; nor would I for worlds. What! betray my comrades, and be called on before a court-martial to say who said this, and what man said t’ other?”

“But could you not, at least, give him some warning?”

“And be ordered from his presence for the presumption, or told that I was a rebel at heart, or such tidings had never been uttered by me. The old Feld would as soon believe that this earth was cut adrift to wander at hazard through all space, as that treason should lurk behind an Austrian uniform. It would be an evil hour for him who should dare to tell him so.”

“Oh, Frank, how terrible is all this!”

“And yet do I not despair; nay, Kate, but I am even more hopeful for it; and, as Walstein says, if the Empire halt so long behind the rest of Europe, she must one day or other take a race to come up with it.”

“And is Walstein a – a – ” She stopped.

“No; he’s very far from a Democrat or a Republican. He ‘s too well born and too rich and too good-looking to be anything but a Monarchist. Oh, if you but saw him! But, hark! there are the trumpets! Here come the ‘Wurtem-burgs;’ and there’s my charger, Kate. Is he not splendid? A Banat horse, all bone and sinew.”

“How I should like to have been a man and a soldier!” said she, blushing deeply.

“There, that’s Walstein, – that’s he with the scarlet dolman!” cried Frank. “But he ‘s coming over, – he sees us. No, he’s passing on. Did you see him, Kate? – did you remark him?”

“No, Frank dearest; I see nothing but you, my own fond brother.” And she fell upon his neck, weeping.

“Herr Lieutenant!” said a hussar, with his hand to his cap.

“Yes, I ‘m ready, – I ‘m coming,” cried Frank. And with one long, last embrace he tore himself away, springing down the stairs in mad haste.

“Madame de Heidendorf is good enough to say she will come and see the troops defile from the Glacis,” said the Archduke to Kate, as, still overwhelmed with sorrow, she stood where Frank had left her. “Perhaps you would do us the honor to come also?”

Kate accepted the invitation at once, and hurried to her room for a bonnet.

“Not that one, Madame la Princesse,” said Nina, eagerly; “the yellow with black lace, rather. The national colors will be a flattery to his Royal Highness.”

“What a coquette you are, Nina!”

“And how irresistible would Madame be were she to condescend to be even a little of one!” said Nina, smiling.

“Perhaps I may yet,” said Kate, half sighing as she spoke; and Nina’s dark eyes sparkled as she heard her. “But what do you mean by coquetry, Nina?” asked she, after a pause.

“It may mean much, Madame, or very little. With such as I am it may be a rose-colored ribbon; with Madame la Princesse it may be the smile that wins royalty. Coquetry, after all, is a mere recognition of admiration. An old Spanish dramatist says, ‘That a glance from bright eyes is like the hoisting of an ensign to acknowledge a salute.’”

“How you run on, Nina, and how ashamed I feel when I catch myself afterwards thinking over your words!”