| Show y X 0 o ot h t t Y Secrets of the Courts oj of Europe i X An Old Ambassadors Ambassador's Revelations of the the to Inner History of Famous Episodes II x z Heretofore Cloaked in Mystery i Chronicled by ALLEN UPWARD r X ti THE WHITE THREAD i A A. A hI r r. r Pardon M. M but there is a piece of thread on the back backI of your coat j I We vere ue about to go forth for a stroll on the boulevards 1 4 1 had just R helped his excellency on n with his over over- coat As I bent forward to remove the ther r strand of white cotton which had attracted at at- f my ny attention the ambassador turned his head with a startled moves move move- s ment went I even f fancied that hat he gave a slight shiver as I picked off the thread l ast past it j awayA awayA away A thousand thanks he murmured mechanically l glancing after the thread 1 I. aiti a a. strange expression But he r ii rt realized that 1 I had observed hi his J 1 Jar agitation for he immediately went t on to say N v Y You ou ask yourself perhaps what hat It Itis itis d' d is that has disturbed me so much in inthis inthis this trivial circumstance Do me the justice to tg believe notwithstanding 0 that I have not been agitated without t 1 a real cause f ff It was not long after the mysterious 11 affair which I r h have ve related to you in r. i-r. connection with the death of Abdul AbdulAziz AbdulAziz Aziz began his excellency and I Iv v hall bad Just just been been promoted to the rank of charge In this capacity I Iwas x t v was as entrusted with the French mission to the court of one of those barbarous principalities in the southeast of Eui Eu- Eu Europe i L. L rope which have hardly yet recovered from their centuries of vassalage to the Turks In these unsettled societies societies' acts of lawlessness and violence are rendered possible at which more civilized civil civil- tied lied countries would be dismayed At t the time of my arrival In the principality ity to the court of which I h had d been accredited I found things in a avery avery avery very disturbed condition As is always the case in these petty states in the region of the Danube Russia and Atria A- A AtTs- AtTs s. s tria were vere intriguing for the predominance predominance 1 nance and the whole population vas vas as rent into factions accordingly which I. I pursued each other with th the bitterest k hatred This rivalry between the two powers pow pow- powers i ers I have named had even extended to the palace where the Austrian Inclinations inch inch- nations of George the reigning prince 1 t- t were counterbalanced by the Russo Russo- f l r phils phile sympathies of his consort Catha Catherine Cath- Cath a erine a princess of Russian extraction WJ r While I was preparing to walk warily among the pitfalls pitfalls which surrounded surrounded sur sur- 1 rounded me I was surprised one day shortly after fter my arrival by a visit from fromy y the Russian Russia minister Baron ski I I nave have come he said as soon soon as ashe r he had tak taken n a seat and exchanged the usual compliments to inform you that I am obliged to leave for Russia in two days' days time The business which reQuires requires re- re 3 Quires my my presence is important and j ft will ill ill perhaps detain me four or five vs weeks weeks Fit I bow bowed d and murmured a polite expression ex ex- x- x ti of regret at the idea of losing the society of the minister for so long longa a period That is S no not all however he proceeded proceeded pro pro- seeded to esay I have at the legation no one whom I can trust to take my w l place properly while I am away Shall ShallI I be trespassing too much on your goodnature goodnature good goodnature nature if I ask you to take charge of the interests of of Russia for these f few w w weeks eks I ff I am too am-too too much honored honored honored-by by the b confidence you place In me I I Isaid said but recollect if you please my dear that f I have only recently arrived In this country and know leno i nothing of the political situation Had Hd you not better apply to some colleague I of older standing standing to to Sir Graham for foi instance the British charge He made an emphatic gesture of disapproval as I pronounced this flamer larae me Not for worlds my dear fellow That man is a mere tool of f the Austrian Aus- Aus Aus r trian ministers No I must have someone some someone some seine one whom I can trust someone of r real al independence nce and judgment Besides Besids s sour c our two countries are friendly I I should bould leave the the affairs of my legation In your hands with the same confidence r d dense dence nce as In those of a fellow fellow country man manThus Thus pressed I could find no excuse excuse ex ex- ex- ex excuse cuse for declining the honor which proposed to confer confer confer- on me me me- dd f i i l went to add He on i.- i. There is one thing about which I must ask you to preserve the strictest secrecy In the mailbag o of the leation legation lea lega tion you will from time to time tim find fin find letters addressed to M M M. which you will without doubt find means to transmit to him in a manner If the packages are sometimes sometimes some some- times heavy that is is' is merely because they thoy c contain a little gold which it is 1 necessary to to distribute i I among our friends friends' Used as I 1 was to the tangled paths J of political intrigue I could not altogether altogether alto alto- J gether conceal my astonishment at healing him pronounce the name of M M. This was the prime minister minister min min- J ister the head of the princes prince's government government govern govern- v I had heard hoard it I ment and although whispered that he was less favorable r. r to Vienna th than n his master I was certainly tamly not prepared to find him in receipt receipt re re- of Russian gold look of smiled at my sur sur- e. e J The pr pr prO In m er Is a l dit dh reet m man n h he rr observed cynically Should any unexpected unexpected difficulty arise while I am away involving the interests of Russia you would not do badly to consult him The matter was vas thus arranged In Indue Indue Indue due course the Russian handed over the rare ue of his legation to me and took Ms lis departure after atter he had left the capital capital capi capi- tal a b banquet was given at the palace to o I received an invitation n. n The affair vine vis not one of state but a good many distinguished functionaries were present including the Austrian minister minis minis- ter er and M M. I was received graciously by Prince George and with still more cordiality by y his beautiful and distinguished consort con con- sort When we sat eat down to dinner I found myself on the left of the princess who sat between en me and the prince while the prime minister was wason on ow my other side The Austrian min minster min ster ister Ister occupied the post of ot honor on Prince Georges George's right I mention these details for a reason which you will perceive presently I have said that the banquet was not a state one Nevertheless the presence pres pres- presence ence of so many high functionaries imparted imparted im im- im I parted to it a more or less political air As the evening advanced I even even began iegan to perc perceive ive something in the atmosphere which warned warded me that this gathering had some hi hidden d l- l cance The prince who was drinking freely had hardly exchanged a word with his wife since we sat down while he kept indulging in long confidential whispers with the Austrian minister I had not long to wait for the key to all this As soon as the dessert was placed before us Prince George rose roseto roseto roseto to his feet with an abrupt air and filling filling fill fill- ing his glass to the brim called out with marked intonation Ladies and gentlemen I ask you to drink the health of my very good goodfriend goodfriend goodfriend friend and cousin the Emperor Francis Francis Fran Fran- cis Joseph It was a demonstration It was impossible impossible im im- possible to mistake the significance of these words They meant that Prince George had arrived at an understanding understand understand- ing with the court of Vienna and that the friends of Russia in the principality principality principality were crushed I turned from the exultant face of the Austrian who who saw this envoy triumph of his diplomacy to the Princess Catherine She had turned deadly pale as she rose from her seat In c compliance th the princes prince's example ex ex- example ample mple and slowly lifted her glass to her lips as if each drop that it contained contained contained con con- were the most deadly poison The prime minister managed to conceal his chagrin with more skill He drank the toast as though it were a meaningless ceremony and quietly resumed his seat feat by my side But as soon as the attention of ot those near us was diverted for a moment he whispered softly in my ear Baron is a a prudent man His absence has been well timed There are certain precautions which the baron foresaw might become become become be be- come necessary in the event event of anything anything any any- thing of this kind taking place The necessity having now arisen I am compelled to ask ash you as his representative representative to come to my assistance I have in my pocket at this mom mom-ent an envelope containing certain papers of the highest importance which it is essential essential es es- that I should entrust to your care for a time I could not restrain a look of annoyance annoyance annoyance an an- at this suggestion It was by byno byno no means pleasant to find myself involved involved in in- in the tortuous mazes of Russian Russian Rus Rus- sian underground diplomacy a diplomacy diplomacy diplo diplo- macy of which I had heard a good deal but with which I had not previously previously previously come into direct contact You may bring the packet you speak of to my residence tomorrow if ir you please I answered Boldly I will put it in a place of safety till my colleague returns returns' M 1 I gave a slight frown I 1 da dare e not wait till tomorrow he returned quickly The papers are of too much importance and it is impossible impossible impossible sible to foresee what may follow this move I i m must st beg you to let me pass this envelope to you now under the shelter of f the table table We Vie do not riot know who may be beo observing serving us While I was endeavoring to give my attention to their highnesses s e I 1 became conscious of a light touch on my knee Affecting to play with my ray serviette I gradually allowed my left lefthand lefthand lefthand hand to descend out of sight beneath the table and my fingers at once came In contact with the envelope of which had spoken I 1 carefully carefully care care- fully Cully to took k hold of of It il and seizing the first moment when the princes prince's eyes were turned away I 1 managed to get the packet up under my coat and into my breast pocket Whether anyone else at the table perceived the movement movement movement move move- ment it was impossible for me to tell Shortly afterwards his highness gave the signal to rise Tise and giving his arm to his consort led the company Into the drawing drawing room Here we separated separated sep separated sep sep- into small email groups and I observed observed observed ob ob- ob- ob served the Austrian minister approach the princ princess ss as though to p pay y court to her But she received him with e a dis dis- dair which served to to accentuate the t i f opposition lon b between th the sentiments of the royal pairAs pairAs pairAs pair As soon as she had got rid of ot the Austrian I saw her highness fix her eyes upon me with a look which plainly plain plain- I ly intimated that she had something of importance to say to me Accordingly Accord I contrived to shake off the min ister of justice who had button holed buttonholed holed me directly we left the table and edged my way cautiously towards the princess She received me at first with well well- acted indifference but as soon as a slight movement of the crowd had left leftus leftus leftus us alone for a moment she bent towards towards to to- wards me and addressed me in these significant words Pardon me monsieur but if you have anything which you wish to put away in safety do not remain here another moment I was overwhelmed as you may I imagine at this proof of her acquaintance acquaint acquaint- acquaint I ance with the transaction at the din din- I table ner-table and it was with difficulty that I 1 restrained myself from allowing my dismay to be visible At the same time the serious character of or the warning which she had given me served to increase the uneasiness which I had labored under for some sometime sometime sometime time I bowed gravely to show that I understood what to do and after allowing allowing allowing al al- al lowing a short time to elapse so as asto asto asto to prevent remark I made my way to where Prince George was standing and asked permission to retire The prince was engaged at the moment moment mo mo- ment mentin in talking to himself It was of course a breach of etiquette for me to leave before his highness himself withdrew w but he graciously accepted the excuse which I 1 had prepared prepared pre pre- pared and made no effort to detain me I fancied that I caught a look in the prime ministers minister's eye as if he would have liked to accompany me but it was was waso o of of course course ourse impossible for him to II r l 4 f i Li LiI I 11 III I I I IIII I 1 ll I I f M P f 1 iL I I's s 's sJ II IIi T 1 i L 1 i t S I Wb bV I f i l th Pardon Me Monsieur ur But If You Have Anything Which You Wish to is t Put Away In Safety Do Not Remain Hero Another Moment make the suggestion and I went out of the room escorted by an equerry In the vestibule of the palace I paused to put on an overcoat As I 1 was drawing it on the equerry who had followed me made the remark almost in the same words which you have used this evening Pardon baron but there is a white thread on the back of your coat coatI I thanked him and turned the coat oat over to look for it On the back I found a long piece of cotton It was ordinary enough in app appearance appearance rance but when I 1 took hold of one end to remove it I found to my surprise that it was was' firmly attached to the material of the coat My tailor must be a very careless fellow I muttered as I broke it off short It must have come from the lining j jI I drew the coat on again thinking thinking thinking think think- ing no more of this trivial Incident said good night good to the equerry and started to walk home by myself There was a bright moon but the streets were deserted desert d unusually so so considering considering consid ering that the hour was by no means a a late one distance dis dis- distance distance dis- dis When I 1 had proceeded some tance however I I perceived in ili front of or orme me a miserable-looking miserable creature on crutches with a bandage over one eye who boldly stopped me and began to beg for alms While I was trying to shake h him himoff him himoff m off arr another r man came up from behind He paused a moment as if to ascertain ascer aster tain taro what was the matter whereupon the beggar left ins me me and commenced to assail the newcomer r. r I seized the th opportunity to make my escape and reached my house without further Incident incident In In- But the events of this nig were not over As soon as I got in I went straight to my safe and locked away the mysterious packet which had been confided to me by M M. M As AsI I did so I observed that the envelope envelop was sealed with yellow wax bearing the tho Russian Imperial arms I then sat down to a quiet game at gl ch chess ss with withy my y t ache to lU my nerves g to bed bed- C y 1 i We had been playing for some sometime sometime sometime time and I was just developing my final attack attack ita r his position when |
