The King's Jackal

The private terrace of the Hotel Grand Bretagne, at Tangier, was shaded by a great awning of red and green and yellow, and strewn with colored mats, and plants in pots, and wicker chairs. It reached out from the Kings apartments into the Garden of Palms, and was hidden by them on two sides, and showed from the third the blue waters of the Mediterranean and the great shadow of Gibraltar in the distance.
The Sultan of Morocco had given orders from Fez that the King of Messina, in spite of his incognito, should be treated during his stay in Tangier with the consideration due to his rank, so one-half of the Hotel Grand Bretagne had been set aside for him and his suite, and two soldiers of the Bashaw's Guard sat outside of his door with drawn swords. They were answerable with their heads for the life and safety of the Sultan's guest, and as they could speak no language but their own, they made a visit to his Majesty more a matter of adventure than of etiquette.
Niccolas, the King's majordomo, stepped out upon the terrace and swept the Mediterranean with a field-glass for the third time since sunrise. He lowered it, and turned doubtfully toward the two soldiers.
The boat from Gibraltar—has she arrived yet? he asked.
The two ebony figures shook their heads stiffly, as though they resented this introduction of a foreign language, and continued to shake their heads as the servant addressed the same question to them in a succession of strange tongues.
Well, said Colonel Erhaupt, briskly, as he followed Niccolas out upon the terrace, has the boat arrived? And the launch from the yacht, he continued, has it started for shore yet?
The man pointed to where the yacht lay, a mile outside the harbor, and handed him the glass.
It is but just now leaving the ship's side, he said. But I cannot make out who comes in her. Ah, pardon, he added quickly, as he pointed to a stout elderly gentleman who walked rapidly toward them through the garden. The Gibraltar boat must be in, sir. Here is Baron Barrat coming up the path.