“Do you mean war?” she exclaimed.
He nodded.
“It seems that our great neighbours,” he said, “resent our independence. Our chief enemy is Russia. In pursuance, I am convinced, of a secret understanding with her, Turkey is on the point of declaring war upon us.”
“Then all I can say is that it is a darned shame,” Mr. Van Decht declared, hotly. “Don’t you trouble yourself about my investments. If the Turks disturb my property I guess my country will know how to make them pay. Your Majesty, those Turks must be whipped.”
“While we’ve a yard to stand upon or a man to fight we shall do our best. I have been a soldier, as you know, all my life, and I have no sentimental hatred of war. But my country—ah well, it is so different when it is your own people who are going to die upon their homesteads, your own womenkind who must go sorrowing through life widowed and orphaned. I don’t suppose there is anything particularly beautiful about Theos,” the King continued, thoughtfully, “yet to me her quiet country places, her vineyards and farms, her whole rural life has seemed so simple and charming. I have seen my people at their play and at their daily tasks, a cheerful, honest people, light-hearted and fond of pleasure perhaps—why not? The thought of a blackened country, her vineyards and corn-fields red with blood, the homesteads in flames, my poor peasants fighting to the death against cruel odds—it is hideous! I do not dare to think of it or it will unman me. Only I pray to the God of our fathers that this thing will not seem just to the great liberty-loving nations and that they will not see us wiped out from the face of the earth.”
There was a moment’s silence. Mr. Van Decht was smoking vigorously. Sara was silent, because she did not dare to speak. But her eyes were eloquent. Ughtred threw away his cigar which had gone out, and lit another.
“Come,” he said, “I am getting an old woman. We must take the more cheerful view of things. I came to you at once, because I wanted to give you as much notice as possible.”
“What do you mean?” Sara asked, softly.
“I mean that of course you must go away,” Ughtred answered. “I cannot tell how long the railway communication will remain uninterrupted. Mr. Van Decht——”