“There is one,” he answered gently, “who taught me manners at her knee, or tried to, and she never hurt a mortal human being by a word in her life, but that, that, sir, seems 152 to be where you have missed it. Now look here,” he went on, kindling in spite of himself, “I respect any man who has grounds–discoverable grounds–for respecting himself, and if you are a man, then ‘sir’ won’t overtop you any.”
Colonel Lopez of the Dragoons nudged him anxiously. “Don’t say ‘you’; say ‘Your Majesty.’”
“Better let him alone,” Maximilian interposed wearily. “He recognizes in me a man, and–it’s not unpleasant. But which,” he added, “gives me leave to hope that as a man himself he will not cringe before the drum-head.”
“May I,” said Driscoll quietly, “have one minute with you alone? It’s not about myself, I promise you that. But for you, sir, it’s of the very greatest importance.”
Instantly all stirred with curiosity, except Maximilian. All there were keenly affected by the stranger’s mysterious business with the Emperor, except the Emperor himself. And each man’s wits were straightway alert, according to the hates and ambitions of each. Even Miguel Lopez, dense of understanding, had his suspicions. Murguía’s yellow features darkened malevolently. The hacienda priest whispered to M. Éloin, and M. Éloin, brushing the man of God aside as though he had been thinking of the very same thing himself, tried to get a word with Maximilian. But Jacqueline spoke first to the Emperor. She knew the susceptibility of the royal ear. Maximilian nodded at what she said, and Éloin bit his lip. Maximilian glanced at the American’s clothes. Homespun did not correspond with pressing business of state, to his mind.
“My good man,” he said, caressing his beard, “it’s not regular, you know. Another time, perhaps, when you can have yourself inscribed by Our Grand Chamberlain and when your application for an audience––”
“But if these señores shoot me before then?”
Maximilian shrugged his shoulders. In any case, the Ritual would suffer no outrage.
153“But I tell you,” cried the exasperated Missourian, “this thing is serious. And it can’t wait either, not if it’s to help you any. I may be too late now. I don’t know what’s happened since I started down here three weeks ago. Richmond was in danger then. And the Army of Northern Virginia–General Lee––”
“Have surrendered,” calmly interposed the Emperor.