“Many thanks, Drakovics. I congratulate you on getting the precious thing back so soon. But what are the unfortunate accidents to which you refer?”
“I must give you the gist of Vassili’s letter before you will understand them. As I anticipated, the moment that the rank and file of the rebels learned that they had been deceived in imagining that they had the Queen in their hands, they lost heart. There was a little fighting round the Bishop’s palace, led by the commandant and Colonel O’Malachy; but the Bishop and the Mayor, when once their eyes were opened, insisted upon a surrender. They had been doubly deceived, first by means of this letter here, into supposing that I—why, I cannot imagine—sympathised with their object, and then by the lady who personated her Majesty.”
“Really,” said Cyril, “the Bishop must be singularly guileless for a man of his age and political experience. It’s pretty evident that he is too simple-minded for the position that he occupies.”
“That will be for the court to decide when he is brought to trial,” replied the Premier, changing countenance a little. “In any case, he submitted at once when he learned the truth, and gave assistance in securing his fellow-conspirators. He even surrendered this letter, which had been intrusted to his care. Moreover, the rescued ladies all bear testimony to the consideration with which they were treated during their imprisonment in his palace.”
“In other words, Bishop Philaret is one of those who aspire to run with the hare and yet hunt with the hounds?”
“Possibly; but we may be thankful that he has shown so accommodating a spirit. If he had been like the rest—but we are coming to the unfortunate accidents I mentioned. During the night after the recapture of the town, Colonel O’Malachy succeeded in making his escape from the place where he was imprisoned, and the commandant committed suicide.”
“Good gracious! there has been treachery at work,” cried Cyril.
“Impossible, Count. Both prisoners were searched before they were left alone; but they must have contrived to secrete some tool or weapon. The commandant was found with his brains blown out, and a discharged revolver in his hand, and Colonel O’Malachy appears to have escaped through the window and the garden at the back, by means of tying his bed-clothes together into a rope. The two men were confined in a private house, for the ordinary prison was full.”
“You may take my opinion as that of the average man,” said Cyril, slowly and meaningly, “that there was foul play somewhere. A stout elderly man like the O’Malachy, and lame too, could never escape unaided from a window.”
“Of course, the whole affair will be most strictly inquired into, and the sentries put on their trial,” said M. Drakovics. “Vassili can testify that both the prisoners were secure when Constantinovics and he visited them late at night. The thing is a mystery.”