“I remember,” said M. Drakovics, curtly. “But what was your Highness’s idea?”
“It struck me that the threat of shelling the town might enable us to secure the King’s being given up to us unhurt,” said the Prince.
“Ah, General Sertchaieff knows our resources too well for that. But I very much fear that we may even now be too late to save the King.”
“What!” was the general cry. “You cannot imagine——”
“I do not for a moment believe that he will consent to abdicate, and I fear they will not keep him a prisoner, lest the Thracians should rally to release him.”
“But as a hostage for themselves in case of defeat?”
“They do not mean to be defeated. They are fighting with ropes round their necks, and to murder the King would be a plain declaration that they had left themselves no way of escape. They are well supported, but they know that there is no help for them if they fail.”
“Then you think that this conspiracy is incited by Scythia?”
“Not openly, of course. Scythia’s opportunity will come later, when she can throw troops into the country under pretext of curing disorder. No; she has merely allowed fugitives from us to take refuge and hatch their plots upon her soil, and there may possibly be a few retired Scythian officers who have returned with them. But Scythia has not authorised them to come, nor supplied them officially with money. If they succeed, she will reap the advantage of their labours; if they fail, she will disown them.”
“It is possible that there may be retired officers of other armies who will take the opposite side,” said Prince Otto Georg. “Allow me, your Excellency, to offer myself as a volunteer.”