“You can hardly expect us to let you into the secret of our ways and means,” said Maurice lightly. “Well, Admiral, we must thank you for your patience and your warning. When the warning comes true, I hope we may fall into no worse hands than yours.”
“God grant it!” cried the Admiral, with startling vehemence. “Good heavens! Teffany,—Theophanis or whatever you call yourself,—what possessed you to bring ladies and children into this affair?”
Maurice hesitated, and Prince Romanos replied for him. “I think, Mr Admiral, I shall only be doing justice to my friend’s wife and sister if I say that these intrepid ladies brought themselves into it.”
“Ah, I daresay! poor ignorant creatures, expecting to find everything made smooth for them, and every Roumi a plaster saint! But you know better,” he turned fiercely upon Maurice. “What did you do it for?—tell me. What possibility is there of your getting them out unharmed?”
“Simply that if we can hold out long enough, the Liberal Powers may get tired of doing Scythia and Pannonia’s dirty work, and insist on giving us a chance.”
“Then Heaven help you, if that’s all you have to hope for!” The Admiral led the way impetuously out of the cabin and plunged into the group of officers who had been making the tour of the ship with Zoe and Wylie. “If I hadn’t invited you on board,” he said in a shaking voice to his guests, “I’d have put you all under arrest and kept you here safe. As it is, I beg and beseech you to save me the disgrace of kidnapping you by staying on board of your own free will. You, sir!” he turned on Wylie, “how dare you encourage these absurd, illegal, fantastic proceedings? It strikes me that you will hear from the War Office before long, and to some purpose.”
“Possibly the War Office has heard from me already, sir,” said Wylie, and the calmness of the reply restored the Admiral’s composure.
“Well, I wash my hands of it. I have done what I could to save you, and as you won’t be saved, I warn you that you’ll have to take the consequences. Wait! call up those Emathians of yours, if you please,” to Maurice. “I presume that if they leave you in the lurch you will be able to yield with a good conscience.”
The guards were summoned, and stood ranged before the Admiral, with obviously agonising efforts to recall Wylie’s instructions as to attitude.
“I wish you to understand,” said the great man harshly, “that Prince Theophanis is engaged in an enterprise which the Powers have entirely forbidden. This rebellion will be put down by force, and no mercy will be shown to any who take part in it. The warships of the Powers will co-operate with Jalal-ud-din Pasha and his army in restoring tranquillity.”