Blood of the Eagle/Chapter 4
IV
"You are through with school-teaching for life, my dear," said Major Arthur Wemyss to his daughter, the night before they came to Ngongfu. "We shall spend a week in this city. From there we go north and east to Yunnan, then to the coast—and so home to England; and with us goes fortune."
The girl fastened upon her father those large and humid eyes, like the eyes of a deer, which seemed to express so many unuttered things. She was not beautiful, this girl; not beautiful at all, but one divined in her a singular depth and force.
"And this fortune, father, is connected with that strange Armenian whom we met in Rangoon?"
The yellow-faced man smiled thinly, cynically.
"Exactly, my dear Florence! I agreed to make that man into a king. In return, he agreed to make me wealthy. Could anything be fairer?"
Florence Wemyss considered this question for a moment.
"On the surface—no," she answered; "but if you think that man Ardzrouni is going to be a mere tool, a pawn in your hand, be careful! True greatness is not far from him."
"Bah! He is a vain peacock," said her father. He did not observe how the eyes of the girl flamed at this. "Strange, what fate flung him into my hand! The coincidence of that man turning up was truly remarkable—that man, with his name, and with the great eagle tattooed on his breast. I had been to Ngongfu, and knew about the eagle over the gate of the city."
He turned suddenly to his daughter, almost with humility in his air.
"A confession, my dear! I had agreed to send a man to Ngongfu, bearing that jade fish which I picked up in Yunnan. I was to have a bird tattooed on his breast, and he was to appear there as one sent from heaven to assume the throne. I came to Rangoon to get you and to prepare this man—and met Ardzrouni. Can you imagine a more remarkable thing?"
The eyes of the girl dwelt upon him, not without bitterness.
"Yes," she answered unexpectedly. "I can imagine a far more remarkable thing—that you might come by this fortune of yours honestly."
A slow flush crept into the sallow cheeks of her father.
"Egad! You haven't many illusions about the old dad—eh, what?"
"Do you expect me to have any?" queried the girl.
This disconcerted him singularly.
"I could almost fancy that you admire this fellow Ardzrouni."
"At least, he is an honest dreamer."
Wemyss said no more to her that evening, but sulked by himself. He was a bit afraid of this daughter of his, although he loved her and would cheerfully have died for her. As he had said, she cherished no illusions about her father. She knew him for an adventurer, yet she stuck to him. When his marked cards and his selfish schemes ended in failure and disgrace, as they invariably did, she accompanied him on the next wild-goose chase and made no complaint. She took no part in his schemes, however.
In the present instance, Florence Wemyss had some ground for complaint. Their natives had fled at the first meeting with Ngong soldiers; they were alone, guarded like prisoners, their equipment lost or stolen. When they approached the city, whither the booming bronze had brought news of their coming, the least that the girl expected was imprisonment.
She was agreeably astonished when, outside the huddled buildings of the outer city, the staring crowds made passage for an escort which brought a palanquin for her. The officer in charge addressed her father briefly in French, and Wemyss turned to her exultantly.
"By Jove, Flossie, we've won the turn! In with you, girl! To-morrow you'll begin to see some jewels such as a chap reads about in stories. The man has won out. In with you!"
She climbed into the palanquin, and so entered Ngongfu. Somewhat to her disappointment, however, they were not met by Ardzrouni, nor did they see him until they were conducted that same night from their quarters to his presence, in the audience hall of the palace.
Florence Wemyss had last beheld Ardzrouni as an almost penniless soldier of fortune, who had even then impressed her with his lofty air and impulsive spirit. Now she beheld him the focal point of Oriental splendor, gorgeously robed and gemmed, surrounded by guards and nobles; and if ever man truly appeared a king, it was Ardzrouni at this instant. Nor did he give them the faintest smile of greeting, but spoke in French, regally enough.
"Await my pleasure, until I am able to speak with you in private. Liu Ku! Where is that dog of a eunuch? Ah, come forward! Bring that soldier who asked trial from me."
Liu Ku came from the glittering throng, bent his vast bulk in obeisance, and rose.
"The soldier is here. Let my lord remember that the dog who has shared his bone with a strange dog asks gratitude, not snarls!"
Wemyss stared at this, comprehending instantly that trouble threatened. There it was, plain and open defiance. Ardzrouni came to his feet, white with rage.
"Be careful, fat frog—be careful, lest the eagle strike his talons into you! But bring forward that soldier, and let us be finished."
"The man must be mad!" whispered Florence at the ear of her father.
Yet her eyes were wide with admiration as she watched Ardzrouni. Wemyss fingered his lips and cursed softly to himself.
A soldier came forward—an officer of the palace guard, resplendent in his panoply of embroidered silk armor and plumed gold helmet. Liu Elu preferred a case against him, first in Chinese, then more briefly in French. Among the surrounding crowd there was a stir, and a whisper of sympathy arose. This officer was one of the nobles, and was related to Colonel Chou.
"The devil!" exclaimed Ardzrouni abruptly. "Why, this man has dared no more than to love one of the ladies of the palace!"
"It is sacrilege!" cried Liu Ku. "Shu is a daughter of Wang Ling!"
Ardzrouni made an impatient gesture.
"Let him take her in marriage, and be happy! The man is promoted one grade, and is placed in command of my personal guards. Enough of this! I wish to speak in private with these strangers—and with you also, Liu Ku."
At this abrupt distribution of justice there was a stir in the hall—a stir of surprise, of delight—and a gasp from other quarters. Luckily for Ardzrouni, none of the shamans were here, for it was the anger of the fang shi that had fallen on the luckless soldier.
Liu Ku bit his lip in rage, but dared offer no protest. He had certain adherents of his own, but was not prepared for any open break with the new ruler. Further, he was most anxiously awaiting a chance of speaking with Wemyss.
Florence and her father were conducted to a room off the main hall by the fat eunuch, who spoke rapidly in the ear of Wemyss as they went. He continued his low-voiced talk after they were seated in the huge red lacquer chairs, and during the brief wait that followed. Wemyss, listening intensely, looked anxious and worried.
The girl was far from knowing just what or how much of this intrigue lay to the score of her father; but she had already perceived that Ardzrouni seemed intoxicated by the power into which he had stepped so suddenly. She was soon to comprehend, however, that the Armenian knew pretty well what he was about.
The door opened, and Ardzrouni appeared, still in his gorgeous costume. Behind him were two soldiers, armed with halberds, who stationed themselves at the door. Liu Ku rose with an angry gesture, but the dark man laughed.
"They do not understand French, fat frog! Sit down. Ah, my dear Wemyss, greetings! And my apologies, mademoiselle, for so curt a reception out yonder. There was more going on than appeared on the surface, and I dared take no risks. Now that I may kiss your hand, heaven has no greater blessings to promise!"
He brought her fingers to his lips, bowing. Then, abruptly, he turned to Wemyss and extended a small box.
"A present to you—an earnest of our bargain. It is well that you are here, for we are shortly to have trouble."
Wemyss opened the box, caught a glimpse of blazing stones within, and hastily closed it. His face altered. With this gift Ardzrouni had bought him, body and soul.
Ardzrouni glanced at Liu Ku, smiled sardonically, and seated himself.
"The conspirators are all here," he observed. "The arrangements went off to a nicety, Wemyss. Our fat friend conducted everything splendidly. He is now a trifle out of humor, and it is time to reach an understanding. Speak, Liu Ku! You have my permission."
The moon-faced eunuch was trembling with fury, but controlled himself.
"It is indeed time," he said slowly. "M. Wemyss, when I arranged matters with you four months ago, it was agreed that the man whom you were to send me was to remain content with the royal name and dignity, and was not to interfere with my control of Ngong. Is not that so?"
"That is true," assented Wemyss, and glanced at Ardzrouni, who shrugged and lighted a cigarette.
"What has happened?" continued Liu Ku. "This man came, and I put him on the throne of the mandarin. From that moment he has interfered with me, humiliated me, aided my enemies. Already the college of fang shi distrusts him. I have waited until you came, and now we shall have an understanding. If this ungrateful dog turns against me, let him look to it!"
Ardzrouni smiled slightly, his eyes resting on the eunuch.
"There is one thing I can't quite understand, Liu Ku," he said thoughtfully. "How did you persuade the college of wizards to issue that prophecy? Surely you did not take the whole crowd into your confidence?"
The eunuch grunted in scorn.
"Am I a fool? No. The head shaman desired certain women of the royal household. I took him, and him alone, into my confidence, and paid him as he desired."
"Oh, very good!" Ardzrouni nodded. "Tell one of those guards to bring Colonel Chou to me, if you please."
Liu Ku stirred slightly.
"Chou? But he speaks French, and—"
"That is why I wish to speak with him. Obey!"
Stifling his fury, the eunuch obeyed, and one of the two soldiers left. Then Ardzrouni turned to Wemyss.
"Very well, now it is my turn to speak. Listen, fat frog! You made me a king, it is true; therefore, I am a king. As to agreements, I made none."
"You told me—" began Wemyss, but Ardzrouni checked him with uplifted hand.
"My dear monsieur, what I told you was between ourselves. I made no promise to this fat one. Do you know the sort of frog he is? When I came here, his first endeavor was to provide me with a swarm of yellow wives—to overwhelm me with wine and women. Your pardon, Mlle. Florence, for speaking plainly. Well, he tried; and we need say no more. Then," pursued Ardzrouni, with a flash in his eye, "I discovered that all the honest men in Ngong hated him, and all the rascals were his friends. Through me, he attempted to destroy the honest men, just as he attempted to destroy that captain of the guard tonight. I, Ardzrouni, refuse to be a tool in the hand of a eunuch! Ah, here is our colonel; now we shall see what we shall see."
Ardzrouni turned. Colonel Chou, in all the gorgeous panoply of an imperial soldier, entered the room and prostrated himself. Ardzrouni bade him rise, and spoke in French.
"Have you ten men whom you can trust?"
"A hundred, son of heaven!" was the response.
Chou was a tall, slender man, full of pride and dignity. A flash of delight fired the eye of Ardzrouni as he met that black, impassive gaze, which could meet his own respectfully, but without fear. Such men were rare among these yellow folk.
"Then go to the college of the fang shi," commanded the Armenian. "Seize the chief shaman, remove his head, and place it above the western gate of the palace. Over it put a placard stating that this man abused his office by taking to himself certain ladies of the royal household, after the death of Wang Ling. Go!"
Liu Ku took a step forward. His face was livid.
"If you do this—"
"One word, fat frog, and your head follows that of your friend!" said Ardzrouni. So terrible were his eyes that the eunuch blanched and retreated, folding his hands in his sleeves. "You have heard my orders, Colonel Chou?"
The impassive soldier prostrated himself ceremoniously.
"They shall be obeyed, oh, son of heaven!"
There was a moment of tense silence, until the three were once more alone with Florence, who had sat through this scene with a growing terror in her face. Now, of a sudden, she leaned forward and spoke to Ardzrouni. Her voice shook.
"Do you know—do you realize that you are risking everything—"
The dark features of Ardzrouni softened marvelously in a smile so warm, so filled with high courtesy, that the girl herself was astounded.
"Dear mademoiselle!" he said quietly, "I follow my destiny; but it will never lead me to the grave of a dishonored craven. Do you understand?"
"Oh!" she said, and sat upright again. "Oh! You—you are magnificent!"
Ardzrouni only smiled sadly at this, as if for an instant all the bombast of his usual speech was stripped from his mind. Then, with a shrug, he turned to the fat eunuch and spoke crisply.
"You have heard me. Is there to be peace or war between us?"
Liu Ku bowed. He was suddenly very humble.
"Let there be peace, son of heaven! I have made many errors; now that I see you are truly sent by the gods to rule this place, I obey you."
Ardzrouni smiled and twirled his mustache with a satisfied air.
"Good!" he said. "Now let us speak about the loot, Wemyss!"