HUMCROFT, SALOP,
May 30, 1908.
MY DEAR COUSIN KING RUPERT,
I am honoured by the request made on your behalf by the Lord High
Chancellor of your kingdom that I should make a literary contribution
to the volume which my cousin, Queen Teuta, is, with the help of your
former governess, Miss MacKelpie, compiling. I am willing to do so,
as you naturally wish to have in that work some contemporary record
made by the Head of the House of Melton, with which you are
connected, though only on the distaff side. It is a natural ambition
enough, even on the part of a barbarian--or perhaps semi-barbarian--
King, and far be it from me, as Head of the House, to deny you such a
coveted privilege. Perhaps you may not know that I am now Head of
the House; my father died three days ago. I offered my mother the
use of the Dower House--to the incumbency of which, indeed, she is
entitled by her marriage settlement. But she preferred to go to live
at her seat, Carfax, in Kent. She went this morning after the
funeral. In letting you have the use of my manuscript I make only
one stipulation, but that I expect to be rigidly adhered to. It is
that all that I have written be put in the book in extenso. I do not
wish any record of mine to be garbled to suit other ends than those
ostensible, or whatever may be to the honour of myself or my House to
be burked. I dare say you have noticed, my dear Rupert, that the
compilers of family histories often, through jealousy, alter matter
that they are allowed to use so as to suit their own purpose or
minister to their own vanity. I think it right to tell you that I
have had a certified copy made by Petter and Galpin, the law
stationers, so that I shall be able to verify whether my stipulation
has been honourably observed. I am having the book, which is
naturally valuable, carefully packed, and shall have it forwarded to
Sir Edward Bingham Trent, Baronet (which he now is--Heaven save the
mark!), the Attorney. Please see that he returns it to me, and in
proper order. He is not to publish for himself anything in it about
him. A man of that class is apt to advertise the fact of anyone of
distinction taking any notice of him. I would bring out the MS. to
you myself, and stay for a while with you for some sport, only your
lot--subjects I suppose you call them!--are such bounders that a
gentleman's life is hardly safe amongst them. I never met anyone who
had so poor an appreciation of a joke as they have. By the way, how
is Teuta? She is one of them. I heard all about the hatching
business. I hope the kid is all right. This is only a word in your
ear, so don't get cocky, old son. I am open to a godfathership.
Think of that, Hedda! Of course, if the other godfather and the
godmother are up to the mark; I don't want to have to boost up the
whole lot! Savvy? Kiss Teuta and the kid for me. I must have the
boy over here for a bit later on--when he is presentable, and has
learned not to be a nuisance. It will be good for him to see
something of a real first-class English country house like Humcroft.
To a person only accustomed to rough ways and meagre living its
luxury will make a memory which will serve in time as an example to
be aimed at. I shall write again soon. Don't hesitate to ask any
favour which I may be able to confer on you. So long!
Your affectionate cousin,
ERNEST ROGER HALBARD MELTON.
Extract from Letter from E. Bingham Trent to Queen Teuta of the Blue
Mountains.
. . . So I thought the best way to serve that appalling cad would be
to take him at his word, and put in his literary contribution in
full. I have had made and attested a copy of his "Record," as he
calls it, so as to save you trouble. But I send the book itself,
because I am afraid that unless you see his words in his own writing,
you will not believe that he or anyone else ever penned seriously a
document so incriminating. I am sure he must have forgotten what he
had written, for even such a dull dog as he is could never have made
public such a thing knowingly.
Such a nature has its revenges on itself. In this case the officers
of revenge are his ipsissima verba.
RUPERT'S JOURNAL--Continued.
February 1, 1909.
All is now well in train. When the Czar of Russia, on being asked by
the Sclavs (as was meet) to be the referee in the "Balkan
Settlement," declined on the ground that he was himself by inference
an interested party, it was unanimously agreed by the Balkan rulers
that the Western King should be asked to arbitrate, as all concerned
had perfect confidence in his wisdom, as well as his justice. To
their wish he graciously assented. The matter has now been for more
than six months in his hands, and he has taken endless trouble to
obtain full information. He has now informed us through his
Chancellor that his decision is almost ready, and will be
communicated as soon as possible.
We have another hunting-party at Vissarion next week. Teuta is
looking forward to it with extraordinary interest. She hopes then to
present to our brothers of the Balkans our little son, and she is
eager to know if they endorse her mother-approval of him.
RUPERT'S JOURNAL--Continued.
April 15, 1909.
The arbitrator's decision has been communicated to us through the
Chancellor of the Western King, who brought it to us himself as a
special act of friendliness. It met with the enthusiastic approval
of all. The Premier remained with us during the progress of the
hunting-party, which was one of the most joyous occasions ever known.
We are all of good heart, for the future of the Balkan races is now
assured. The strife--internal and external--of a thousand years has
ceased, and we look with hope for a long and happy time. The
Chancellor brought messages of grace and courtliness and friendliness
to all. And when I, as spokesman of the party, asked him if we might
convey a request of His Majesty that he would honour us by attending
the ceremony of making known formally the Balkan Settlement, he
answered that the King had authorized him to say that he would, if
such were wished by us, gladly come; and that if he should come, he
would attend with a fleet as an escort. The Chancellor also told me
from himself that it might be possible to have other nationalities
represented on such a great occasion by Ambassadors and even fleets,
though the monarchs themselves might not be able to attend. He
hinted that it might be well if I put the matter in train. (He
evidently took it for granted that, though I was only one of several,
the matter rested with me--possibly he chose me as the one to whom to
make the confidence, as I was born a stranger.) As we talked it
over, he grew more enthusiastic, and finally said that, as the King
was taking the lead, doubtless all the nations of the earth friendly
to him would like to take a part in the ceremony. So it is likely to
turn out practically an international ceremony of a unique kind.
Teuta will love it, and we shall all do what we can.
JANET MACKELPIE'S NOTES.
June 1, 1909.
Our dear Teuta is full of the forthcoming celebration of the Balkan
Federation, which is to take place this day month, although I must
say, for myself, that the ceremony is attaining to such dimensions
that I am beginning to have a sort of vague fear of some kind. It
almost seems uncanny. Rupert is working unceasingly--has been for
some time. For weeks past he seems to have been out day and night on
his aeroplane, going through and round over the country arranging
matters, and seeing for himself that what has been arranged is being
done. Uncle Colin is always about, too, and so is Admiral Rooke.
But now Teuta is beginning to go with Rupert. That girl is simply
fearless--just like Rupert. And they both seem anxious that little
Rupert shall be the same. Indeed, he is the same. A few mornings
ago Rupert and Teuta were about to start just after dawn from the top
of the Castle. Little Rupert was there--he is always awake early and
as bright as a bee. I was holding him in my arms, and when his
mother leant over to kiss him good-bye, he held out his arms to her
in a way that said as plainly as if he had spoken, "Take me with
you."
She looked appealingly at Rupert, who nodded, and said: "All right.
Take him, darling. He will have to learn some day, and the sooner
the better." The baby, looking eagerly from one to the other with
the same questioning in his eyes as there is sometimes in the eyes of
a kitten or a puppy--but, of course, with an eager soul behind it--
saw that he was going, and almost leaped into his mother's arms. I
think she had expected him to come, for she took a little leather
dress from Margareta, his nurse, and, flushing with pride, began to
wrap him in it. When Teuta, holding him in her arms, stepped on the
aeroplane, and took her place in the centre behind Rupert, the young
men of the Crown Prince's Guard raised a cheer, amid which Rupert
pulled the levers, and they glided off into the dawn.
The Crown Prince's Guard was established by the mountaineers
themselves the day of his birth. Ten of the biggest and most
powerful and cleverest young men of the nation were chosen, and were
sworn in with a very impressive ceremony to guard the young Prince.
They were to so arrange and order themselves and matters generally
that two at least of them should always have him, or the place in
which he was, within their sight. They all vowed that the last of
their lives should go before harm came to him. Of course, Teuta
understood, and so did Rupert. And these young men are the persons
most privileged in the whole Castle. They are dear boys, every one
of them, and we are all fond of them and respect them. They simply
idolize the baby.
Ever since that morning little Rupert has, unless it is at a time
appointed for his sleeping, gone in his mother's arms. I think in
any other place there would be some State remonstrance at the whole
royal family being at once and together in a dangerous position, but
in the Blue Mountains danger and fear are not thought of--indeed,
they can hardly be in their terminology. And I really think the
child enjoys it even more than his parents. He is just like a little
bird that has found the use of his wings. Bless him!
I find that even I have to study Court ritual a little. So many
nationalities are to be represented at the ceremony of the "Balkan
Settlement," and so many Kings and Princes and notabilities of all
kinds are coming, that we must all take care not to make any
mistakes. The Press alone would drive anyone silly. Rupert and
Teuta come and sit with me sometimes in the evening when we are all
too tired to work, and they rest themselves by talking matters over.
Rupert says that there will be over five hundred reporters, and that
the applications for permission are coming in so fast that there may
be a thousand when the day comes. Last night he stopped in the
middle of speaking of it, and said:
"I have an inspiration! Fancy a thousand journalists,--each wanting
to get ahead of the rest, and all willing to invoke the Powers of
Evil for exclusive information! The only man to look after this
department is Rooke. He knows how to deal with men, and as we have
already a large staff to look after the journalistic guests, he can
be at the head, and appoint his own deputies to act for him.
Somewhere and sometime the keeping the peace will be a matter of
nerve and resolution, and Rooke is the man for the job."
We were all concerned about one thing, naturally important in the
eyes of a woman: What robes was Teuta to wear? In the old days,
when there were Kings and Queens, they doubtless wore something
gorgeous or impressive; but whatever it was that they wore has gone
to dust centuries ago, and there were no illustrated papers in those
primitive days. Teuta was talking to me eagerly, with her dear
beautiful brows all wrinkled, when Rupert who was reading a bulky
document of some kind, looked up and said:
"Of course, darling, you will wear your Shroud?"
"Capital!" she said, clapping her hands like a joyous child. "The
very thing, and our people will like it."
I own that for a moment I was dismayed. It was a horrible test of a
woman's love and devotion. At a time when she was entertaining Kings
and notabilities in her own house--and be sure they would all be
decked in their finery--to have to appear in such a garment! A plain
thing with nothing even pretty, let alone gorgeous, about it! I
expressed my views to Rupert, for I feared that Teuta might be
disappointed, though she might not care to say so; but before he
could say a word Teuta answered:
"Oh, thank you so much, dear! I should love that above everything,
but I did not like to suggest it, lest you should think me arrogant
or presuming; for, indeed, Rupert, I am very proud of it, and of the
way our people look on it."
"Why not?" said Rupert, in his direct way. "It is a thing for us all
to be proud of; the nation has already adopted it as a national
emblem--our emblem of courage and devotion and patriotism, which will
always, I hope, be treasured beyond price by the men and women of our
Dynasty, the Nation, that is--of the Nation that is to be."
Later on in the evening we had a strange endorsement of the national
will. A "People's Deputation" of mountaineers, without any official
notice or introduction, arrived at the Castle late in the evening in
the manner established by Rupert's "Proclamation of Freedom," wherein
all citizens were entitled to send a deputation to the King, at will
and in private, on any subject of State importance. This deputation
was composed of seventeen men, one selected from each political
section, so that the body as a whole represented the entire nation.
They were of all sorts of social rank and all degrees of fortune, but
they were mainly "of the people." They spoke hesitatingly--possibly
because Teuta, or even because I, was present--but with a manifest
earnestness. They made but one request--that the Queen should, on
the great occasion of the Balkan Federation, wear as robes of State
the Shroud that they loved to see her in. The spokesman, addressing
the Queen, said in tones of rugged eloquence:
"This is a matter, Your Majesty, that the women naturally have a say
in, so we have, of course, consulted them. They have discussed the
matter by themselves, and then with us, and they are agreed without a
flaw that it will be good for the Nation and for Womankind that you
do this thing. You have shown to them, and to the world at large,
what women should do, what they can do, and they want to make, in
memory of your great act, the Shroud a garment of pride and honour
for women who have deserved well of their country. In the future it
can be a garment to be worn only by privileged women who have earned
the right. But they hope, and we hope with them, that on this
occasion of our Nation taking the lead before the eyes of the world,
all our women may wear it on that day as a means of showing overtly
their willingness to do their duty, even to the death. And so"--here
he turned to the King--"Rupert, we trust that Her Majesty Queen Teuta
will understand that in doing as the women of the Blue Mountains
wish, she will bind afresh to the Queen the loyal devotion which she
won from them as Voivodin. Henceforth and for all time the Shroud
shall be a dress of honour in our Land."
Teuta looked all ablaze with love and pride and devotion. Stars in
her eyes shone like white fire as she assured them of the granting of
their request. She finished her little speech:
"I feared that if I carried out my own wish, it might look arrogant,
but Rupert has expressed the same wish, and now I feel that I am free
to wear that dress which brought me to you and to Rupert"--here she
beamed on him, and took his hand--"fortified as I am by your wishes
and the command of my lord the King."
Rupert took her in his arms and kissed her fondly before them all,
saying:
"Tell your wives, my brothers, and the rest of the Blue Mountain
women, that that is the answer of the husband who loves and honours
his wife. All the world shall see at the ceremony of the Federation
of Balka that we men love and honour the women who are loyal and can
die for duty. And, men of the Blue Mountains, some day before long
we shall organize that great idea, and make it a permanent thing--
that the Order of the Shroud is the highest guerdon that a noble-
hearted woman can wear."
Teuta disappeared for a few moments, and came back with the Crown
Prince in her arms. Everyone present asked to be allowed to kiss
him, which they did kneeling.
THE FEDERATION BALKA.
By the Correspondents of "Free America."
The Editors of Free America have thought it well to put in
consecutive order the reports and descriptions of their Special
Correspondents, of whom there were present no less than eight. Not a
word they wrote is omitted, but the various parts of their reports
are placed in different order, so that, whilst nothing which any of
them recorded is left out, the reader may be able to follow the
proceedings from the various points of view of the writers who had
the most favourable opportunity of moment. In so large an assemblage
of journalists--there were present over a thousand--they could not
all be present in one place; so our men, in consultation amongst
themselves, arranged to scatter, so as to cover the whole proceeding
from the various "coigns of vantage," using their skill and
experience in selecting these points. One was situated on the summit
of the steel-clad tower in the entrance to the Blue Mouth; another on
the "Press-boat," which was moored alongside King Rupert's armoured
yacht, The Lady, whereon were gathered the various Kings and rulers
of the Balkan States, all of whom were in the Federation; another was
in a swift torpedo-boat, with a roving commission to cruise round the
harbour as desired; another took his place on the top of the great
mountain which overlooks Plazac, and so had a bird's-eye view of the
whole scene of operations; two others were on the forts to right and
left of the Blue Mouth; another was posted at the entrance to the
Great Tunnel which runs from the water level right up through the
mountains to the plateau, where the mines and factories are situate;
another had the privilege of a place on an aeroplane, which went
everywhere and saw everything. This aeroplane was driven by an old
Special Correspondent of Free America, who had been a chum of our
Special in the Japanese and Russian War, and who has taken service on
the Blue Mountain Official Gazette.
PLAZAC,
June 30, 1909.
Two days before the time appointed for the ceremony the guests of the
Land of the Blue Mountains began to arrive. The earlier comers were
mostly the journalists who had come from almost over the whole
inhabited world. King Rupert, who does things well, had made a camp
for their exclusive use. There was a separate tent for each--of
course, a small one, as there were over a thousand journalists--but
there were big tents for general use scattered about--refectories,
reading and writing rooms, a library, idle rooms for rest, etc. In
the rooms for reading and writing, which were the work-rooms for
general use, were newspapers, the latest attainable from all over the
world, Blue-Books, guides, directories, and all such aids to work as
forethought could arrange. There was for this special service a body
of some hundreds of capable servants in special dress and bearing
identification numbers--in fact, King Rupert "did us fine," to use a
slang phrase of pregnant meaning.
