Chapter 18
"No. It was the wretched state our country is in that did it all."
"You always get the better of me in arguments," said Frank, "so I am not going to fight with you in that way. But I know I am right."
"And I know that I am right," cried Andrew.
"I shall not, as I said before, try to argue with you. We could never agree."
"No; it wants some one else to judge between us, and I'll tell you who's the man."
"I don't see how we can speak about our troubles."
"No need to," said Andrew. "He'll know all about it. Let's leave it to old Father Time. He proves all things. But, I say, Frank, don't be obstinate. There's a meeting of the friends the day after to-morrow.
You'll come with me if we can get away?"
"I shall do all I can to stop you from going!" cried Frank.
"By betraying me?"
"No; I can't do that. I promised to be your friend; and though it may be my duty, I couldn't do such a treacherous thing."
"As if I didn't know," said Andrew, laying his arm on the lad's shoulder. "Do you think I would have been so open if I had not been sure of you? There, you will come?"
"Never again."
"Never's a long time, Frank. Come."
"Once more, no!"
"To take care of me, and keep me from being too rash."
"I can't betray you and your friends," said Frank sadly; "but I can do all that is possible to save you from a great danger."
"And so can I you. I'm right."
"No; I am right."
"You think so now; but I know you will come round. In the meantime, thank you, Frank. I knew, I say, that you would be staunch; but I'll tell you this: a word now from you would mean the breaking up of that party in the city, and, unless I could warn them in time, the seizure and perhaps death of many friends, and amongst them of one whom I love.
I told him everything about you, and of our friends.h.i.+p, and it was he
"You mean Mr George Selby?"
"Yes, I mean Mr George Selby," said Andrew, with a peculiar smile and emphasis on his words. "It was a very risky thing for him to come here close to the Palace with so many spies about; but throwing biscuits to the ducks was throwing dust in the people's eyes as well."
"Yes. I felt that it was a trick," said Frank sadly.
"Obliged to stoop to tricks now, my lad. Well, he was delighted with you, and told me how glad he was for me to have such a friend. He says you must be of us, Frank, so that in the good times ahead you may be one of the friends of the rightful king. You'll like Mr George Selby."
"I hate him," said Frank warmly, "for leading you astray, and for trying to lead me in the same evil way."
"Tchut! Some one coming."
The "some one" proved to be the Prince with a train of gentlemen, nearly all of whom were Germans, and they pa.s.sed through the anteroom on their way out.
"See that tall, light-haired fellow?" said Andrew, as soon as they were alone again.
"The German baron?"
"Yes, the one in uniform."
"Yes. He's the Baron Steinberg, a colonel in the Hanoverian Guards."
"That's the man. He came over on Sat.u.r.day. Well, I hate him."
"Why? Because he's a German?"
"Pooh! I shouldn't hate a man because he was a foreigner. I hate him because he's an overbearing bully, who looks down on everything English.
He quite insulted me yesterday, and I nearly drew upon him. But I didn't."
"What did he do?"
"Put his hand upon my shoulder, and pushed me aside. 'Out of the way, b.o.o.by!' he said in German. A rude boor!"
"Oh, it was his rough way, perhaps. You mustn't take any notice of that."
"Mustn't I?" exclaimed Andrew. "We shall see. That isn't all. I hate him for another thing."
"You're a queer fellow, Drew. I think you divide the world into two sets--those you hate and those you love."
"And a good division too. But these German fellows want teaching a lesson, and somebody will be teaching it if they don't mend. Oh! I hate that fellow, and so ought you to."
"Why? Because he is a German?"
"Not for that. I'll tell you. I didn't see you yesterday, or I'd have told you then. You were in the big reception-room?"
"When my father was on duty with his company of the Guards?"
"Yes, and your mother was in the Princess's train."
"Yes, and I didn't get one chance to speak to her."
"Well, that fellow did; he spoke to her twice, and I saw him staring at her insolently nearly all the time the Princess and her ladies were there."
"Well?"
"That is all," said Andrew shortly. "They'll be at her drawing-room this afternoon, and if I were you I should go and stop near Lady Gowan as much as I could."
"I should like to," said Frank, looking at his friend wonderingly; "but of course I can't go where I like."