But I do not feel sleepy; I despair of sleep to-night. But work demandsthat I be fit for whatever may come, and so I shall try to sleep--torest, at any rate.
RUPERT'S JOURNAL.--_Continued_.
_July_ 4, 1907.
I was up with the first ray of sunrise, so by the time I had my bath andwas dressed there was ample light. I went down to the dock at once, andspent the morning looking over the vessel, which fully justifies Rooke'senthusiasm about her. She is built on lovely lines, and I can quiteunderstand that she is enormously fast. Her armour I can only take onthe specifications, but her armament is really wonderful. And there arenot only all the very newest devices of aggressive warfare--indeed, shehas the newest up-to-date torpedoes and torpedo-guns--but also theold-fashioned rocket-tubes, which in certain occasions are so useful.She has electric guns and the latest Massillon water-guns, and Reinhardtelectro-pneumatic "deliverers" for pyroxiline shells. She is evenequipped with war-balloons easy of expansion, and with compressibleKitson aeroplanes. I don't suppose that there is anything quite like herin the world.
The crew are worthy of her. I can't imagine where Rooke picked up such asplendid lot of men. They are nearly all man-of-warsmen; of variousnationalities, but mostly British. All young men--the oldest of themhasn't got into the forties--and, so far as I can learn, all experts ofone kind or another in some special subject of warfare. It will go hardwith me, but I shall keep them together.
How I got through the rest of the day I know not. I tried hard not tocreate any domestic trouble by my manner, lest Aunt Janet should, afterher lurid dream or vision of last night, attach some new importance toit. I think I succeeded, for she did not, so far as I could tell, takeany special notice of me. We parted as usual at half-past ten, and Icame here and made this entry in my journal. I am more restless thanever to-night, and no wonder. I would give anything to be able to pay avisit to St. Sava's, and see my wife again--if it were only sleeping inher tomb. But I dare not do even that, lest she should come to see mehere, and I should miss her. So I have done what I can. The glass doorto the Terrace is open, so that she can enter at once if she comes. Thefire is lit, and the room is warm. There is food ready in case sheshould care for it. I have plenty of light in the room, so that throughthe aperture where I have not fully drawn the curtain there may be lightto guide her.
Oh, how the time drags! The clock has struck midnight. One, two! Thankgoodness, it will shortly be dawn, and the activity of the day may begin!Work may again prove, in a way, to be an anodyne. In the meantime I mustwrite on, lest despair overwhelm me.
Once during the night I thought I heard a footstep outside. I rushed tothe window and looked out, but there was nothing to see, no sound tohear. That was a little after one o'clock. I feared to go outside, lestthat should alarm her; so I came back to my table. I could not write,but I sat as if writing for a while. But I could not stand it, so roseand walked about the room. As I walked I felt that my Lady--it gives mea pang every time I remember that I do not know even her name--was notquite so far away from me. It made my heart beat to think that it mightmean that she was coming to me. Could not I as well as Aunt Janet have alittle Second Sight! I went towards the window, and, standing behind thecurtain, listened. Far away I thought I heard a cry, and ran out on theTerrace; but there was no sound to be heard, and no sign of any livingthing anywhere; so I took it for granted that it was the cry of somenight bird, and came back to my room, and wrote at my journal till I wascalm. I think my nerves must be getting out of order, when every soundof the night seems to have a special meaning for me.
RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_.
_July_ 7, 1907
When the grey of the morning came, I gave up hope of my wife appearing,and made up my mind that, so soon as I could get away without excitingAunt Janet's attention, I would go to St. Sava's. I always eat a goodbreakfast, and did I forgo it altogether, it would be sure to excite hercuriosity--a thing I do not wish at present. As there was still time towait, I lay down on my bed as I was, and--such is the way ofFate--shortly fell asleep.
I was awakened by a terrific clattering at my door. When I opened it Ifound a little group of servants, very apologetic at awaking me withoutinstructions. The chief of them explained that a young priest had comefrom the Vladika with a message so urgent that he insisted on seeing meimmediately at all hazards. I came out at once, and found him in thehall of the Castle, standing before the great fire, which was always litin the early morning. He had a letter in his hand, but before giving itto me he said:
"I am sent by the Vladika, who pressed on me that I was not to lose asingle instant in seeing you; that time is of golden price--nay, beyondprice. This letter, amongst other things, vouches for me. A terriblemisfortune has occurred. The daughter of our leader has disappearedduring last night--the same, he commanded me to remind you, that he spokeof at the meeting when he would not let the mountaineers fire their guns.No sign of her can be found, and it is believed that she has been carriedoff by the emissaries of the Sultan of Turkey, who once before broughtour nations to the verge of war by demanding her as a wife. I was alsoto say that the Vladika Plamenac would have come himself, but that it wasnecessary that he should at once consult with the Archbishop, StevanPalealogue, as to what step is best to take in this dire calamity. Hehas sent out a search-party under the Archimandrite of Spazac, PetrofVlastimir, who is to come on here with any news he can get, as you havecommand of the signalling, and can best spread the news. He knows thatyou, Gospodar, are in your great heart one of our compatriots, and thatyou have already proved your friendship by many efforts to strengthen ourhands for war. And as a great compatriot, he calls on you to aid us inour need." He then handed me the letter, and stood by respectfullywhilst I broke the seal and read it. It was written in great haste, andsigned by the Vladika.
"Come with us now in our nation's peril. Help us to rescue what we mostadore, and henceforth we shall hold you in our hearts. You shall learnhow the men of the Blue Mountains can love faith and valour. Come!"
This was a task indeed--a duty worthy of any man. It thrilled me to thecore to know that the men of the Blue Mountains had called on me in theirdire need. It woke all the fighting instinct of my Viking forbears, andI vowed in my heart that they should be satisfied with my work. I calledto me the corps of signallers who were in the house, and led them to theCastle roof, taking with me the young messenger-priest.
"Come with me," I said to him, "and see how I answer the Vladika'scommand."
The National flag was run up--the established signal that the nation wasin need. Instantly on every summit near and far was seen the flutter ofan answering flag. Quickly followed the signal that commanded the callto arms.
One by one I gave the signallers orders in quick succession, for the planof search unfolded itself to me as I went on. The arms of the semaphorewhirled in a way that made the young priest stare. One by one, as theytook their orders, the signallers seemed to catch fire. Instinctivelythey understood the plan, and worked like demigods. They knew that sowidespread a movement had its best chance in rapidity and in unity ofaction.
From the forest which lay in sight of the Castle came a wild cheering,which seemed to interpret the former stillness of the hills. It was goodto feel that those who saw the signals--types of many--were ready. I sawthe look of expectation on the face of the messenger-priest, and rejoicedat the glow that came as I turned to him to speak. Of course, he wantedto know something of what was going on. I saw the flashing of my owneyes reflected in his as I spoke:
"Tell the Vladika that within a minute of his message being read the Landof the Blue Mountains was awake. The mountaineers are already marching,and before the sun is high there will be a line of guards within hail ofeach other round the whole frontier--from Angusa to Ilsin; from Ilsin toBajana; from Bajana to Ispazar; from Ispazar to Volok; from Volok toTatra; from Tatra to Domitan; from Domitan to Gravaja; and from Gravajaback to Angusa. The line is double. The old men keep guard on the line,and the young men advance. These will close in at the advancing line, sothat nothing can escape them. They will cover mountain-top and forestdepth, and will close in finally on the Castle here, which they canbehold from afar. My own yacht is here, and will sweep the coast fromend to end. It is the fastest boat afloat, and armed against a squadron.Here will all signals come. In an hour where we stand will be a signalbureau, where trained eyes will watch night and day till the lost one hasbeen found and the outrage has been avenged. The robbers are even nowwithin a ring of steel, and cannot escape."
The young priest, all on fire, sprang on the battlements and shouted tothe crowd, which was massing round the Castle in the gardens far below.The forest was giving up its units till they seemed like the nucleus ofan army. The men cheered lustily, till the sound swung high up to uslike the roaring of a winter sea. With bared heads they were crying:
"God and the Blue Mountains! God and the Blue Mountains!"
I ran down to them as quickly as I could, and began to issue theirinstructions. Within a time to be computed by minutes the whole number,organized by sections, had started to scour the neighbouring mountains.At first they had only understood the call to arms for general safety.But when they learned that the daughter of a chief had been captured,they simply went mad. From something which the messenger first said, butwhich I could not catch or did not understand, the blow seemed to havefor them some sort of personal significance which wrought them to afrenzy.
When the bulk of the men had disappeared, I took with me a few of my ownmen and several of the mountaineers whom I had asked to remain, andtogether we went to the hidden ravine which I knew. We found the placeempty; but there were unmistakable signs that a party of men had beenencamped there for several days. Some of our men, who were skilled inwoodcraft and in signs generally, agreed that there must have been sometwenty of them. As they could not find any trail either coming to orgoing from the place, they came to the conclusion that they must havecome separately from different directions and gathered there, and thatthey must have departed in something of the same mysterious way.
However, this was, at any rate, some sort of a beginning, and the menseparated, having agreed amongst themselves to make a wide cast round theplace in the search for tracks. Whoever should find a trail was tofollow with at least one comrade, and when there was any definite news,it was to be signalled to the Castle.
I myself returned at once, and set the signallers to work to spreadamongst our own people such news as we had.
When presently such discoveries as had been made were signalled withflags to the Castle, it was found that the marauders had, in theirflight, followed a strangely zigzag course. It was evident that, intrying to baffle pursuit, they had tried to avoid places which theythought might be dangerous to them. This may have been simply a methodto disconcert pursuit. If so, it was, in a measure, excellent, for noneof those immediately following could possibly tell in what direction theywere heading. It was only when we worked the course on the great map inthe signaller's room (which was the old guard room of the Castle) that wecould get an inkling of the general direction of their flight. This gaveadded trouble to the pursuit; for the men who followed, being ignorant oftheir general intent, could not ever take chance to head them off, buthad to be ready to follow in any or every direction. In this manner thepursuit was altogether a stern chase, and therefore bound to be a longone.
As at present we could not do anything till the intended route was moremarked, I left the s
ignalling corps to the task of receiving and givinginformation to the moving bands, so that, if occasion served, they mighthead off the marauders. I myself took Rooke, as captain of the yacht,and swept out of the creek. We ran up north to Dalairi, then down southto Olesso, and came back to Vissarion. We saw nothing suspicious except,far off to the extreme southward, one warship which flew no flag. Rooke,however, who seemed to know ships by instinct, said she was a Turk; so onour return we signalled along the whole shore to watch her. Rooke heldThe Lady--which was the name I had given the armoured yacht--in readinessto dart out in case anything suspicious was reported. He was not tostand on any ceremony, but if necessary to attack. We did not intend tolose a point in this desperate struggle which we had undertaken. We hadplaced in different likely spots a couple of our own men to look afterthe signalling.
When I got back I found that the route of the fugitives, who had nowjoined into one party, had been definitely ascertained. They had gonesouth, but manifestly taking alarm from the advancing line of guards, hadheaded up again to the north-east, where the country was broader and themountains wilder and less inhabited.