"Is the King dead then?"
"Nay; but three days ago His Majesty's doctors officially informed the Cabinet that he has become insane."
CHAPTER XXI
IN BAULK
"I H A VE , of course, known this for some time," Pitt went on sadly. "All through the summer His Majesty's health was in a low state, and a stay at Cheltenham did nothing to improve it. On his return to Windsor he was compelled to give up those long walks and rides which have always proved so exhausting to his suite, but which were such a feature of his life. In fits and starts he still attempts them; I think in an effort to escape his own thoughts, for the poor man is fully aware that he has become subject to fits of mental derangement. But they serve only to make his malady worse; on his return from these excursions he talks at an incredible speed and often with complete inconsequence. He is behaving very bravely about it. As late as last night he insisted on appearing at a levee at St. James's Palace, as he wrote me himself 'to stop further lies, and any fall in the stocks,' but his condition was pitiable, and 'twas plain to us all that we were in the presence of a madman."
"What you tell me, Sir, is truly terrible," Roger murmured. "Do His Majesty's physicians offer any explanation as to the cause of the disease?"
"None. 'Tis not hereditary in the family, or caused by any particular mental shock. But some of us who know him most intimately have formed the opinion that his brain has become overwrought from brooding on the conduct of his sons. The King has ever been a plam-living man with a particular horror of gambling and debauchery. It may well be that the scandalous excesses of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York have upset the balance of their father's mind."
Roger sighed. "And should His Majesty not recover, I take it there is no escaping the Prince becoming our ruler. In such a case God help us all."
"Now that the Cabinet has been officially informed that the King is mad, we have no alternative but to consider some form of Regency. Whatever limits Parliament may see fit to impose upon the Regent's powers 'twould hardly be feasible for them to deny him the right to choose his own Ministers. It follows therefore that the present government will swiftly be replaced by the Prince's friends."
"With Mr. Fox as Prime Minister," added Roger bitterly.
Pitt laughed, not unkindly. "Mayhap; but it looks as if the unlucky star that has ever dogged poor Charles in his hopes of the Premiership is still in the ascendent. He is at present touring Italy with Mrs. Armistead, and by the time he is returned all may have been settled. Sheridan has stepped into his place as the Prince's chief confidant, and now heads the cabal which would so joyfully hound me from office."
"Oh,.God, Sir! Can naught be done?" exclaimed Roger.
"Nay, nothing. Events must take their course. But you see how impossible it is, now that my enemies know me to hold no longer anything but the shadow of power, for me to commit Britain to a war. Tell me now briefly such other news as you may have, for I can give little time to anything except the present emergency."
Roger bad taken the letter he had stolen from Alexis Orlof from the buckram lining of his coat-collar that morning, and he now produced it.
"I brought this out of Russia, Sir. Its meaning may at first appear, obscure to you; but 'tis the written proof that the Czarina Catherine gave orders for the murder of her husband and, as such, I imagine it to be a document of considerable value."
The Prime Minister read it through, and asked curiously: "How did you come by this?"
"If you are pressed for time, Sir, 'tis too long a story to tell now; as would also be my impressions of the Russian Court, and my dealings with King Gustavus and Mr. Elliot."
"Then I will appoint a more suitable occasion," Pitt agreed. "As to this letter, pray do not think that I wish to belittle the risks you may have been put to in obtaining it. But I fear that it is more a thing of historic interest than political value. Its publication would be taken by the Empress as a deliberate attempt on our part to alienate the affection of her subjects. So we should never publish it unless our intention was to provoke a quarrel with Russia, and such a contingency is remote. May I take it that when I can find the leisure to hear a full account of your travels, a message to my Lord Amesbury's will reach you?"
Roger stood up. "Yes, Sir. Lord Edward Fitz-Deverel most kindly affords me hospitality in his father's house when I am in London."
Having taken leave of the Prime Minister, Roger walked across the park to Arlington Street. He was greatly disturbed by what he had been told of the King's madness, both on account of the disastrous effect it must have on the nation and on his own affairs. It was good news that Hugh Elliot had succeeded in prolonging the armistice between the Danes and the Swedes for a further period of a month, but what was to happen at the end of that time if no fleet was sent and Mr. Pitt were out of office? Moreover, he had counted on a squadron being despatched at once in answer to Mr. Elliot's appeal, and had intended to sail with it himself to rejoin Natalia Andreovna. It was now five weeks since he had left her and, in spite of his letters, he feared that she must be thinking very badly of him.
At Amesbury House he found Droopy Ned just going to bed. It transpired that the eccentric young nobleman had been up all night owing to an experiment with one of his eastern drugs, which had made his mind so active that he had found it impossible to sleep; but the effects were now wearing off so he had intended to sleep through the day.
Having greeted Roger with delight he changed his intention, took another dose of the drug to keep himself awake, and ordered breakfast for them both.
From Droopy, Roger had no secrets, so over the meal he gave him an account of his adventures, including a perfectly frank statement as to how he had come to marry Natalia, and his present relations with her.
When the story was done, Droopy looked considerably perturbed. "Egad, my poor Roger," he exclaimed. "You have got yourself into a pretty pickle, to have taken such a vixen for a wife. Were I in your shoes I must confess I'd be much tempted to leave her where she is."
"How can I?" Roger shrugged." 'Twas at my behest that she accompanied me out of Russia, and she dare not return there. In her strange way, I have not a doubt that she loves me; so I would think myself despicable did I abandon her for good."
"You are fixed in your determination to bring her to England, then?"
"Aye. I see naught else for it. She is a handsome baggage and of a pretty wit, so her appearance in society will make quite a stir and plenty of men will envy me. Do I but treat her fairly she may make me no worse a wife than one I might have taken to the altar out of a sudden passion, or married to please my parents."
"I scarce imagine this Russian Madame will do the last; and did your lady-mother know the truth of how you came to marry I vow she would be monstrous upset."
"You are right there, Droopy. But I have no intention of disclosing aught of this to her. Hugh Elliot I told because he was intimately concerned With my Russian mission; yourself because I count you my closest friend, and if things go ill between Natalia and myself I'll need someone to whom I can ease my mind. But to allow anyone else to suppose that I do not love her would place her in a false position; and I have vowed that I will make her happy if I can."
"Do your parents yet know the bare fact of your marriage?"
"Nay. I have been so fully occupied these two months past, that I have not writ them a single line since I left Petersburg to go into Finland. I dread having to tell them, too; for I fear they will be much distressed at my having married without their knowledge, and it will be hard to explain why I did not at least write to tell them of my intention. It would be far easier if I had Natalia with me, as I could then break the news in a letter from London asking their permission to take her down and present her to them. They are too generous not to receive her kindly, and by the time we arrived maybe the excitement of meeting her would cause them to forget my inconsiderate behaviour. As things are I have no excuse to write, so must hie me to Lymington, administer this shock, and be prepared to spend some miserable days in an atmosphere of restrained displeasure."