A Cabinet Secret : Chapter 3

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter three of A Cabinet Secret by Guy boothby this
LibriVox recording is in the public domain reading by Matt Perard,
Chapter three. During the week which followed my return to London,
events followed thick and fast upon each other. The now

(00:22):
famous ultimatum issued by the enemy, though surprising enough at
the time, was not altogether unexpected. Its presumptuous tone, however,
was the cause of general comment. As a matter of fact,
it was not until it became known that the enemy,
instead of waiting to be attacked on their own territory,
had invaded that of Her Majesty the Queen that the

(00:46):
first feeling of amazement changed to one of anger. And
if the truth must be told to one of no
little anxiety. Our force at the front was well known
to be inadequate, and as we had the best of
reasons for being aware, a considerable time would have to
elapse before it would be possible for it to be supplemented.

(01:08):
In my new capacity as a member of the Cabinet,
my knowledge of the country in which we were about
to fight stood me in good stead. Consequently, I was
kept busily employed after my return to England. The situation
as I have already said was one of considerable anxiety.
But as soon as it was announced that the popular

(01:28):
soldier Sir William Waller had been selected to proceed to
the South in order to take up the chief command,
the public fears were in a great measure allayed. With
perhaps but three exceptions, no more popular choice could have
been made. And I do not think I am breaking
faith with my colleagues when I say that we were

(01:50):
all agreed upon this point. The decision was arrived at
on Wednesday afternoon, and orders were issued that the general
in question should sail from south Hampton on the following Saturday.
On the Friday morning, he was to be present at
an important council at the War Office. In the afternoon,

(02:11):
he was to be received in audience at Windsor, and
at eleven o'clock on Saturday morning he was due to
leave Waterloo for Southampton Docks. Now Waller and I had
been friends for many years, and immediately his appointment was
made known, I hastened to write him a letter of congratulation.

(02:32):
In it I said that if he should have sufficient
time at its disposal to allow me a chance of
seeing him before he left London, I should like to
shake him by the hand and wish him God's speed.
He replied to the effect that he would be dining
with the Commander in Chief on Friday evening and informed
me that I was to be one of the party.

(02:53):
In confirmation of this, the next post brought me an invitation,
which I hastened to accept In due course. Friday evening
arrived and the appointed hour found me at the Commander
in Chief's residence in Bruton Street. I had already been
informed that it was to be quite a small and
friendly affair. As a matter of fact, the guest of

(03:15):
the evening, myself and two other friends constituted the party.
I was the first to arrive, Sir George Brandon followed me.
Berkeley Borough's came next, and as soon as he had
put in an appearance, we only required Waller to make
the number complete. He was late. However, eight o'clock struck

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and still there was no sign of him. Our host,
in apologizing for the delay, reminded us that owing to
the multitudinous claims upon Sir William's time, it might be
impossible for him to avoid being just a little late. When, however,
the clock upon the mantelpiece stood at half past eight,

(03:58):
we began to look at each other and to wonder
what could have become of him. At last, the Commander
in Chief was unable to bear the suspense any longer.
If you will excuse me, he said, I will telephone
to his house and find out at what time he
left there. Waller is such a punctual man that this

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delay is, to say the least of it, extraordinary. He
left the room, and during his absence we kept up
that desultory kind of conversation with which one endeavors to
cover the uneasiness caused by the non arrival of an
anticipated guest. A few moments later, the Commander in Chief returned,

(04:41):
with a puzzled expression upon his face. It becomes more
inexplicable every minute, said he. From what I can gather,
Waller has not been seen at his home since he
left it for Windsor. It is really most singular, and
I am at a loss to know what construction to
put upon it. However, if you have no objection, we

(05:04):
will give him another quarter of an hour's grace, and
if he is not here, then go in to dinner.
We waited the allotted time with wet patience we could command,
and when it had expired, left the drawing room and
proceeded to the dining room, where we sat down to
the long delayed meal. I cannot pretend for a moment

(05:25):
that the meal was a success. The non appearance of
our old friend, the man who on the morrow was
to leave England on one of the most important errands
she had ever entrusted to a son, sat like a
wet blanket upon us. If at the last moment he
had been prevented from coming, how was it that he

(05:46):
had not sent a note of apology and explanation to
his host. Had he met with an accident or been
taken suddenly ill, he would at least have given instructions
that a telegram should be sent. Waller, as we were
well aware, was the pink of politeness. He was also
a strict disciplinarian, not only of others but also of himself.

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That he would therefore have traded with discourtesy a man who,
besides being his senior officer, was also his old friend,
was the most unlikely thing in the world. There were
special reasons that prevented us discussing the matter in all
its bearings. Just then, but that we were all equally
disquieted by his absence. Was quite certain. I was the

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first to leave the house, and I can remember that
it was exactly a quarter past eleven when the front
door closed behind me. Up to that moment, no word
of apology, excuse, or explanation had been received from the
missing man. It's just possible that I may find a
message from him awaiting me when I reach home, I

(06:55):
said to myself, as I took my place in my
brown I destined to be disappointed. However, there were several
letters and two telegrams lying upon my table, but not
one of any sort from Waller. Are you quite sure
that no messenger has called from Sir William Waller? I

(07:16):
asked Williams when he came to my dressing room a
quarter of an hour later. No, Sir, I am quite
sure of that, he replied, Had any one called, I
should have been informed of it. With that assurance, I
was perforce compelled to be content. I can give you
my word, however, that I was by no means easy
in my mind concerning Sir William's silence. Next morning, when

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I was in the middle of my breakfast, a note
was handed me from the Commander in Chief. It ran
as follows, Dear Manderville, could you spare me ten minutes
as soon as possible? After your receipt of this, I
would call upon you myself, but for various reasons, which
I will explain to you when I see you, I
am unable to leave the house until I go down

(08:01):
to pall Mall. Here followed an assurance that the writer
was very truly mine his signature, and a PostScript to
the effect that the bearer would wait for an answer.
I scribbled a hasty reply, saying that I would come
round to Bruton Street at once, and as soon as
I had made my toilet, called a cab and set off.

(08:23):
On my arrival there, I was shown direct to the
Commander in Chief's study, where I found him awaiting my
coming with considerable impatience. It is very good of you
to come so promptly, he said, to tell you the truth,
I am very uneasy, and as we are both old
friends of the man, I thought I would consult you
in an ex official capacity before going to the Secretary

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of State for War. I am to gather from this
I suppose that up to the present you have not
heard anything of Waller, I answered with a little sinking
of the heart, for I made sure that morning would
dispel the mystery that enveloped his behavior. You have guessed correctly,
he said. I have caused the most careful inquiries to

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be made, and have learnt that he left Windsor by
the three twenty five train, reached Paddington at four twenty,
entered a cab there, and has not since been heard of. Unfortunately,
as nobody seems to have been aware of his identity,
the number of the cab was not taken, and so
far as we are able to ascertain, none of the

(09:30):
drivers in the station yard at the time appear to
be able to recollect whose vehicle it was that he employed.
If you reflect that it has been arranged that he
shall leave London for Southampton at eleven o'clock this morning,
and that an enormous crowd will be at the station
to see him off, it will at once become evident

(09:51):
to you that his non appearance will be far from
making a good impression upon the public mind. But what
has become of him? He can have vanished into space.
There are many other ways in which he might disappear,
said my companion, gloomily. Surely you don't suppose he has

(10:13):
been the victim of foul play. I put the question hesitatingly,
for I knew the thoughts that were in my own mind.
I scarcely know what to think. The other replied, I
can only confess that I am alarmed, seriously alarmed, by
his prolonged absence. Waller, as you know, is a man

(10:35):
who realizes to the full the responsibilities entailed by his
present position. Duty with him is more than duty. It
is a matter of life and death. He knows that
the eyes of England, of Europe, and I might even
say of the whole world, are upon him, and for
that reason alone, I feel sure he would not cause

(10:56):
so much anxiety of his own free will. In that case,
what do you intend doing, I inquired, for I could
well foresee the terrible trouble to which the situation would
give rise. It is now a quarter to ten, and
in little more than an hour he will be expected
at Waterloo. At the crowd don't see him, they will

(11:17):
begin to wonder, the man in the street will begin
to talk, the newspapers will take up the tale, and
in a few hours we shall have entered on a
new phase of the situation. The Commander in Chief rose
and began to pace the room. I have already sent
a special messenger with a letter to the Secretary of State,

(11:38):
he replied. In it, I have told him what I fear,
and also what I have done. I shall consult the
various heads of departments as soon as I reach palm Mall,
on the bare chance that one of them may be
able to elucidate the mystery. At the same time, I
should communicate with the railway authorities if I were you,

(12:00):
I continued, I should inform them that, owing to the
fact of his being detained by matters of the greatest importance,
it is possible that Waller may not be able to
travel by that particular train. That is a good idea,
the Commander in Chief replied, I will act upon it
at once. In the event of our receiving no news,

(12:23):
that should be sufficient to give us time to arrange
some other plan. It will mean delaying the vessel at Southampton, however,
and good gracious me, what a pile of difficulties it
will land us in. The Colonial Secretary must be informed,
and the matter must come before the cabinet. As you

(12:44):
said just now, If by any chance it should leak
out and the press get hold of it, there is
no telling where it will end. You have communicated with
Scotland Yard, of course, I sent a messenger to them
shortly after midnight, that is to say, as soon as
I had found out that Waller had left Windsor, and

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that he had not been to his club or to
his own house. Their best men are at work upon it,
but so far without any satisfactory result. And can his
own servants throw any light upon the matter? None whatever,
The Commander in chief replied. When he left for Windsor,
he informed them he should be back early in order

(13:26):
to dress for my dinner in the evening. They say
he appeared to be in the best of health and spirits,
and seemed greatly pleased with the arrangements made for his
journey to day. Lord Laverstock accompanied him from the castle
and was the last to speak to him at Windsor station.
From the conversation I have had with him by telephone,

(13:47):
I gathered that Waller was looking forward to his dinner
with us last night. The guard of the train corroborates
the fact that he traveled to Paddington for the reason
that the railway authorities expected him by the next train.
There was no crowd upon the platform to witness his arrival.
On alighting, he simply called a cab and drove away.

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After that he vanishes completely. There is no way, I suppose,
in which we can make further inquiries concerning him. There
is nothing, so far as I can see. We are
doing all that is possible, But our position in the
meantime is a most anxious and unpleasant one. Now I
shall hasten along to see the Secretary of State for

(14:34):
War and hear what he thinks of the situation. He
will doubtless consider it necessary to call an immediate meeting
of the Council when the situation can be discussed in
all its bearings. Let us hope that he may be
heard of before very long, I replied, so, saying I
left him and drove home again, feeling sadly upset by

(14:56):
the untoward turn events had taken. What could have become
a poor wooler had he been decoyed into some slum
and murdered. A hundred fears for his safety assailed me,
each one equally probable and equally cruel. When it reached
my house, I found that the letters had arrived and

(15:17):
were spread out upon my SETI table. Still thinking of Waller,
I opened the envelopes and scanned their contents. One was
larger than the others, and on opening it I found
that it contained a card upon which the following words
were printed. The Countess de Panezza at home on Wednesday,
November the twenty first, from nine until eleven o'clock. In

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the bottom left hand corner was the address Wiltshire House.
As I stood with a card in my hand, the
memory of my first meeting with the Countess came back
to me. So rapidly had events moved and late, that
it seemed as if a year had elapsed since I
had last seen her. I recalled the impression her dark,
haunting eyes had made upon me, and discourteous though it

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may be to say so, I must confess that a
shudder passed over me at the recollection. I placed the
card upon my mantelpiece, and for the time being thought
no more about it. There were other and more weighty
matters than an invitation from a pretty woman to be
considered that day. Every One who has followed the progress

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of the war, and there are few who have nought
will recall the wave of consternation and dismay that swept
over England when the news became known that Sir William Waller,
the newly appointed Commander in Chief of South Africa, had
disappeared and could not be found. A thousand roamors, all
of them equally sensational and all equally wide of the mark,

(16:51):
flew about the country. But despite the efforts of the police,
the gibes of the press, the scarcely veiled snares of
Little Incis, and the openly expressed contempt of our continental neighbors,
not a trace of the missing man could be discovered.
A meeting of the Cabinet was immediately summoned, with the

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result that General Gray Mortimer, a gallant gentleman and an
experienced soldier, was at once dispatched to the front in
temporary command. In the meantime, the wildest excitement prevailed in England.
Transports were leaving the various ports every day. The reservists
were called up, the militia and volunteers were being equipped

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and drilled if necessary for act of service. Plainly, the
heart of the country was stirred to the very center
of its being. Such was the public temper at the
time that few entertainments were given by society, such as
there were, and to which I was invited, I for
the most part declined. An exception was made, however, where

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the Countess di Vanazzo was concerned. The temptation to see
her play the part of a hostess was more than
I could resist, and for this reason ten o'clock on
the night set forth upon her card found me mounting
the magnificent staircase of Wilchier House. From the number of
arrivals and the crowding of the stairs, it was plain,

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despite the excitement of that period, that her at home
was likely to be a crowded one. Her beauty, her wealth,
the fact that she was, for the time being the
possessor of Wilchire House, her famous team of black orlops
behind which she drove in the park had combined to
make her one of the year's sensations. The grandeur of

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her entertainments had quickly become proverbial, and in consequence, to
admit that one had not the entree to Wilchure House
was to argue oneself unknown. Ascending the staircase by my side, cool, calm,
and collected, as if the ormous weight of responsibility he
was then caring were of no account. Was no less

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a person than the Colonial Secretary. When the history of
the century, and of this war in particular, shall come
to be written, the character of the Honorable Benjamin Castellan
will shine prominently out, the possessor of a serene imperturbability
that nothing could disturb, a keen observer, a born leader

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of men, and boasting that most necessary of all qualifications,
a firm belief in himself a better man for the
artuous post he occupied, could not have been discovered. I
was not aware that you knew the Countess, I said,
as we climbed these stairs together. Nor did I that
until a few days ago, he answered. May I ask

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where you made her acquaintance in Paris, I replied, we
stayed at the same hotel she and her father had
just portrayed from a yachting trip in the Mediterranean with
the Duke of Rotherhithe. Now, I am sorry to have
to confess it, but that little speech of mine was
destined to work an incalculable amount of harm. Castellan as

(20:13):
confessed to me, since that he was at first inclined
to be somewhat distrustful of the Countess. When I informed him, however,
that our hostess had been the guest of such a
well known personage as the Duke of Rotherhithe, she figured
in his eyes in a different light. With what result
you shall presently here on the broad landing at the

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head of the staircase, we were received by the Countess
a more beautiful figure than she presented at that moment.
It would have been difficult to find perfectly dressed, carrying
herself with a graceful assurance. As to the manner born,
she made an ideal hostess. If further evidence of her
wealth were wanting, it might have been found in the

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magnificent diamond tiara she wore upon her head, in the
broad colette of the same precious stones about her neck,
and in the beautiful bracelets that encircled her wrists. Only
once before could I recall such a display, And then
the wearer was an Emperor's escort. As you may remember,

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when I first saw in Paris, it had struck me
that her attire was just one little point behind the
prevailing mode. Now, however, it was as near perfection as
it was possible for human hands to make it, she
greeted Castelan. First, it is indeed kind of you, mister Castelan,
to come to me, when every moment of your time

(21:40):
is of such value, she said, as she shook hands
with him. I follow your doings with the greatest eagerness
and marvel that you should have the strength to accomplish
so much. Have you ever discovered that stress of work
promotes growth of power, said the Colonial secretary. Then, with
one of his inscris ruable smiles, he added, pardon me, Countess,

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I had forgotten for the moment that your power does
not depend upon your work. Ah, I fear you intend
to compliment, returned the lady with a smile. Must it
remain for a foreigner to remind you of your own builton?
What his strength without a double share of wisdom? Vast
and wildy burdensome, proudly secure, yet liable to fall by

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weakest subtleties, not made to rule, but to subserve where
wisdom bears command. It was not difficult to see that
the aptness of the quotation astonished the Colonial secretary. The
purity of the Countess's English was also surprised. To me,
but for certain unmistakable indications, it would not have been

(22:50):
thought that she was a foreigner. When Castelen had passed
on his way, she turned to me with a little gesture,
as if she were pleased to welcome an old friend. Ah,
Sir George, she said, I am so pleased to see you,
but I think I should give you a scold for
not having been before. I hastened to excuse myself on

(23:11):
the plea of overwork, and having obtained forgiveness, and promised
to amend my conduct in the future, I passed on
to shake hands with her father. When I had been
again thanked for my kindness in the matter of the
French train, I followed the Colonial secretary into the ball room.
I had not been there many minutes before. I was

(23:33):
greeted by a voice which I instantly recognized, saying, how
do you do, Sir George, And turning, I found myself
face to face with a handsome young Count Rifenberg, Madame's cousin.
And how do you like London, I inquired, after the
usual polite salutations had passed between us, I think I

(23:54):
understood you to say, on the occasion of our crossing
from Paris that this was your first visit. I like
it very much, he replied, but to be candid, not
so much as Paris. I trust that is not a
rude thing to say. In London, every one is entitled
to express his own opinion, I answered, somewhat coldly, for

(24:16):
I had taken an instinctive dislike to this young fellow.
You must remember that you are seeing England at her
worse just now. The times are too anxious for us
to be very gay. You refer to the war, I suppose,
he answered. Then he added with what I could not
help thinking was intended for a sneer. The war is

(24:37):
the sensation of the moment. It naturally would be, I replied,
though proverbially phlegmatic. We still have sufficient feeling left to
be patriotic, but perhaps your sympathies are with the other side.
One can scarcely help feeling some sympathy, my dear Conrad,

(24:57):
said The countess, who had come upon us, perceived I
really cannot let you talk politics in my ball room.
Go away and find your partner at once. Prove to
her that you have learned to vols in Vienna. She
tapped him playfully on the arm. With her fan. But
for my own part, I could not help thinking that

(25:17):
her words were not meant to be taken as lightly
as she had spoken them. At any rate, the young
man muttered something under his breath and left us. Conrad
is a foolish but a warm hearted boy, said the Countess,
looking after him. Because monsieurs le borers don't wear uniforms

(25:38):
and are not nice to look at, he calls them
patriots fighting for their country and honors them as such.
I fear there are many like him, I replied. I trust, however, Countess,
that we have the good fortune to possess your sympathy.
Could any one help sympathizing with the handsome British officers,

(25:59):
she answered, I have no doubt. At that moment, a
sudden buzz of excitement ran through the room, and she
stopped without completing her sentence. It began near the door
and quickly spread from group to group. Whatever the news was,
it caused a look of consternation to appear on every face.

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What can be the matter? Asked the Countess. I wonder
what they are all talking about. As she finished speaking,
the Colonial secretary came up to us. I hope that
you are not the bearer of evil tidings, said my
companion to him. At the same moment, I noticed that
her face was very white, and that there was a
frightened look in her eyes. We have just received terrible intelligence,

(26:45):
he replied. The steamer Sultan of Sedang, with Sir graym
Mortimer his staff, and the first Midlandshire regiment on board
has been blown up at Madeira, and only three men saved.
The was so terrible that for a moment I stood
as if tongue tied. And Gray Mortimer I asked, when

(27:09):
I could speak killed was the reply? Good? Heavens? How terrible?
I said? Are you quite sure it is true? How
did you hear the news? A message has just reached
me from the office, he replied, there can be no
doubt about it. Waller first, now, gram Mortimer, I said

(27:30):
to myself, what can it mean? I shall go to
the Admiralty and obtain full particulars. I will accompany you,
said the Colonial Secretary. Good Night, Countess, and many thanks
for your hospitality. I am sorry indeed that this news
should have reached us at such a time, and I too,
she answered. Then, turning to me, she continued, I hope

(27:54):
you will come and see me again, Sir George. As
she said it, she looked into my face with a
glance that would have set many hearts less susceptible than
mine beating with unusual vigor. The memory of that look
accompanied me down the stairs and remained with me for
some time after I was seated in the Colonial Secretary's brawn.

(28:17):
Then we set off to the Admiralty to learn the
details of the disaster. Alas as Castellan had said, it
proved only too true. The steamship Sultan of Sedan had
reached Maderra safely and had anchored in the bay. Nothing
of a suspicious nature occurred, nor was any boat seen

(28:38):
near the ship. After dark. Suddenly a terrific explosion was heard,
and the great vessel was blown to pieces, the only
men who escaped with their lives being a stoker, a
sergeant in the Midlandshire Regiment, and an officer's servant. At
the time of telegraphing, boats were out searching the bay,

(28:58):
while the most careful investigation as to the cause of
the disaster was proceeding on shore. The Colonial Secretary and
I left the Admiralty when we had heard all there
was to be told, and proceeded into the street once more.
The coachman had been ordered not to wait, as we
had decided to walk on home late as the hour

(29:20):
was the alarming intelligence had spread like wildfire through London,
and already a considerable crowd had collected in Whitehall. Fortunately,
Castelen and I were able to slip out unrecognized, and
then we set off in the direction of Trevauger Square.
The Colonial Secretary's residence, as all the world is aware,

(29:43):
is in Carlton House Terrace, at the corner of the
small thoroughfare that winds its way from Coxburst Street into
Carlton House Terrace. We stopped and stood for some moments,
conversing there together. Then we wished each other good night,
Castelean going down on the narrow street of which I
have spoken. While I proceeded along pall Mall and Piccadilly

(30:05):
in the direction of my own abode, my thoughts were
the reverse of pleasant. As I strode along. A cabinet
council had been summoned for the following morning, and with
this sad intelligence to be brought before it, there could
be no doubt that it was likely to be a gloomy.
One next morning, I rose early. I had a large

(30:27):
amount of work to get through before the meeting, which
was to take place at eleven o'clock. At a quarter
to that hour, I drove down to Whitehall and made
my way to the Foreign Office. This is terrible news, indeed, Manderville,
said the Prime Minister, as we shook hands, poor Graham,
Mortimer and all those gallant men. I scarcely like to

(30:49):
think of the effect it will produce upon the country.
First that succession of disastrous defeats, then Waller's extraordinary disappearance,
and now this new catastrophe. However, as we shall have
to discuss that directly, I will say no more. At present,
are we all here? There is only one person who

(31:10):
had not arrived, the Colonial Secretary. It's not like Castelean
to be unpunctual, said the Prime Minister. Dogs However, it
won't be long before he puts in an appearance. When
ten minutes had elapsed and still he did not come,
a messenger was despatched to the Colonial Office in search
of him. It was not long before he returned with

(31:32):
the information that Castelean had not yet arrived at his office.
Close upon the heels of this message came another from
Missus Castelen, anxiously inquiring for her husband, who it appeared
had not come home on the previous night, nor had
any communication been received from him. As I heard this,

(31:54):
a great fear took possession of me. I had said
good night to him in Coxepur Street, only a few
paces from his own front door, and had seen him
walk in that direction. How was it then that he
had not reached It was he the victim of a plot?
Had he disappeared like Waller, never to be heard of again?

(32:21):
End of Chapter three