63. CHAPTER LXIII.
THE PROTECTOR IN HIS PALACE.
The Protector was now an early riser, having the affairs
of State on his hands. He was sitting in the office on the
second floor of the White House, where so many of the
Presidents had been accustomed to meet their Cabinet
Ministers, and whither his Secretaries had been summoned
to assemble that morning.
Windvane was the first who made his appearance.
“Windvane,” said the Despot, lifting his eyes from the
document he had been reading, “I find there is much opposition
to your appointment. They say you will betray me,
and that you have betrayed others. Nay, man, don't turn
pale at such an announcement.”
“Will your Excellency be pleased to inform me who my
enemies are?” asked Windvane, now red with anger.
“No matter, Windvane, since I am your friend. You
shall be my Minister of Justice, and sign the death-warrants.
You see at once, Windvane, I can have no fear of
being betrayed by you, because when you shall have signed
a few thousand death-warrants, there cannot possibly be
any party for you to join after abandoning mine, but the
party of the dead. That is my guarantee. For yourself, I
need not indicate the advantages of the position, and the
opportunities you will have to indemnify yourself for any
little annoyances you may be subjected to.”
“I fear very much—” stammered Windvane, and then
paused, while a tremor agitated his frame.
“Fear nothing!” said Ruffleton. “You have only to
guard against giving rise to a suspicion that you prefer
the cause of Randolph to mine. And I shall fear nothing
from my enemies, provided you keep the guillotines in
motion. Terror, Windvane, the fear of death, is the most
powerful lever with which to move mankind, or to keep
them still.”
“I did not mean to intimate,” said Windvane, “that
I feared my enemies. I shall not fear any one so long as
you are my friend. But I fear very much that I am not
competent to discharge the duties of the position you
have named. I have a horror of blood—”
“Pooh! you will never see any, unless your curiosity, a
thing not improbable, shall lead you to witness an execution.
You will soon become accustomed to it. Nonsense!
You are the very best man for the place. You have
been a politician all your life, and will make a fortune;
but beware that you do not jeopard mine in your dealings
with the rich!”
They were now joined by Virus and several other members
of the new Government.
“Ah, Virus!” said the Protector, “I see you have
removed the mud from your boots.”
“Yes, your Excellency,” returned Virus, “or rather my
shoes; and at the same time I have shaken the dust of
the old United States Government from my feet for ever!
I have now to announce joyful tidings to your Highness—”
“Highness!” said Ruffleton.
“Yes, sir, and Lord Protector! I bring sufficient
returns of the elections, held in thirteen States, to warrant
me in saying that, by the vote of the people, sovereign
power has been conferred on your Highness. Therefore,
I repeat, long live High Highness, our Lord Protector,
General Ruffleton.”
This was quite heartily responded to by those present.
“Gentlemen,” said Ruffleton, rising to his feet, “I must
confess to some surprise at the turn events have taken.
But if the people have really done this, you may rely
upon it that whatever benefits may flow from a change of
Government, shall be liberally shared by my friends. I
shall never forget those who stood by me through evil
as well as good report. But sit down. Let there be no
ceremony between us. Now, Virus, let us have the particulars.
Was there a full vote? And what proportion
voted against the proposition of the Convention?”
“In some counties nearly every voter went to the
polls. None but the sick abstained from voting; and
there were no disturbances—no riots—and everywhere
the election was conducted with admirable propriety and
silence—”
“Silence?”
“Yes; it must be confessed that no superfluous words
were uttered, and it is said, very little drinking was indulged
in; but having quietly deposited their ballots, the people
returned immediately to their homes.”
“Umph! But what were the majorities, generally?”
“In New York and New England, not a single vote
was cast against you. In the West they were more
divided, but your majority must be overwhelming!”
“It was the guillotine, gentlemen!” said Ruffleton,
leaning back in his great chair. “They durst not stay
away, and they feared to vote against me. Be it so!
The charm shall be perpetuated! If the guillotine has
been my friend and ally, I will cherish it! Let us not
loosen the reins, gentlemen, until the work be complete.
And you, Virus, will see that none but friends be returned
to fill the vacancies in the Convention: And when they
meet in the Capitol we must have a new Constitution in
readiness to be submitted. But first we must beat all our
enemies in the field.”
During these transactions in the Cabinet, a scene of a
different character was enacted at the opposite end of
the Palace. A female of a rather robust stature, and quite
gorgeously arrayed, strode to and fro before a large mirror.
She was attended by a somewhat elderly, but certainly a
very loquacious companion.
“It is a triumph, Flora Summers!” said Mrs. Punt,
“and if your mother had only lived to see it, she would
never have regretted—”
“No more of that, Mrs. Punt!” said Flora, hastily.
“It is the future we have to do with. And we must play
a skilful game to win!”
“If you don't win him the next time he sees you, my
name's not Punt!” said Mrs. Punt.
“Oh, he has seen me thus long, long ago! But what does
it signify? We were married, I know not by whom, nor
what became of the witnesses—”
“I was one! The priest was an—but no matter—I tell
you it was a legal wedding! He said he'd have you, and
you said you'd have him.”
“Peace! I agreed, likewise, never to mention our marriage
to any one, until he gave me permission. And you
were threatened with his vengeance if you disclosed the
secret. He has never yet permitted me to proclaim it—
and, I fear, he never will!”
“Did he not tell you—tell us both, to follow him here?
What did that mean?”
“I know not—but will know, when he comes. You sent
him my note?”
“Yes. And a very genteel man it was who took it. I
said you was kin to the General, and that I was his housekeeper,
and then he bowed to the very ground. He's a
handsome fellow, and his name's Ready—Jim Ready—and
he's to be the doorkeeper for the Protector.”
“Are you setting your cap for him, already, Mrs. Punt?
I thought you had news, not long since, from your husband.”
“He's dead now, I'm sure. I wrote him I'd be here this
very morning, and ordered him to meet me at the depot. But
no Punt was there. Excuse me, and I'll run to Mr. Ready
and hear what he says about the note—and what the General
said—and how he looked.”
Flora stood gazing at herself in the mirror, paying but
little heed to Mrs. Punt. But when left alone she thus
soliloquized:
“And why not be his acknowledged wife? Alas! one
reason might be the recognition of the officers about his
head-quarters! But might it not be attributed to my devotion
to his cause? And what else was it? Nothing
else! And must I be cast away in the hour of triumph,
after adhering so faithfully to his fortunes? No! I am
here in obedience to his command—and wherefore did he
summon me—ah!” she exclaimed, as the door opened,
and the General himself entered the room.
“Flora,” said he, “I will tell you why I summoned you.
It was to maintain the old mystery. Long since many busy
gossips have been conjecturing the relation in which we stand
to each other. Be discreet. Say nothing about it. Let
them conjecture. But let us keep up the mystery.”
“It is a mystery to me.”
“To you? Is anything I do or require a mystery to
you? You are not wont to murmur.”
“I do not murmur. But it is a mystery to me why you
would maintain the mystery.”
“Is that all? Well, is not your sex addicted to mysteries?
I know it will be a delightful idea. But—if any
one should whisper a breath of scandal—should insult or
injure—”
“I fear it not, sir. So long as I may have your approbation,
your affection, I care not what the world may say
or do. I have already braved its utmost enmity—”
“No more of that! But, I repeat, if any one shall dare
to offend you, it will be at the expense of my anger—and
the anger of the Master of an empire is not lightly to be
provoked. Let them suppose you a relation, protegée, or
what they will; and if they become inquisitive, change the
subject; if persistent, turn away from them; and if they
cease to frequent the Palace—remember this is a Palace
henceforth—I shall be relieved of their importunities. But
do not create disturbances. I shall be absent for weeks,
perhaps; but messengers will come to me daily. You will
be the mistress of the Palace, having influence. Exert
your power as a spirited woman should—but always with a
view to my advantage. Watch the Minister of Justice,
Windvane, and Virus, and all. If I fall, you are nothing
—if I stand, you shall share my greatness. Order breakfast—make
Mrs. Punt bustle about! Here's my purse.
Now I must return to the Council-board. Adieu for the
present.” And he hurried back, leaving Flora in a joyous
delirium.
While Flora yet remained in this condition, Mrs. Punt
came staggering in, and leaning her head first on one
side and then the other, tottered across the room and sank
down on a sofa.
“What in the name of all the gods at once, is the matter?”
demanded Flora, staring at the panting woman.
“I was talking with Mr. Ready—standing in the vestibule,
and he said the General smiled and rose on receiving
your note—you will be a great lady—when some one rang
the bell. He stepped forward and opened it—and La's a'
mercy! What do you think?”
“What do I think? I don't believe the devil himself
could have frightened you thus; and therefore it must have
been your husband!”
“Punt! 'Twas Punt! You are right! Yes, my horrid
Punt!” * * * * *
The gentlemen surrounding the council-board of the Protector
were suddenly startled by the report of artillery.
“That is Randolph, gentlemen!” said Ruffleton, who
retained his chair after the others had risen. “Balatrum,
urge forward all our forces to the succor of Sir Charles
Hunt. I warned him against exposing himself; but he
insisted on encamping at the other end of the bridge.”
“Your Excellency is quite right,” said Lord Slysir.
“The enemy has doubled and fallen upon Sir Charles. I
hope the British troops will give a good account of themselves—but
what can 50,000 do against five or six times
their number?”
“Away, Balatrum!” exclaimed Ruffleton. “Drive the
blusterers into their own negro quarters! But save our
men as much as possible. If the bridge itself be assailed,
open a fire from a thousand cannon from this bank of the
river. I will send orders to Line to march down, and the
column in Georgetown will also cross over and hasten to
the scene of action. Virus, you will receive the foreign
despatches. Remember that all our ministers abroad, who
communicate with us, instead of Randolph, are to remain—
for the present. Those who adhere to the old Government
are to be summarily dismissed. Perfect the lists as soon
as possible. Now, gentlemen, come with me to breakfast,
and then those for the field to horse, and those for the pen
to their offices. There is an immense amount of labor to
be performed before the wheels of Government can run
smoothly. But, my Lord,” he added, in a low tone, as he
led the way out, “you must lecture Sir Charles on his indiscretion.
I will not yield to him again.” His Lordship
nodded assent, and intimated that Hunt would be sufficiently
punished by the enemy.
