81. CHAPTER LXXXI.
STARTLING NEWS.
Flora Summers was the centre of attraction in the great
saloon of the Executive Palace. She was surrounded by
many courtiers, and seemed very happy during the absence
of the Lord Protector; for hitherto all the bulletins which
had been received, announced the uninterrupted progress
of the invaders, and the probable subjugation of the
country.
Windvane, knowing Flora's influence over the despot,
had cultivated her good graces with so much success, that
he attained a preponderating influence in the Cabinet. And
the effects of this soon became apparent. He had the finest
house, and coach, and horses, of any member of the Government;
and as for Flora, she was a perfect blaze of
jewels, and had, besides, near a million of dollars to her
credit in the banks.
It was just when Flora was in the zenith of her glory,
and surrounded by many flattering ladies, who, a year
before, would have disdained to enter a room polluted by
her presence, that Mrs. Punt, glittering with jewels in imitation
of her mistress, glided into the saloon and whispered
a message in her ear.
“Mr. Windvane wishes to see you immediately,” said
she.
“Wishes to see me immediately!” said Flora. “Then
why don't he come to me?”
“The Cabinet is in session in the Lord Protector's office.”
“Very well. I am not a member of the Cabinet.”
“But Mr. Virus has come back.”
“Ha! Has he letters for me? Has he news?”
“Mr. Windvane says he has; and not good news, either.”
“I will see him immediately.”
Flora arose, and making the necessary excuses to the
company, proceeded with a quick, if not a tottering step,
towards the door, still closely attended by Mrs. Punt.
“Punt's gone, madam!” said Mrs. P.
“Never mind, Punt! Where's Windvane?”
“In the green room, madam; and he wishes to see you
before you meet with Mr. Virus. But I never expect to set
eyes on Punt again. And Mr. Ready says you could have
our marriage annulled.”
“Nonsense! Why will you annoy me? Leave me. I
will go alone.”
Mrs. Punt, knowing the imperious will of Flora, paused,
and turning aside, hastened away to Ready, to report the
response to his sage suggestion. Flora, a moment after,
confronted Windvane in the green room.
“What is it, Windvane? Say the very worst at once!”
exclaimed Flora, with a flashing eye and contracted brow.
“His Highness,” said Windvane, watching eagerly the
effect of the announcement, “has been defeated.”
“Defeated? Has he escaped death and wounds himself?”
“He was not injured, and his health is good.”
“Enough! I can laugh at the rest!”
“But the defeat has arrested his progress in the South.”
“So much the better! He will return the sooner. It is
an unhealthy country. Witness the faces of all who return.
Was he retreating?”
“He was.”
“Why this is good news, instead of bad!”
“The Cabinet think differently. They do not say so;
but, between us, they regard this retrograde movement as
the beginning of Ruffleton's downfall. They fear henceforth
his star will decline, and unless an amicable arrangement
can be effected with Randolph, I think some of them
will abandon their places.”
“With Randolph! Let them go! Better and truer
men can be found! But, Windvane, remember Ruffleton's
last words—”
“Never fear me! Short shrift for traitors! I have my
spies everywhere. But I wished to prepare you for the
interview with the Cabinet. They despond; but I exult.”
“Exult?”
“Yes. I have conjured up a new enemy against Randolph.”
“You mean General Fell. Can he be relied on?”
“He is in the field in full march to join General Maller
before Amherst Castle, and to fall upon the enemy's
flank.”
“Windvane, I thank you for this intelligence! I am now
prepared to meet these faint-hearted gentlemen. Let us go
to them at once.”
Flora, taking the proffered arm of the consummate politician,
they proceeded to the council-room, where the several
Cabinet ministers were assembled, listening attentively,
and with pallid countenances, to the narration of Virus.
“The letters! Virus, the letters!” exclaimed Flora.
“But one, madam,” said Virus, “was all he had time to
write. Here it is.”
Flora, taking the letter, and breaking the seal as she
strode rapidly to a distant table, over which a jet of gas
was burning, threw herself into a chair, and plunged
abstractedly into the contents.
“The Proclamation, Windvane,” said one of the most
timid members of the Cabinet, “has not proved the master-stroke
you anticipated.”
“We do not know that yet,” said Windvane.
“Not one Southern man or woman of distinction has
responded to it,” replied the other.
“You are not well informed,” said Windvane.
“Virus has just returned from the scene of action.”
“Does he say no Southern leader has responded?”
“None has joined the Protector,” said Virus.
“But one will join him,” said Windvane.
“Who?” demanded Virus. “General Fell, I learned
before leaving the camp, was marching eastward; but we
could not ascertain exactly his purpose; and I know the
Protector feared no reliance could be placed on his co-operation
in the event of the retreat becoming a rout, which
seemed inevitable.”
“I have news from General Fell—a letter written with
his own hand. He has fought a battle with General Toler
and beaten him.”
“I hope so,” said Virus, evidently in doubt as to the
accuracy of the intelligence, and his incredulity seemed
shared by the others.
“Gentlemen!” said Flora, coming forward, “I am sorry
you seem so much cast down!”
“Cast down!” said Virus. “You must not think so,
madam, and above all, I trust you will not say so in your
letters to the Protector. It is true, we have some slight
apprehensions that the Proclamation, obliterating State
lines, and declaring slavery legal throughout the Empire,
may shock the prejudices of the Northern people; but still,
the telegraphic intelligence received this morning does not
indicate any serious opposition to the election of the General's
friends.”
“I am glad to learn such is the case, sir, and will write
him fully on that point. But he will soon be here—”
“Soon be here?” exclaimed Virus, while the rest looked
up in astonishment.
“I do not know—he does not say—how soon—but it is
not to be supposed he will remain much longer with the
army, after the junction of General Fell——”
“Junction of General Fell!” exclaimed several.
“Oh, yes! That is an event that will occur in Virginia,
and then, with such an accession of Southern allies, Generals
Balatrum and Fell will be enabled to prosecute the campaign
in his absence. But he intimates, and no doubt his
directions have been sufficiently explicit, that the guillotines
will have to receive a new impetus——”
“The guillotines!” exclaimed the Postmaster-General,
while a deathly pallor spread over his face. “There is no
movement here against his authority.”
“None openly made,” said Flora; “but he has been informed
that the Abolitionists have had secret conferences,
and the object may be to organize a rebellion—”
“Rebellion!” exclaimed several.
“Never!” said Windvane.
“Oh, I assure you he writes me that overtures have been
made to Randolph, even from Massachusetts, to revive the
old Federal Government, on the terms of the Constitution,
provided the former rights of the States be guaranteed, so
that slavery shall not be re-established in the free States.
Such propositions have been intercepted, gentlemen. They
agree that slavery may be extended South and South-west,
or in any new territory where the inhabitants desire it; and,
moreover, the fugitive slaves are to be given up by the
Northern States, and without trouble and expense to their
owners; and even the decisions of the Supreme Court will
be respected and enforced by the free States, if Randolph
will resume the Executive chair, and grant an amnesty—”
“Amnesty!” said several of the Cabinet Ministers.
“Yes, amnesty for the past, to all citizens who have not
taken conspicuous parts—so you see we were not to be
included.”
“Nor General Fell,” said Windvane. “And rely upon
it, if there should be any defection in any portion of the
North, it will be more than compensated in the South. I
hope the Protector will soon give me the names of the
Abolition conspirators. I'll make short work with them.
Gentlemen!” he continued, rising and gesticulating with
emphasis, “the thing we want is a strong government on a
stable basis. There must be a master or nothing. We
must be beyond the reach of the agitators, or they will
bring us down. They call Ruffleton Dictator, and that is a
far more abhorrent title than Emperor; let us make him
Emperor!”
“Why not?” cried Flora, seeing the rest remained
silent.
“We all propose it,” said several.
“I am glad to hear you say so. And you will be his
Dukes and Earls. Gentlemen, General Ruffleton shall be
speedily apprised of your sentiments, for he has authorized
me to dispatch special messengers.
Flora glided out of the council chamber in apparent exultation,
and then the Cabinet Ministers resumed the consideration
of the grave matters before them.
“For my part,” said the Postmaster-General, “I am apprehensive
General Fell's army will be seriously diminished
when his sooty followers learn that we design establishing
the institution everywhere.”
“He will take precautions to prevent a knowledge of that
fact being imparted to them,” said Windvane. “The
General himself would be involved in our destruction, if we
failed to retain power.”
“I have no doubt your calculations are all correct, gentlemen,”
said the Secretary of the Navy, “and that the Revolution
will ultimate in the establishment of a great Empire.
But I fear I am not destined to see it.”
“Not destined to see it?” exclaimed Windvane.
“No; my health is failing. There is something in the
air of Washington fatal to certain constitutions, and I feel
that my life is ebbing away—”
“I hope not,” said Windvane. “A change of air, at
this season—”
“I have been thinking of that,” said the Secretary; “but
my duties here, I fear, would be neglected.”
“A few days could make no difference,” said the Secretary
of the Treasury. “We will remain, and if the Protector
should return during your absence, we will explain everything
to his satisfaction. Suppose you go to Philadelphia,
or rather to Wilmington, and I will give you an order to
the Collector there to sail with you on a visiting tour to the
lighthouses. The fresh air on the water would be of
service.”
This was assented to; and indeed several other members
of the Cabinet indicated a disposition to indulge in similar
excursions for the benefit of their health; but they did not
propose to join him. The Secretary of the Navy was indeed
quite ill and restless of nights. He set out the next
morning, and fell into the hands of Windvane's agents at
the Baltimore depôt, and an hour afterwards was relieved of
all his pains by the guillotine. It was proved that he intended
to fly with a large sum of money; and his death
struck a salutary terror among his surviving colleagues.
They trembled in their places, but feared to fly.
