The Secret Memoirs of Bertha Krupp. Fischer Henry William

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ sure I don't know," replied the child. "'One of the things little girls cannot understand,' said Uncle Majesty. But I do know that you must – I said must– not do it again. I won't let you, do you hear? I mean Uncle Majesty won't."

      Franz raised his hat and knocked his heels together, military fashion. He was about to withdraw when Bertha caught him by the arm. "You are not angry with me, Franz?" she pleaded.

      "No, my chief."

      "Say 'no, liebe Bertha.'"

      "No, liebe Bertha."

      At this moment a messenger caught up with the two young people on the road to Villa Huegel and handed Franz an official-looking envelope. The engineer looked inquiringly at Bertha. "May I?"

      Instead of answer the Krupp heiress picked up her skirts with both hands and ran towards the house.

      Her letter informed Franz that the task of completing the Belgian guns had been entrusted to other hands. Secondly, that, in future, communications about experiments ordered by the War Lord must be addressed to the heiress direct, not to the board of directors.

      CHAPTER V

      HOW THE WAR LADY WAS CAJOLED

      An Intoxication of Vanity – Barbara's Plain Words – A Shameful Memory

      The Imperial Chief-Court-and-House Marshal, Count Eulenburg, has the honour to command Fraulein Bertha Krupp to attend upon their Imperial and Royal Majesties, His Majesty the Emperor and King, and Her Majesty the Empress and Queen, during the Christmas and New Year's festivities at the Schloss, Berlin.

      A royal equipage will await Fraulein Krupp's pleasure at the station, meeting the early morning train of December 22nd.

      Dress: Silks, Velvets and Laces.

      Attendance: Wardrobe mistress and maid; A footman.

      The invitation, copperplated on an immense sheet of rather cheap paper and sent through the mail free, created much excitement in Villa Huegel, the more so as it was wholly unexpected, the War Lord never having intimated that an honour of that kind was in store for his godchild.

      In the meantime Bertha had risen to the dignity of opening her own letters and using her discretion as to divulging their contents, or not, as she saw fit, or rather as the War Lord saw fit. This was strictly opposed to native custom; but isn't the King above the law? And certain reports, such as those ordered to be addressed to Bertha direct – Franz's for instance – All-Highest wouldn't have communicated to any save himself, not even to Frau Krupp. Hence his command that the Krupp heiress keep her own counsel in regard to her correspondence.

      Bertha broke the great seal of the Court Marshal's office and her eyes became luminous as she read the printed words and angular script. She sat staring at the latter for a minute or two, while the Baroness, chafing under her impotency, pretended to be busy with an orange. Finally Barbara tiptoed behind her sister's chair and looked over her shoulder. The fourteen-year-old girl being well up in Court lore – having seen dozens of such letters addressed to her late father – applied herself to the essentials, skipping the merely decorative lines.

      "Christmas and New Year's festivities at the Schloss, Berlin," she read aloud. Then higher up: "Fraulein Bertha Krupp."

      "Oh, Mamma!" she cried, "we are not invited, you and I. Isn't that mean of Uncle Majesty?" She stamped her foot. "But he shan't kiss me when he comes again – see if I let him kiss me."

      "Hold your tongue, naughty child."

      Bertha spoke with an air of unwonted authority. She folded up her letter.

      "Just see how high and mighty we are!" mimicked Barbara. "'Naughty child,' and what are you? I shouldn't wonder if Uncle Majesty spanked you sometimes, when you are alone with him; you always come away full of humility to him and of arro – arro – " (she couldn't find the word) "the other thing to us – to Mamma and me, I mean."

      The Baroness put out her arm as if she expected the children to resort to fisticuffs. "Barbara," she called half pleadingly.

      "She will go to her room," insisted Bertha, ringing. The butler responded so promptly that there was no doubt he had been listening behind the portières.

      "Fraulein Barbara's governess," Bertha ordered. And as the man was going out: "My secretary shall report at once in my council room."

      "Are you mad?" cried Frau Krupp, when the curtains had dropped behind the servant. Bertha seemed so unlike herself – unlike what her child ought to be.

      The Krupp heiress disdained to answer.

      "Since I am to be their Imperial and Royal Majesties' guest, I must prepare for the honour," she deigned after a little while; "in half an hour I'll leave for Cologne. You may accompany me, if you like, Mother."

      The Baroness grew white under the lash of Bertha's patronising tone. "You shall not go," she said hotly.

      "If you will come to the council room you can see in black and white my authority to go where and when I please," replied Bertha, going out.

      Barbara and her mother looked at each other in blank amazement, the child not understanding, the mother understanding but too well. Bertha was lost to her; the supreme egotist had gained a strangle-hold on her flesh and blood.

      With the strange intuition that often moves children to do the right thing at the right time when grown-ups are at their wits' end, Barbara seemed to divine what passed in her mother's mind and, burying her face in the Baroness's lap, she sobbed out convulsively words of consolation, of endearment and unbounded affection. Frau Krupp bent over the child's head and kissed her again and again. "My little girl, my Barbara, won't discard Mother, will she?" she said in broken tones.

      "Not for ten thousand Uncle Majesties," cried Barbara fiercely; and, as if the words had freed her from a spell, she rose of a sudden and planted herself in front of Frau Krupp.

      " – Uncle Majesty," she said, clenching her little fists.

      Then, overcome by her breach of the conventions, she ran out of the room and into the arms of her governess.

      Frau Krupp would not have had the heart to scold Barbara even if she had not run away. " – him!" – her own sentiments. With such reflections she leaned back in her great arm-chair, undecided whether she should follow Bertha to the council room or not. Her motherly dignity said "No," while anxiety for her child urged her to go to her.

      "To think of him playing the bully in my own house," she deliberated; "the coward, setting a child against her mother! But I know what it's done for. He wants her like wax in his hand – the hand getting ready to choke the world into submission."

      The butler entered with soft step.

      "Fraulein begs to say that she will leave for Cologne at 10.30 sharp, and she desires your ladyship to get ready."

      "Thank you, my maid shall lay out the new black silk costume. Did you order the horses?"

      "Fraulein's secretary is attending to everything," said the butler in a hurt voice. "I don't know by what authority he assumes my duties," he added.

      "He shall not do so again, Christian," promised the Baroness.

      Three СКАЧАТЬ