54-40 or Fight Read online

  CHAPTER XXI

  POLITICS UNDER COVER

  To a woman, the romances she makes are more amusing than those she reads.--_Theophile Gautier_.

  It was curious how cleverly this austere old man, unskilled in the artsof gallantry, now handled the problem to which he had addressed himself,even though that meant forecasting the whim of yet another woman. It allcame easily about, precisely as he had planned.

  It seemed quite correct for the daughter of our secretary of state tocall to inquire for the health of the fair Senora Yturrio, and topresent the compliments of Madam Calhoun, at that time not in the cityof Washington. Matters went so smoothly that I felt justified insuggesting a little drive, and Senora Yturrio had no hesitation inaccepting. Quite naturally, our stately progress finally brought usclose to the residence of Miss Calhoun. That lady suggested that, sincethe day was warm, it might be well to descend and see if we might notfind a sherbet; all of which also seemed quite to the wish of the ladyfrom Mexico. The ease and warmth of Mr. Calhoun's greeting to her weresuch that she soon was well at home and chatting very amiably. She spokeEnglish with but little hesitancy.

  Lucrezia Yturrio, at that time not ill known in Washington's foreigncolony, was beautiful, in a sensuous, ripe way. Her hair was dark,heavily coiled, and packed in masses above an oval forehead. Her browswere straight, dark and delicate; her teeth white and strong; her lipsred and full; her chin well curved and deep. A round arm and taper handcontrolled a most artful fan. She was garbed now, somewhat splendidly,in a corded cherry-colored silk, wore gems enough to start a shop, andmade on the whole a pleasing picture of luxury and opulence. She spokein a most musical voice, with eyes sometimes cast modestly down. He hadbeen a poor student of her species who had not ascribed to her a wit ofher own; but as I watched her, somewhat apart, I almost smiled as Ireflected that her grave and courteous host had also a wit to match it.Then I almost frowned as I recalled my own defeat in a somewhat similarcontest.

  Mr. Calhoun expressed great surprise and gratification that mere chancehad enabled him to meet the wife of a gentleman so distinguished in thediplomatic service as Senor Yturrio. The Senora was equally gratified.She hoped she did not make intrusion in thus coming. Mr. Calhoun assuredher that he and his were simple in their family life, and alwaysdelighted to meet their friends.

  "We are especially glad always to hear of our friends from theSouthwest," said he, at last, with a slight addition of formality intone and attitude.

  At these words I saw my lady's eyes flicker. "It is fate, Senor," saidshe, again casting down her eyes, and spreading out her hands as inresignation, "fate which left Texas and Mexico not always one."

  "That may be," said Mr. Calhoun. "Perhaps fate, also, that those of kinshould cling together."

  "How can a mere woman know?" My lady shrugged her very graceful andbeautiful shoulders--somewhat mature shoulders now, but still beautiful.

  "Dear Senora," said Mr. Calhoun, "there are so many things a woman maynot know. For instance, how could she know if her husband shouldperchance leave the legation to which he was attached and pay a visit toanother nation?"

  Again the slight flickering of her eyes, but again her hands wereoutspread in protest.

  "How indeed, Senor?"

  "What if my young aide here, Mr. Trist, should tell you that he has seenyour husband some hundreds of miles away and in conference with a ladysupposed to be somewhat friendly towards--"

  "Ah, you mean that baroness--!"

  So soon had the shaft gone home! Her woman's jealousy had offered apoint unexpectedly weak. Calhoun bowed, without a smile upon his face.

  "Mr. Pakenham, the British minister, is disposed to be friendly to thissame lady. Your husband and a certain officer of the British Navy calledupon this same lady last week in Montreal--informally. It is sometimesunfortunate that plans are divulged. To me it seemed only wise and fitthat you should not let any of these little personal matters make for usgreater complications in these perilous times. I think you understandme, perhaps, Senora Yturrio?"

  She gurgled low in her throat at this, any sort of sound, meaning toremain ambiguous. But Calhoun was merciless.

  "It is not within dignity, Senora, for me to make trouble between a ladyand her husband. But we must have friends with us under our flag, orknow that they are not our friends. You are welcome in my house. Yourhusband is welcome in the house of our republic. There are certainduties, even thus."

  Only now and again she turned upon him the light of her splendid eyes,searching him.

  "If I should recall again, gently, my dear Senora, the fact that yourhusband was with that particular woman--if I should say, that Mexico hasbeen found under the flag of England, while supposed to be under _our_flag--if I should add that one of the representatives of the Mexicanlegation had been discovered in handing over to England certain secretsof this country and of the Republic of Texas--why, then, what answer,think you, Senora, Mexico would make to me?"

  "But Senor Calhoun does not mean--does not dare to say--"

  "I do dare it; I do mean it! I can tell you all that Mexico plans, andall that Texas plans. All the secrets are out; and since we know them,we purpose immediate annexation of the Republic of Texas! Though itmeans war, Texas shall be ours! This has been forced upon us by theperfidy of other nations."

  He looked her full in the eye, his own blue orbs alight with resolution.She returned his gaze, fierce as a tigress. But at last she spread outher deprecating hands.

  "Senor," she said, "I am but a woman. I am in the Senor Secretary'shands. I am even in his _hand_. What can he wish?"

  "In no unfair way, Senora, I beg you to understand, in no improper wayare you in our hands. But now let us endeavor to discover some way inwhich some of these matters may be composed. In such affairs, a smallincident is sometimes magnified and taken in connection with itspossible consequences. You readily may see, Senora, that did Ipersonally seek the dismissal of your husband, possibly even the recallof General Almonte, his chief, that might be effected withoutdifficulty."

  "You seek war, Senor Secretary! My people say that your armies are inTexas now, or will be."

  "They are but very slightly in advance of the truth, Senora," saidCalhoun grimly. "For me, I do not believe in war when war can beaverted. But suppose it _could_ be averted? Suppose the Senora Yturrioherself _could_ avert it? Suppose the Senora could remain here still, inthis city which she so much admires? A lady of so distinguished beautyand charm is valuable in our society here."

  He bowed to her with stately grace. If there was mockery in his tone,she could not catch it; nor did her searching eyes read his meaning.

  "See," he resumed, "alone, I am helpless in this situation. If mygovernment is offended, I can not stop the course of events. I am notthe Senate; I am simply an officer in our administration--a very humbleofficer of his Excellency our president, Mr. Tyler."

  My lady broke out in a peal of low, rippling laughter, her white teethgleaming. It was, after all, somewhat difficult to trifle with one whohad been trained in intrigue all her life.

  Calhoun laughed now in his own quiet way. "We shall do better if we dealentirely frankly, Senora," said he. "Let us then waste no time.Frankly, then, it would seem that, now the Baroness von Ritz is off thescene, the Senora Yturrio would have all the better title andopportunity in the affections of--well, let us say, her own husband!"

  She bent toward him now, her lips open in a slow smile, all her subtleand dangerous beauty unmasking its batteries. The impression sheconveyed was that of warmth and of spotted shadows such as play upon theleopard's back, such as mark the wing of the butterfly, the petal ofsome flower born in a land of heat and passion. But Calhoun regarded hercalmly, his finger tips together, and spoke as deliberately as thoughcommuning with himself. "It is but one thing, one very little thing."

  "And what is that, Senor?" she asked at length.

  "The signature of Senor Van Zandt, attache for Texas, on this memorandumof treaty between the Unit
ed States and Texas."

  Bowing, he presented to her the document to which he had earlierdirected my own attention. "We are well advised that Senor Van Zandt istrafficking this very hour with England as against us," he explained."We ask the gracious assistance of Senora Yturrio. In return we promiseher--silence!"

  "I can not--it is impossible!" she exclaimed, as she glanced at thepages. "It is our ruin--!"

  "No, Senora," said Calhoun sternly; "it means annexation of Texas to theUnited States. But that is not your ruin. It is your salvation. Yourcountry well may doubt England, even England bearing gifts!"

  "I have no control over Senor Van Zandt--he is the enemy of my country!"she began.

  Calhoun now fixed upon her the full cold blue blaze of his singularlypenetrating eyes. "No, Senora," he said sternly; "but you have access tomy friend Mr. Polk, and Mr. Polk is the friend of Mr. Jackson, and theytwo are friends of Mr. Van Zandt; and Texas supposes that these two,although they do not represent precisely my own beliefs in politics, arefor the annexation of Texas, not to England, but to America. There isgood chance Mr. Polk may be president. If you do not use your personalinfluence with him, he may consult politics and not you, and so declarewar against Mexico. That war would cost you Texas, and much more aswell. Now, to avert that war, do you not think that perhaps you can askMr. Polk to say to Mr. Van Zandt that his signature on this littletreaty would end all such questions simply, immediately, and to the bestbenefit of Mexico, Texas and the United States? Treason? Why, Senora,'twould be preventing treason!"

  Her face was half hidden by her fan, and her eyes, covered by theirdeep lids, gave no sign of her thoughts. The same cold voice went on:

  "You might, for instance, tell Mr. Polk, which is to say Mr. Van Zandt,that if his name goes on this little treaty for Texas, nothing will besaid to Texas regarding his proposal to give Texas over to England. Itmight not be safe for that little fact generally to be known in Texas asit is known to me. We will keep it secret. You might ask Mr. Van Zandtif he would value a seat in the Senate of these United States, ratherthan a lynching rope! So much do I value your honorable acquaintancewith Mr. Polk and with Mr. Van Zandt, my dear lady, that I do not go tothe latter and _demand_ his signature in the name of his republic--no, Imerely suggest to you that did _you_ take this little treaty for a day,and presently return it to me with his signature attached, I should feelso deeply gratified that I should not ask you by what means you hadattained this most desirable result! And I should hope that if you couldnot win back the affections of a certain gentleman, at least you mightwin your own evening of the scales with him."

  Her face colored darkly. In a flash she saw the covert allusion to thefaithless Pakenham. Here was the chance to cut him to the soul. _Shecould cost England Texas!_ Revenge made its swift appeal to her savageheart. Revenge and jealousy, handled coolly, mercilessly asweapons--those cost England Texas!

  She sat, her fan tight at her white teeth. "It would be death to me ifit were known," she said. But still she pondered, her eye alight withsomber fire, her dark cheek red in a woman's anger.

  "But it never will be known, my dear lady. These things, however, mustbe concluded swiftly. We have not time to wait. Let us not argue overthe unhappy business. Let me think of Mexico as our sister republic andour friend!"

  "And suppose I shall not do this that you ask, Senor?"

  "That, my dear lady, _I do not suppose!_"

  "You threaten, Senor Secretary?"

  "On the contrary, I implore! I ask you not to be treasonable to any, butto be our ally, our friend, in what in my soul I believe a great goodfor the peoples of the world. Without us, Texas will be the prey ofEngland. With us, she will be working out her destiny. In our graveyardof state there are many secrets of which the public never knows. Hereshall be one, though your heart shall exult in its possession. Dearlady, may we not conspire together--for the ultimate good of threerepublics, making of them two noble ones, later to dwell in amity? Shallwe not hope to see all this continent swept free of monarchy, held_free_, for the peoples of the world?"

  For an instant, no more, she sat and pondered. Suddenly she bestowedupon him a smile whose brilliance might have turned the head of anotherman. Rising, she swept him a curtsey whose grace I have not seensurpassed.

  In return, Mr. Calhoun bowed to her with dignity and ease, and, liftingher hand, pressed it to his lips. Then, offering her an arm, he led herto his carriage. I could scarce believe my eyes and ears that so much,and of so much importance, had thus so easily been accomplished, whereall had seemed so near to the impossible.

  When last I saw my chief that day he was sunk in his chair, white to thelips, his long hands trembling, fatigue written all over his face andform; but a smile still was on his grim mouth. "Nicholas," said he, "hadI fewer politicians and more women behind me, we should have Texas tothe Rio Grande, and Oregon up to Russia, and all without a war!"