The Yale expositor., 1907-08-09

THE facts" | insisted
First of all, though 1t may weary
you, l wish to tell you a little of my
self. My parents were of that most
unhappy race, the Macedonian Chris
tians. My father was rich for that
country; we were happy. But when |
was a child l was awakened one night
by the crash of musketry and the
glare Of flames. The Turkish butchers
had attacked our vilayet. / saw my
sister snatched from her mothers
arms and stabbed before my eyes. A
blow felled my mother. My father
was thrown to earth, manacled and
trodden upon. | was taken captive.
my fate would have been even
more horrible had | not been the cap
tive of Turkish officer who was kind
to me and adopted me. But he was
one of that hated race, and secretly
tolerated his kindness only to be re-
venged. In some way he offended the
Sultan; my protector was banished.
We lived in Paris.
'At last the hour of my vengeance
came. He had an enemy, one Of his
own race. ] betrayed him. He died
violent death, and that night, l think,
| YVES happy.
II found myself rich; he had left me
everything. | was beautiful and we'll
educated; life OF pleasure lay be-
fore me. Well, | have drunk deep of
the cup of pleasure. But that l might
no ho ha
with princes, it was to learn their
secrets. ! have fattered and cajoled
enemies that | might betray them.
Sometimes have betrayed my friends.
In short, | am consecrated to my
country. For her | have made myself
an adventures. If could not direct
| ly further her cause, there were Sc
crets to be bought and sold st price.
The money purchased bread and arms.
| have schemed, intrigued, betrayed,
tempted-always to bring Macedonia
one step nearer her freedom"
Madame de Varncr," | interrupted,
with brutal directness, "at any other
time these personal "reminiscences
might be interesting enough, but
now"
You are adamant," she cried de-
spairingly. 1T is impossible, it seems,
to awaken your sympathy. Then l
must appeal to your intelligence.
You must understand something of
the political situation"
IL know enough CT tnat already.
Once more | must beg you TO come to
the episode of Sir Mortimer Brett"
How can you know anything of the
complexities of the Balkan situation?"
she demanded, at once startled and
surprised.
Suffice ii that know this: Prince
Ferdinand of Bulgaria will invade
| Turkish Macedonia, and free that ter
rtory from the Turkish yoke, If his
army is financed by Kuhn, a banker
of New York City but a Macedonian
by birth. This banker makes one
stipulation Bulgaria must have Eng
lands promise OF her moral support;
England must promise Bulgaria free
field Sir Mortimer Brett was to have
gained that promise from England.
You made Sir Mortimer the victim of
your intrigues. How, and to what ex-
tent-that is what | wish to know"
Il was sent to Sofia to accomplish
that. 1t seemed a hopeless task. For
10 years he had resisted every en-
treaty and bribe. He had the absolute
confidence of the British Foreign OF
fee. But 1t was necessary to win him
over at any cost. We had secret in.
formation to the effect that If he ad'
vised Englands 5 interference she would
interfere.
You are impatient; | shall not
weary you by telling OF my efforts.
Sir Mortimer was cold man and ex-
tremely difficult of approach. For
some tine | despaired of influencing
him. But | learned at last that be-
meath his calm exterior was actually
heart that throbbed-for the suffer
ings of Macedonia"
How did you learn this?" | de-
manded. curiously, as she paused.
"You will despise me the more when
tell you," she replied hesitatingly
and her face was scarlet. l stole his
diary. 1t seems atrocious to you that
should so have repaid his kindness;
but have told you that to play the
spy, to be the high priestess of Gun
ming, has been my lot. This diary re-
yealed to me Sir Mortimers true char
acter.
81 have said that he was extremely
reserved virtue that all diplomatists
must possess. He was never to be
tricked or excited into a rash state.
ment. Every word he spoke with the
precision of an automaton, because
every spoken word was weighed"
"And he found relief by giving ex
preston to his emotions in his diary
Yes; what he had hidden from the
world there he revealed; and in the
pages of this diary / learned two
facts that were of vital importance to
me-"
81 think I can guess them" ! said
coldly First, that Sir Mortimer loved
you; secondly, that he was tempted to
put an end to the atrocities in Mace