Prince Florizel walked with Mr. Rolles to the door
of a small hotel where the latter resided. They spoke much together, and the
clergyman was more than once affected to tears by the mingled severity and
tenderness of Florizel’s reproaches.
“I have made ruin of my life,” he said at last. “Help me;
tell me what I am to do; I have, alas! neither the virtues of a priest nor the
dexterity of a rogue.”
“Now that you are humbled,” said the Prince, “I command no
longer; the repentant have to do with God and not with princes. But if you will
let me advise you, go to Australia as a colonist, seek menial labour in the
open air, and try to forget that you have ever been a clergyman, or that you
ever set eyes on that accursed stone.”
“Accurst indeed!” replied Mr. Rolles. “Where is it now? What
further hurt is it not working for mankind?”
“It will do no more evil,” returned the Prince. “It is here
in my pocket. And this,” he added kindly, “will show that I place
some faith in your penitence, young as it is.”
“Suffer me to touch your hand,” pleaded Mr. Rolles.
“No,” replied Prince Florizel, “not yet.”
The tone in which he uttered these last words was eloquent in the ears of the
young clergyman; and for some minutes after the Prince had turned away he stood
on the threshold following with his eyes the retreating figure and invoking the
blessing of heaven upon a man so excellent in counsel.
For several hours the Prince walked alone in unfrequented streets. His mind was
full of concern; what to do with the diamond, whether to return it to its
owner, whom he judged unworthy of this rare possession, or to take some
sweeping and courageous measure and put it out of the reach of all mankind at
once and for ever, was a problem too grave to be decided in a moment. The
manner in which it had come into his hands appeared manifestly providential;
and as he took out the jewel and looked at it under the street lamps, its size
and surprising brilliancy inclined him more and more to think of it as of an
unmixed and dangerous evil for the world.
“God help me!” he thought; “if I look at it much oftener, I
shall begin to grow covetous myself.”
At last, though still uncertain in his mind, he turned his steps towards the
small but elegant mansion on the river-side which had belonged for centuries to
his royal family. The arms of Bohemia are deeply graved over the door and upon
the tall chimneys; passengers have a look into a green court set with the most
costly flowers, and a stork, the only one in Paris, perches on the gable all
day long and keeps a crowd before the house. Grave servants are seen passing to
and fro within; and from time to time the great gate is thrown open and a
carriage rolls below the arch. For many reasons this residence was especially
dear to the heart of Prince Florizel; he never drew near to it without enjoying
that sentiment of home-coming so rare in the lives of the great; and on the
present evening he beheld its tall roof and mildly illuminated windows with
unfeigned relief and satisfaction.
As he was approaching the postern door by which he always entered when alone, a
man stepped forth from the shadow and presented himself with an obeisance in
the Prince’s path.
“I have the honour of addressing Prince Florizel of Bohemia?” said
he.
“Such is my title,” replied the Prince. “What do you want
with me?”
“I am,” said the man, “a detective, and I have to present
your Highness with this billet from the Prefect of Police.”
The Prince took the letter and glanced it through by the light of the street
lamp. It was highly apologetic, but requested him to follow the bearer to the
Prefecture without delay.
“In short,” said Florizel, “I am arrested.”
“Your Highness,” replied the officer, “nothing, I am certain,
could be further from the intention of the Prefect. You will observe that he
has not granted a warrant. It is mere formality, or call it, if you prefer, an
obligation that your Highness lays on the authorities.”
“At the same time,” asked the Prince, “if I were to refuse to
follow you?”
“I will not conceal from your Highness that a considerable discretion has
been granted me,” replied the detective with a bow.
“Upon my word,” cried Florizel, “your effrontery astounds me!
Yourself, as an agent, I must pardon; but your superiors shall dearly smart for
their misconduct. What, have you any idea, is the cause of this impolitic and
unconstitutional act? You will observe that I have as yet neither refused nor
consented, and much may depend on your prompt and ingenuous answer. Let me
remind you, officer, that this is an affair of some gravity.”
“Your Highness,” said the detective humbly, “General
Vandeleur and his brother have had the incredible presumption to accuse you of
theft. The famous diamond, they declare, is in your hands. A word from you in
denial will most amply satisfy the Prefect; nay, I go farther: if your Highness
would so far honour a subaltern as to declare his ignorance of the matter even
to myself, I should ask permission to retire upon the spot.”
Florizel, up to the last moment, had regarded his adventure in the light of a
trifle, only serious upon international considerations. At the name of
Vandeleur the horrible truth broke upon him in a moment; he was not only
arrested, but he was guilty. This was not only an annoying incident—it
was a peril to his honour. What was he to say? What was he to do? The
Rajah’s Diamond was indeed an accursed stone; and it seemed as if he were
to be the last victim to its influence.
One thing was certain. He could not give the required assurance to the
detective. He must gain time.
His hesitation had not lasted a second.
“Be it so,” said he, “let us walk together to the
Prefecture.”
The man once more bowed, and proceeded to follow Florizel at a respectful
distance in the rear.
“Approach,” said the Prince. “I am in a humour to talk, and,
if I mistake not, now I look at you again, this is not the first time that we
have met.”
“I count it an honour,” replied the officer, “that your
Highness should recollect my face. It is eight years since I had the pleasure
of an interview.”
“To remember faces,” returned Florizel, “is as much a part of
my profession as it is of yours. Indeed, rightly looked upon, a Prince and a
detective serve in the same corps. We are both combatants against crime; only
mine is the more lucrative and yours the more dangerous rank, and there is a
sense in which both may be made equally honourable to a good man. I had rather,
strange as you may think it, be a detective of character and parts than a weak
and ignoble sovereign.”
The officer was overwhelmed.
“Your Highness returns good for evil,” said he. “To an act of
presumption he replies by the most amiable condescension.”
“How do you know,” replied Florizel, “that I am not seeking
to corrupt you?”
“Heaven preserve me from the temptation!” cried the detective.
“I applaud your answer,” returned the Prince. “It is that of
a wise and honest man. The world is a great place and stocked with wealth and
beauty, and there is no limit to the rewards that may be offered. Such an one
who would refuse a million of money may sell his honour for an empire or the
love of a woman; and I myself, who speak to you, have seen occasions so
tempting, provocations so irresistible to the strength of human virtue, that I
have been glad to tread in your steps and recommend myself to the grace of God.
It is thus, thanks to that modest and becoming habit alone,” he added,
“that you and I can walk this town together with untarnished
hearts.”
“I had always heard that you were brave,” replied the officer,
“but I was not aware that you were wise and pious. You speak the truth,
and you speak it with an accent that moves me to the heart. This world is
indeed a place of trial.”
“We are now,” said Florizel, “in the middle of the bridge.
Lean your elbows on the parapet and look over. As the water rushing below, so
the passions and complications of life carry away the honesty of weak men. Let
me tell you a story.”
“I receive your Highness’s commands,” replied the man.
And, imitating the Prince, he leaned against the parapet, and disposed himself
to listen. The city was already sunk in slumber; had it not been for the
infinity of lights and the outline of buildings on the starry sky, they might
have been alone beside some country river.
“An officer,” began Prince Florizel, “a man of courage and
conduct, who had already risen by merit to an eminent rank, and won not only
admiration but respect, visited, in an unfortunate hour for his peace of mind,
the collections of an Indian Prince. Here he beheld a diamond so extraordinary
for size and beauty that from that instant he had only one desire in life:
honour, reputation, friendship, the love of country, he was ready to sacrifice
all for this lump of sparkling crystal. For three years he served this
semi-barbarian potentate as Jacob served Laban; he falsified frontiers, he
connived at murders, he unjustly condemned and executed a brother-officer who
had the misfortune to displease the Rajah by some honest freedoms; lastly, at a
time of great danger to his native land, he betrayed a body of his
fellow-soldiers, and suffered them to be defeated and massacred by thousands.
In the end, he had amassed a magnificent fortune, and brought home with him the
coveted diamond.
“Years passed,” continued the Prince, “and at length the
diamond is accidentally lost. It falls into the hands of a simple and laborious
youth, a student, a minister of God, just entering on a career of usefulness
and even distinction. Upon him also the spell is cast; he deserts everything,
his holy calling, his studies, and flees with the gem into a foreign country.
The officer has a brother, an astute, daring, unscrupulous man, who learns the
clergyman’s secret. What does he do? Tell his brother, inform the police?
No; upon this man also the Satanic charm has fallen; he must have the stone for
himself. At the risk of murder, he drugs the young priest and seizes the prey.
And now, by an accident which is not important to my moral, the jewel passes
out of his custody into that of another, who, terrified at what he sees, gives
it into the keeping of a man in high station and above reproach.
“The officer’s name is Thomas Vandeleur,” continued Florizel.
“The stone is called the Rajah’s Diamond. And”—suddenly
opening his hand—“you behold it here before your eyes.”
The officer started back with a cry.
“We have spoken of corruption,” said the Prince. “To me this
nugget of bright crystal is as loathsome as though it were crawling with the
worms of death; it is as shocking as though it were compacted out of innocent
blood. I see it here in my hand, and I know it is shining with hell-fire. I
have told you but a hundredth part of its story; what passed in former ages, to
what crimes and treacheries it incited men of yore, the imagination trembles to
conceive; for years and years it has faithfully served the powers of hell;
enough, I say, of blood, enough of disgrace, enough of broken lives and
friendships; all things come to an end, the evil like the good; pestilence as
well as beautiful music; and as for this diamond, God forgive me if I do wrong,
but its empire ends to-night.”
The Prince made a sudden movement with his hand, and the jewel, describing an
arc of light, dived with a splash into the flowing river.
“Amen,” said Florizel with gravity. “I have slain a
cockatrice!”
“God pardon me!” cried the detective. “What have you done? I
am a ruined man.”
“I think,” returned the Prince with a smile, “that many
well-to-do people in this city might envy you your ruin.”
“Alas! your Highness!” said the officer, “and you corrupt me
after all?”
“It seems there was no help for it,” replied Florizel. “And
now let us go forward to the Prefecture.”
Not long after, the marriage of Francis Scrymgeour and Miss Vandeleur was
celebrated in great privacy; and the Prince acted on that occasion as
groomsman. The two Vandeleurs surprised some rumour of what had happened to the
diamond; and their vast diving operations on the River Seine are the wonder and
amusement of the idle. It is true that through some miscalculation they have
chosen the wrong branch of the river. As for the Prince, that sublime person,
having now served his turn, may go, along with the Arabian Author,
topsy-turvy into space. But if the reader insists on more specific information,
I am happy to say that a recent revolution hurled him from the throne of
Bohemia, in consequence of his continued absence and edifying neglect of public
business; and that his Highness now keeps a cigar store in Rupert Street, much
frequented by other foreign refugees. I go there from time to time to smoke and
have a chat, and find him as great a creature as in the days of his prosperity;
he has an Olympian air behind the counter; and although a sedentary life is
beginning to tell upon his waistcoat, he is probably, take him for all in all,
the handsomest tobacconist in London.
