Terence O'Rourke, Gentleman Adventurer
enough of the esteem in which he held him. But O'Rourke only smiled benignly upon the prime minister.
As for his majesty, Leopold, his face had lengthened with disappointment; shallow though he was, yet he had occasional glimmerings of common sense, even as he exhibited occasional flashes of spirit. He could but recognize the justice of O'Rourke's pronouncement; and he was not alone fain to bow to superior wisdom, but also generous enough to acknowledge it. Therefore he ignored the black looks of Monsieur le Prince and agreed with the Irishman.
"Another thing," propounded the latter: "Your first duty, your majesty, is not to your empire. 'Tis to humanity. Two of those who fought for ye this day lie wounded unto death in the sick bay; they need immediate attention from a skilled surgeon if their lives arc to be saved. Las Palmas is not so distant that ye cannot spare time to go there," he concluded. "I make so bold as to advise an early start—this very night, in fact."
This was the opening that Monsieur le Prince had been awaiting. He interrupted Lemercier's reply.
"They were paid to take the risk," he said coldly; "let them die. We cannot permit ourselves to be put back for a matter so slight."
"Your majesty," broke in Chambret, "I have been in the sick bay; I can bear witness to the urgency—"
"One moment." Prince Felix fixed his gaze, sardonic and cruel, upon Chambret. "May I inquire, your majesty, when this conceited upstart became a member of your council, entitled to a voice therein?"
O'Rourke motioned the furious Chambret to silence.
"I will save his majesty the trouble of answering ye, Monsieur le Prince," he said calmly. "Monsieur Chambret
[ 122 ]
