章节正文
"Where's the King? Where's the King?" he cried.
"Hush, you fool!" hissed Sapt. "Not so loud! Here's the King!"
A knock sounded on the door. Sapt seized me by the hand.
"Here, quick, to the bedroom! Off with your cap and boots.
Get into bed. Cover everything up."
I did as I was bid. A moment later Sapt looked in, nodded,
grinned, and introduced an extremely smart and deferential
young gentleman, who came up to my bedside, bowing again
and again, and informed me that he was of the household
of the Princess Flavia, and that her Royal Highness had
sent him especially to enquire how the King's health was
after the fatigues which his Majesty had undergone yesterday.
"My best thanks, sir, to my cousin," said I; "and tell her
Royal Highness that I was never better in my life."
"The King," added old Sapt (who, I began to find, loved a good lie
for its own sake), "has slept without a break all night."
The young gentleman (he reminded me of "Osric" in Hamlet)
bowed himself out again. The farce was over, and Fritz von
Tarlenheim's pale face recalled us to reality--though, in faith,
the farce had to be reality for us now.
"Is the King dead?" he whispered.
"Please God, no," said I. "But he's in the hands of Black Michael!"
CHAPTER 8
A Fair Cousin and a Dark Brother
A real king's life is perhaps a hard one; but a pretended king's is,
I warrant, much harder. On the next day, Sapt instructed me
in my duties--what I ought to do and what I ought to know--
for three hours; then I snatched breakfast, with Sapt
still opposite me, telling me that the King always took white wine
in the morning and was known to detest all highly seasoned dishes.
Then came the Chancellor, for another three hours; and to him
I had to explain that the hurt to my finger (we turned that bullet
to happy account) prevented me from writing--whence arose
great to-do, hunting of precedents and so forth, ending in
my "making my mark," and the Chancellor attesting it with
a superfluity of solemn oaths. Then the French ambassador was
introduced, to present his credentials; here my ignorance
was of no importance, as the King would have been equally raw
to the business (we worked through the whole corps diplomatique in the
next few days, a demise of the Crown necessitating all this bother).
Then, at last, I was left alone. I called my new servant
(we had chosen, to succeed poor Josef, a young man who
had never known the King), had a brandy-and-soda brought to me,
and observed to Sapt that I trusted that I might now have a rest.
Fritz von Tarlenheim was standing by.
"By heaven!" he cried, "we waste time. Aren't we going
to throw Black Michael by the heels?"
"Gently, my son, gently," said Sapt, knitting his brows.
"It would be a pleasure, but it might cost us dear.
Would Michael fall and leave the King alive?"
"And," I suggested, "while the King is here in Strelsau,
on his throne, what grievance has he against his dear
brother Michael?"
"Are we to do nothing, then?"
"We're to do nothing stupid," growled Sapt.
"In fact, Fritz," said I, "I am reminded of a situation in one
of our English plays--The Critic--have you heard of it? Or, if you
like, of two men, each covering the other with a revolver. For I can't
expose Michael without exposing myself--"
"And the King," put in Sapt.
"And, hang me if Michael won't expose himself, if he tries
to expose me!"
"It's very pretty," said old Sapt.
"If I'm found out," I pursued, "I will make a clean breast of it,
and fight it out with the duke; but at present I'm waiting for a
move from him."
"He'll kill the King," said Fritz.
"Not he," said Sapt.
"Half of the Six are in Strelsau," said Fritz.
"Only half? You're sure?" asked Sapt eagerly.
"Yes--only half."
"Then the King's alive, for the other three are guarding him!"
cried Sapt.
"Yes--you're right!" exclaimed Fritz, his face brightening.
"If the King were dead and buried, they'd all be here with Michael.
You know Michael's back, colonel?"
"I know, curse him!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said I, "who are the Six?"
"I think you'll make their acquaintance soon," said Sapt.
"They are six gentlemen whom Michael maintains in his household:
they belong to him body and soul. There are three Ruritanians;
then there's a Frenchman, a Belgian, and one of your countrymen."
"They'd all cut a throat if Michael told them," said Fritz.
"Perhaps they'll cut mine," I suggested.
"Nothing more likely," agreed Sapt. "Who are here, Fritz?"
"De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard."
"The foreigners! It's as plain as a pikestaff. He's brought them,
and left the Ruritanians with the King; that's because he wants
to commit the Ruritanians as deep as he can."
"They were none of them among our friends at the lodge, then?" I asked.
"I wish they had been," said Sapt wistfully. "They had been,
not six, but four, by now."
I had already developed one attribute of royalty--a feeling
that I need not reveal all my mind or my secret designs even to
my intimate friends. I had fully resolved on my course of action.
I meant to make myself as popular as I could, and at the same
time to show no disfavour to Michael. By these means I hoped
to allay the hostility of his adherents, and make it appear, if an
open conflict came about, that he was ungrateful and not oppressed.
Yet an open conflict was not what I hoped for.
The King's interest demanded secrecy; and while secrecy lasted,
I had a fine game to play in Strelsau, Michael should not grow
stronger for delay!
I ordered my horse, and, attended by Fritz von Tarlenheim,
rode in the grand new avenue of the Royal Park, returning all
the salutes which I received with punctilious politeness.
Then I rode through a few of the streets, stopped and bought flowers
of a pretty girl, paying her with a piece of gold; and then,
having attracted the desired amount of attention (for I had a trail
of half a thousand people after me), I rode to the residence
of the Princess Flavia, and asked if she would receive me.
This step created much interest, and was met with shouts of approval.
The princess was very popular, and the Chancellor himself had
not scrupled to hint to me that the more I pressed my suit,
and the more rapidly I brought it to a prosperous conclusion,
the stronger should I be in the affection of my subjects.
The Chancellor, of course, did not understand the difficulties which
lay in the way of following his loyal and excellent advice.
However, I thought I could do no harm by calling; and in this
view Fritz supported me with a cordiality that surprised me,
until he confessed that he also had his motives for liking a visit
to the princess's house, which motive was no other than a great
desire to see the princess's lady-in-waiting and bosom friend,
the Countess Helga von Strofzin.
Etiquette seconded Fritz's hopes. While I was ushered into
the princess's room, he remained with the countess in the
ante-chamber: in spite of the people and servants who were
hanging about, I doubt not that they managed a tete-a-tete;
but I had no leisure to think of them, for I was playing the most
delicate move in all my difficult game. I had to keep the princess
devoted to me--and yet indifferent to me: I had to show affection
for her--and not feel it. I had to make love for another,
and that to a girl who--princess or no princess--was the most
beautiful I had ever seen. Well, I braced myself to the task,
made no easier by the charmingembarrassment with which I
was received. How I succeeded in carrying out my programme
will appear hereafter.
"You are gaining golden laurels," she said. "You are like the
prince in Shakespeare who was transformed by becoming king.
But I'm forgetting you are King, sire."
"I ask you to speak nothing but what your heart tells you--
and to call me nothing but my name."
She looked at me for a moment.
"Then I'm glad and proud, Rudolf," said she. "Why, as I told you,
your very face is changed."
I acknowledged the compliment, but I disliked the topic; so I said:
"My brother is back, I hear. He made an excursion, didn't he?"
"Yes, he is here," she said, frowning a little.
"He can't stay long from Strelsau, it seems," I observed, smiling.
"Well, we are all glad to see him. The nearer he is, the better."
The princess glanced at me with a gleam of amusement in her eyes.
"Why, cousin? Is it that you can--?"
"See better what he's doing? Perhaps," said I. "And why are you glad?"
"I didn't say I was glad," she answered.
"Some people say so for you."
"There are many insolent people," she said, with delightful haughtiness.
"Possibly you mean that I am one?"
"Your Majesty could not be," she said, curtseying in feigned
deference, but adding, mischievously, after a pause: "Unless,
that is--"
"Well, unless what?"
"Unless you tell me that I mind a snap of my fingers where
the Duke of Strelsau is."
Really, I wished that I had been the King.
"You don't care where cousin Michael--"
"Ah, cousin Michael! I call him the Duke of Strelsau."
"You call him Michael when you meet him?"
"Yes--by the orders of your father."
"I see. And now by mine?"
"If those are your orders."
"Oh, decidedly! We must all be pleasant to our dear Michael."
"You order me to receive his friends, too, I suppose?"
"The Six?"
"You call them that, too?"
"To be in the fashion, I do. But I order you to receive
no one unless you like."
"Except yourself?"
"I pray for myself. I could not order."
As I spoke, there came a cheer from the street. The princess
ran to the window.
"It is he!" she cried. "It is--the Duke of Strelsau!"
I smiled, but said nothing. She returned to her seat. For a few
moments we sat in silence. The noise outside subsided, but I
heard the tread of feet in the ante-room. I began to talk on
general subjects. This went on for some minutes. I wondered
what had become of Michael, but it did not seem to be for me
to interfere. All at once, to my great surprise, Flavia, clasping
her hands asked in an agitated voice:
"Are you wise to make him angry?"
"What? Who? How am I making him angry?"
"Why, by keeping him waiting."
"My dear cousin, I don't want to keep him--"
"Well, then, is he to come in?"
"Of course, if you wish it."
She looked at me curiously.
"How funny you are," she said. "Of course no one could
be announced while I was with you."
Here was a charmingattribute of royalty!
"An excellent etiquette!" I cried. "But I had clean forgotten it;
and if I were alone with someone else, couldn't you be announced?"
"You know as well as I do. I could be, because I am of the Blood;"
"Hush, you fool!" hissed Sapt. "Not so loud! Here's the King!"
A knock sounded on the door. Sapt seized me by the hand.
"Here, quick, to the bedroom! Off with your cap and boots.
Get into bed. Cover everything up."
I did as I was bid. A moment later Sapt looked in, nodded,
grinned, and introduced an extremely smart and deferential
young gentleman, who came up to my bedside, bowing again
and again, and informed me that he was of the household
of the Princess Flavia, and that her Royal Highness had
sent him especially to enquire how the King's health was
after the fatigues which his Majesty had undergone yesterday.
"My best thanks, sir, to my cousin," said I; "and tell her
Royal Highness that I was never better in my life."
"The King," added old Sapt (who, I began to find, loved a good lie
for its own sake), "has slept without a break all night."
The young gentleman (he reminded me of "Osric" in Hamlet)
bowed himself out again. The farce was over, and Fritz von
Tarlenheim's pale face recalled us to reality--though, in faith,
the farce had to be reality for us now.
"Is the King dead?" he whispered.
"Please God, no," said I. "But he's in the hands of Black Michael!"
CHAPTER 8
A Fair Cousin and a Dark Brother
A real king's life is perhaps a hard one; but a pretended king's is,
I warrant, much harder. On the next day, Sapt instructed me
in my duties--what I ought to do and what I ought to know--
for three hours; then I snatched breakfast, with Sapt
still opposite me, telling me that the King always took white wine
in the morning and was known to detest all highly seasoned dishes.
Then came the Chancellor, for another three hours; and to him
I had to explain that the hurt to my finger (we turned that bullet
to happy account) prevented me from writing--whence arose
great to-do, hunting of precedents and so forth, ending in
my "making my mark," and the Chancellor attesting it with
a superfluity of solemn oaths. Then the French ambassador was
introduced, to present his credentials; here my ignorance
was of no importance, as the King would have been equally raw
to the business (we worked through the whole corps diplomatique in the
next few days, a demise of the Crown necessitating all this bother).
Then, at last, I was left alone. I called my new servant
(we had chosen, to succeed poor Josef, a young man who
had never known the King), had a brandy-and-soda brought to me,
and observed to Sapt that I trusted that I might now have a rest.
Fritz von Tarlenheim was standing by.
"By heaven!" he cried, "we waste time. Aren't we going
to throw Black Michael by the heels?"
"Gently, my son, gently," said Sapt, knitting his brows.
"It would be a pleasure, but it might cost us dear.
Would Michael fall and leave the King alive?"
"And," I suggested, "while the King is here in Strelsau,
on his throne, what grievance has he against his dear
brother Michael?"
"Are we to do nothing, then?"
"We're to do nothing stupid," growled Sapt.
"In fact, Fritz," said I, "I am reminded of a situation in one
of our English plays--The Critic--have you heard of it? Or, if you
like, of two men, each covering the other with a revolver. For I can't
expose Michael without exposing myself--"
"And the King," put in Sapt.
"And, hang me if Michael won't expose himself, if he tries
to expose me!"
"It's very pretty," said old Sapt.
"If I'm found out," I pursued, "I will make a clean breast of it,
and fight it out with the duke; but at present I'm waiting for a
move from him."
"He'll kill the King," said Fritz.
"Not he," said Sapt.
"Half of the Six are in Strelsau," said Fritz.
"Only half? You're sure?" asked Sapt eagerly.
"Yes--only half."
"Then the King's alive, for the other three are guarding him!"
cried Sapt.
"Yes--you're right!" exclaimed Fritz, his face brightening.
"If the King were dead and buried, they'd all be here with Michael.
You know Michael's back, colonel?"
"I know, curse him!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said I, "who are the Six?"
"I think you'll make their acquaintance soon," said Sapt.
"They are six gentlemen whom Michael maintains in his household:
they belong to him body and soul. There are three Ruritanians;
then there's a Frenchman, a Belgian, and one of your countrymen."
"They'd all cut a throat if Michael told them," said Fritz.
"Perhaps they'll cut mine," I suggested.
"Nothing more likely," agreed Sapt. "Who are here, Fritz?"
"De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard."
"The foreigners! It's as plain as a pikestaff. He's brought them,
and left the Ruritanians with the King; that's because he wants
to commit the Ruritanians as deep as he can."
"They were none of them among our friends at the lodge, then?" I asked.
"I wish they had been," said Sapt wistfully. "They had been,
not six, but four, by now."
I had already developed one attribute of royalty--a feeling
that I need not reveal all my mind or my secret designs even to
my intimate friends. I had fully resolved on my course of action.
I meant to make myself as popular as I could, and at the same
time to show no disfavour to Michael. By these means I hoped
to allay the hostility of his adherents, and make it appear, if an
open conflict came about, that he was ungrateful and not oppressed.
Yet an open conflict was not what I hoped for.
The King's interest demanded secrecy; and while secrecy lasted,
I had a fine game to play in Strelsau, Michael should not grow
stronger for delay!
I ordered my horse, and, attended by Fritz von Tarlenheim,
rode in the grand new avenue of the Royal Park, returning all
the salutes which I received with punctilious politeness.
Then I rode through a few of the streets, stopped and bought flowers
of a pretty girl, paying her with a piece of gold; and then,
having attracted the desired amount of attention (for I had a trail
of half a thousand people after me), I rode to the residence
of the Princess Flavia, and asked if she would receive me.
This step created much interest, and was met with shouts of approval.
The princess was very popular, and the Chancellor himself had
not scrupled to hint to me that the more I pressed my suit,
and the more rapidly I brought it to a prosperous conclusion,
the stronger should I be in the affection of my subjects.
The Chancellor, of course, did not understand the difficulties which
lay in the way of following his loyal and excellent advice.
However, I thought I could do no harm by calling; and in this
view Fritz supported me with a cordiality that surprised me,
until he confessed that he also had his motives for liking a visit
to the princess's house, which motive was no other than a great
desire to see the princess's lady-in-waiting and bosom friend,
the Countess Helga von Strofzin.
Etiquette seconded Fritz's hopes. While I was ushered into
the princess's room, he remained with the countess in the
ante-chamber: in spite of the people and servants who were
hanging about, I doubt not that they managed a tete-a-tete;
but I had no leisure to think of them, for I was playing the most
delicate move in all my difficult game. I had to keep the princess
devoted to me--and yet indifferent to me: I had to show affection
for her--and not feel it. I had to make love for another,
and that to a girl who--princess or no princess--was the most
beautiful I had ever seen. Well, I braced myself to the task,
made no easier by the charmingembarrassment with which I
was received. How I succeeded in carrying out my programme
will appear hereafter.
"You are gaining golden laurels," she said. "You are like the
prince in Shakespeare who was transformed by becoming king.
But I'm forgetting you are King, sire."
"I ask you to speak nothing but what your heart tells you--
and to call me nothing but my name."
She looked at me for a moment.
"Then I'm glad and proud, Rudolf," said she. "Why, as I told you,
your very face is changed."
I acknowledged the compliment, but I disliked the topic; so I said:
"My brother is back, I hear. He made an excursion, didn't he?"
"Yes, he is here," she said, frowning a little.
"He can't stay long from Strelsau, it seems," I observed, smiling.
"Well, we are all glad to see him. The nearer he is, the better."
The princess glanced at me with a gleam of amusement in her eyes.
"Why, cousin? Is it that you can--?"
"See better what he's doing? Perhaps," said I. "And why are you glad?"
"I didn't say I was glad," she answered.
"Some people say so for you."
"There are many insolent people," she said, with delightful haughtiness.
"Possibly you mean that I am one?"
"Your Majesty could not be," she said, curtseying in feigned
deference, but adding, mischievously, after a pause: "Unless,
that is--"
"Well, unless what?"
"Unless you tell me that I mind a snap of my fingers where
the Duke of Strelsau is."
Really, I wished that I had been the King.
"You don't care where cousin Michael--"
"Ah, cousin Michael! I call him the Duke of Strelsau."
"You call him Michael when you meet him?"
"Yes--by the orders of your father."
"I see. And now by mine?"
"If those are your orders."
"Oh, decidedly! We must all be pleasant to our dear Michael."
"You order me to receive his friends, too, I suppose?"
"The Six?"
"You call them that, too?"
"To be in the fashion, I do. But I order you to receive
no one unless you like."
"Except yourself?"
"I pray for myself. I could not order."
As I spoke, there came a cheer from the street. The princess
ran to the window.
"It is he!" she cried. "It is--the Duke of Strelsau!"
I smiled, but said nothing. She returned to her seat. For a few
moments we sat in silence. The noise outside subsided, but I
heard the tread of feet in the ante-room. I began to talk on
general subjects. This went on for some minutes. I wondered
what had become of Michael, but it did not seem to be for me
to interfere. All at once, to my great surprise, Flavia, clasping
her hands asked in an agitated voice:
"Are you wise to make him angry?"
"What? Who? How am I making him angry?"
"Why, by keeping him waiting."
"My dear cousin, I don't want to keep him--"
"Well, then, is he to come in?"
"Of course, if you wish it."
She looked at me curiously.
"How funny you are," she said. "Of course no one could
be announced while I was with you."
Here was a charmingattribute of royalty!
"An excellent etiquette!" I cried. "But I had clean forgotten it;
and if I were alone with someone else, couldn't you be announced?"
"You know as well as I do. I could be, because I am of the Blood;"
- extremely [ik´stri:mli]
ad.极端地；非常地 (初中英语单词) - princess [,prin´ses] n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人 (初中英语单词)
- majesty [´mædʒisti] n.壮丽；崇高；尊严 (初中英语单词)
- reality [ri´æliti] n.现实(性)；真实；逼真 (初中英语单词)
- solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)
- ambassador [æm´bæsədə] n.大使 (初中英语单词)
- equally [´i:kwəli] ad.相等地；平等地 (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- knitting [´nitiŋ] n.编织(物)；接合；联合 (初中英语单词)
- expose [ik´spəuz] vt.揭露，暴露；陈列 (初中英语单词)
- waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)
- acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)
- frenchman [´frentʃmən] n.法国人 (初中英语单词)
- throat [θrəut] n.咽喉；嗓子；出入口 (初中英语单词)
- commit [kə´mit] vt.犯(罪)；把...判处 (初中英语单词)
- attribute [ə´tribju:t] n.象征 vt.归因于 (初中英语单词)
- intimate [´intimit] a.亲密的 n.知己 (初中英语单词)
- conflict [´kɔnflikt, kən´flikt] n.&vi.战斗；抵触 (初中英语单词)
- amount [ə´maunt] n.总数；数量 v.合计 (初中英语单词)
- prosperous [´prɔspərəs] a.繁荣的；顺利的 (初中英语单词)
- affection [ə´fekʃən] n.友爱；慈爱 (初中英语单词)
- motive [´məutiv] n.动机；主题 a.运动的 (初中英语单词)
- charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)
- shakespeare [´ʃeikspiə] n.莎士比亚 (初中英语单词)
- amusement [ə´mju:zmənt] n.娱乐；文娱设施 (初中英语单词)
- delightful [di´laitful] a.讨人喜欢的 (初中英语单词)
- interfere [,intə´fiə] vi.干涉；妨碍；打扰 (初中英语单词)
- highness [´hainis] n.高，高贵，高尚 (高中英语单词)
- chancellor [´tʃɑ:nsələ] n.首相；大臣 (高中英语单词)
- ending [´endiŋ] n.结尾，结局 (高中英语单词)
- throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)
- hostility [hɔ´stiliti] n.敌意 战斗(争) (高中英语单词)
- leisure [´leʒə] n.空闲；悠闲；安定 (高中英语单词)
- indifferent [in´difrənt] a.不关心的；中立的 (高中英语单词)
- compliment [´kɔmplimənt] n.敬意 vt.赞美；祝贺 (高中英语单词)
- bedside [´bedsaid] n.床边 a.护理的 (英语四级单词)
- warrant [´wɔrənt] n.根据；委任书；权利 (英语四级单词)
- detest [di´test] vt.痛恨，憎恶 (英语四级单词)
- grievance [´gri:vəns] n.不平；冤情；抱怨 (英语四级单词)
- revolver [ri´vɔlvə] n.左轮手枪；旋转者 (英语四级单词)
- belgian [´beldʒən] n.&a.比利时人(的) (英语四级单词)
- resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)
- secrecy [´si:krəsi] n.保密；秘密 (英语四级单词)
- embarrassment [im´bærəsmənt] n.窘迫；困惑；为难 (英语四级单词)
- excursion [ik´skə:ʃən] n.短途旅行，游览；离题 (英语四级单词)
- undergone [,ʌndə´gɔn] undergo的过去分词 (英语六级单词)
- hunting [´hʌntiŋ] n.打猎 (英语六级单词)
- wistfully [´wistfuli] ad.渴望地；不满足地 (英语六级单词)
- calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)
- liking [´laikiŋ] n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 (英语六级单词)
- countess [´kauntis] n.伯爵夫人；女伯爵 (英语六级单词)
- insolent [´insələnt] a.傲慢的；无礼的 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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