the mad king-第1部分

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The　Mad　King

by　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs



PART　I


I

A　RUNAWAY　HORSE


ALL　LUSTADT　was　in　an　uproar。　　The　mad　king　had　es…　caped。　　Little　knots　of　excited　men　stood　upon　the　street　corners　listening　to　each　latest　rumor　concerning　this　most　absorbing　occurrence。　　Before　the　palace　a　great　crowd　surged　to　and　fro；　awaiting　they　knew　not　what。

For　ten　years　no　man　of　them　had　set　eyes　upon　the　face　of　the　boy…king　who　had　been　hastened　to　the　grim　castle　of　Blentz　upon　the　death　of　the　old　king；　his　father。

There　had　been　murmurings　then　when　the　lad's　uncle；　Peter　of　Blentz；　had　announced　to　the　people　of　Lutha　the　sudden　mental　affliction　which　had　fallen　upon　his　nephew；　and　more　murmurings　for　a　time　after　the　announcement　that　Peter　of　Blentz　had　been　appointed　Regent　during　the　lifetime　of　the　young　King　Leopold；　〃or　until　God；　in　His　infinite　mercy；　shall　see　fit　to　restore　to　us　in　full　mental　vigor　our　beloved　monarch。〃

But　ten　years　is　a　long　time。　　The　boy…king　had　become　but　a　vague　memory　to　the　subjects　who　could　recall　him　at　all。

There　were　many；　of　course；　in　the　capital　city；　Lustadt；　who　still　retained　a　mental　picture　of　the　handsome　boy　who　had　ridden　out　nearly　every　morning　from　the　palace　gates　beside　the　tall；　martial　figure　of　the　old　king；　his　father；　for　a　canter　across　the　broad　plain　which　lies　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain　town　of　Lustadt；　but　even　these　had　long　since　given　up　hope　that　their　young　king　would　ever　ascend　his　throne；　or　even　that　they　should　see　him　alive　again。

Peter　of　Blentz　had　not　proved　a　good　or　kind　ruler。　Taxes　had　doubled　during　his　regency。　　Executives　and　ju…　diciary；　following　the　example　of　their　chief；　had　become　tyrannical　and　corrupt。　　For　ten　years　there　had　been　small　joy　in　Lutha。

There　had　been　whispered　rumors　off　and　on　that　the　young　king　was　dead　these　many　years；　but　not　even　in　whispers　did　the　men　of　Lutha　dare　voice　the　name　of　him　whom　they　believed　had　caused　his　death。　　For　lesser　things　they　had　seen　their　friends　and　neighbors　thrown　into　the　hitherto　long…unused　dungeons　of　the　royal　castle。

And　now　came　the　rumor　that　Leopold　of　Lutha　had　es…　caped　the　Castle　of　Blentz　and　was　roaming　somewhere　in　the　wild　mountains　or　ravines　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　plain　of　Lustadt。

Peter　of　Blentz　was　filled　with　rage　and；　possibly；　fear　as　well。

〃I　tell　you；　Coblich；〃　he　cried；　addressing　his　dark…visaged　minister　of　war；　there's　more　than　coincidence　in　this　matter。　　Someone　has　betrayed　us。　　That　he　should　have　es…　caped　upon　the　very　eve　of　the　arrival　at　Blentz　of　the　new　physician　is　most　suspicious。　　None　but　you；　Coblich；　had　knowledge　of　the　part　that　Dr。　Stein　was　destined　to　play　in　this　matter；〃　concluded　Prince　Peter　pointedly。

Coblich　looked　the　Regent　full　in　the　eye。

〃Your　highness　wrongs　not　only　my　loyalty；　but　my　intel…　ligence；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃by　even　so　much　as　intimating　that　I　have　any　guilty　knowledge　of　Leopold's　escape。　　With　Leopold　upon　the　throne　of　Lutha；　where；　think　you；　my　prince；　would　old　Coblich　be？〃

Peter　smiled。

〃You　are　right；　Coblich；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　that　you　would　not　be　such　a　fool；　but　whom；　then；　have　we　to　thank？〃

〃The　walls　have　ears；　prince；〃　replied　Coblich；　〃and　we　have　not　always　been　as　careful　as　we　should　in　discussing　the　matter。　　Something　may　have　come　to　the　ears　of　old　Von　der　Tann。　　I　don't　for　a　moment　doubt　but　that　he　has　his　spies　among　the　palace　servants；　or　even　the　guard。　　You　know　the　old　fox　has　always　made　it　a　point　to　curry　favor　with　the　common　soldiers。　　When　he　was　minister　of　war　he　treated　them　better　than　he　did　his　officers。〃

〃It　seems　strange；　Coblich；　that　so　shrewd　a　man　as　you　should　have　been　unable　to　discover　some　irregularity　in　the　political　life　of　Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　before　now；〃　said　the　prince　querulously。　　〃He　is　the　greatest　men…　ace　to　our　peace　and　sovereignty。　　With　Von　der　Tann　out　of　the　way　there　would　be　none　powerful　enough　to　ques…　tion　our　right　to　the　throne　of　Luthaafter　poor　Leopold　passes　away。〃

〃You　forget　that　Leopold　has　escaped；〃　suggested　Coblich；　〃and　that　there　is　no　immediate　prospect　of　his　passing　away。〃

〃He　must　be　retaken　at　once；　Coblich！〃　cried　Prince　Peter　of　Blentz。　　〃He　is　a　dangerous　maniac；　and　we　must　make　this　fact　plain　to　the　peoplethis　and　a　thorough　descrip…　tion　of　him。　　A　handsome　reward　for　his　safe　return　to　Blentz　might　not　be　out　of　the　way；　Coblich。〃

〃It　shall　be　done；　your　highness；〃　replied　Coblich。　　〃And　about　Von　der　Tann？　You　have　never　spoken　to　me　quite　soaherpointedly　before。　　He　hunts　a　great　deal　in　the　Old　Forest。　　It　might　be　possiblein　fact；　it　has　happened；　beforethere　are　many　accidents　in　hunting；　are　there　not；　your　highness？〃

〃There　are；　Coblich；〃　replied　the　prince；　〃and　if　Leopold　is　able　he　will　make　straight　for　the　Tann；　so　that　there　may　be　two　hunting　together　in　a　day　or　so；　Coblich。〃

〃I　understand；　your　highness；〃　replied　the　minister。　　〃With　your　permission；　I　shall　go　at　once　and　dispatch　troops　to　search　the　forest　for　Leopold。　　Captain　Maenck　will　command　them。〃

〃Good；　Coblich！　Maenck　is　a　most　intelligent　and　loyal　officer。　　We　must　reward　him　well。　　A　baronetcy；　at　least；　if　he　handles　this　matter　well；〃　said　Peter。　　〃It　might　not　be　a　bad　plan　to　hint　at　as　much　to　him；　Coblich。〃

And　so　it　happened　that　shortly　thereafter　Captain　Ernst　Maenck；　in　command　of　a　troop　of　the　Royal　Horse　Guards　of　Lutha；　set　out　toward　the　Old　Forest；　which　lies　beyond　the　mountains　that　are　visible　upon　the　other　side　of　the　plain　stretching　out　before　Lustadt。　　At　the　same　time　other　troopers　rode　in　many　directions　along　the　highways　and　byways　of　Lutha；　tacking　placards　upon　trees　and　fence　posts　and　beside　the　doors　of　every　little　rural　post　office。

The　placard　told　of　the　escape　of　the　mad　king；　offering　a　large　reward　for　his　safe　return　to　Blentz。

It　was　the　last　paragraph　especially　which　caused　a　young　man；　the　following　day　in　the　little　hamlet　of　Tafelberg；　to　whistle　as　he　carefully　read　it　over。

〃I　am　glad　that　I　am　not　the　mad　king　of　Lutha；〃　he　said　as　he　paid　the　storekeeper　for　the　gasoline　he　had　just　pur…　chased　and　stepped　into　the　gray　roadster　for　whose　greedy　maw　it　was　destined。

〃Why；　mein　Herr？〃　asked　the　man。

〃This　notice　practically　gives　immunity　to　whoever　shoots　down　the　king；〃　replied　the　traveler。　　〃Worse　still；　it　gives　such　an　account　of　the　maniacal　ferocity　of　the　fugitive　as　to　warrant　anyone　in　shooting　him　on　sight。〃

As　the　young　man　spoke　the　storekeeper　had　examined　his　face　closely　for　the　first　time。　　A　shrewd　look　came　into　the　man's　ordinarily　stolid　countenance。　　He　leaned　forward　quite　close　to　the　other's　ear。

〃We　of　Lutha；〃　he　whispered；　〃love　our　'mad　king'no　reward　could　be　offered　that　would　tempt　us　to　betray　him。　　　Even　in　self…protection　we　would　not　kill　him；　we　of　the　mountains　who　remember　him　as　a　boy　and　loved　his　father　and　his　grandfather；　before　him。

〃But　there　are　the　scum　of　the　low　country　in　the　army　these　days；　who　would　do　anything　for　money；　and　it　is　these　that　the　king　must　guard　against。　　I　could　not　help　but　note　that　mein　Herr　spoke　too　perfect　German　for　a　foreigner。　　　Were　I　in　mein　Herr's　place；　I　should　speak　mostly　the　English；　and；　too；　I　should　shave　off　the　'full；　reddish…brown　beard。'〃

Whereupon　the　storekeeper　turned　hastily　back　into　his　shop；　leaving　Barney　Custer　of　Beatrice；　Nebraska；　U。S。A。；　to　wonder　if　all　the　inhabitants　of　Lutha　were　afflicted　with　a　mental　disorder　similar　to　that　of　the　unfortunate　ruler。　

〃I　don't　wonder；〃　soliloquized　the　young　man；　〃that　he　ad…　vised　me　to　shave　off　this　ridiculous　crop　of　alfalfa。　　Hang　election　bets；　anyway；　if　things　had　gone　half　right　I　shouldn't　have　had　to　wear　this　badge　of　idiocy。　　And　to　think　that　it's　got　to　be　for　a　whole　month　longer！　A　year's　a　mighty　long　while　at　best；　but　a　year　in　company　with　a　full　set　of　red　whiskers　is　an　eternity。〃

The　road　out　of　Tafelberg　wound　upward　among　tall　trees　toward　the　pass　that　would　lead　him　across　the　next　some　excellent　shooting。　　All　his　life　Barney　had　promised　himself　that　some　day　he　should　visit　his　mother's　native　land；　and　now　that　he　was　here　he　found　it　as　wild　and　beautiful　as　she　had　said　it　would　be。

Neither　his　mother　nor　his　father　had　ever　returned　to　the　little　country　since　the　day；　thirty　years　before；　that　the　big　American　had　literally　stolen　his　bride　away；　escaping　across　the　border　but　a　scant　half…hour　ahead　of　the　pursuing　troop　of　Luthanian　cavalry。　　Barney　had　often　wondered　why　it　was　that　neither　of　them　would　ever　speak　of　those　days；　or　of　the　early　life　of　his　mother；　Victoria　Rubinroth；　though　of　the　beauties　of　her　native　land　Mrs。　Custer　never　tired　of　talking。

Barney　Custer　was　thinking　of　these　things　as　his　machine　wound　up　the　picturesque　road。　　Just　before　him　was　a　long；　heavy　grade；　and　as　he　took　it　with　open　muffler　the　chug…　ging　of　his　motor　drowned　the　sound　of　pounding　hoof　beats　rapidly　approaching　behind　him。

It　was　not　until　he　topped　the　grade　that　he　heard　any…　thing　unusual；　and　at　the　same　instant　a　girl　on　horseback　tore　past　him。　　The　speed　of　the　animal　would　have　been　enough　to　have　told　him　that　it　was　beyond　the　control　of　its　frail　rider；　even　without　the　added　testimony　of　the　broken　bit　that　dangled　beneath　the　tensely　outstretched　chin。

Foam　flecked　the　beast's　neck　and　shoulders。　　It　was　evi…　dent　that　the　horse　had　been　running　for　some　distance；　yet　its　speed　was　still　that　of　the　thoroughly　frightened　runaway。

The　road　at　the　point　where　the　animal　had　passed　Custer　was　cut　from　the　hillside。　　At　the　left　an　embankment　rose　steeply　to　a　height　of　ten　or　fifteen　feet。　　On　the　right　there　was　a　drop　of　a　hundred　feet　or　more　into　a　wooded　ravine。　　　Ahead；　the　road　apparently　ran　quite　straight　and　smooth　for　a　considerable　distance。

Barney　Custer　knew　that　so　long　as　the　road　ran　straight　the　girl　might　be　safe　enough；　for　she　was　evidently　an　excellent　horsewoman；　but　be　also　knew　that　if　there　should　be　a　sharp　turn　to　the　left　ahead；　the　horse　in　his　blind　fright　would　in　all　probability　dash　headlong　into　the　ravine　belo