the mad king-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



After　breathing　his　mount　for　a　few　minutes　Barney　swung　himself　into　the　saddle　again　and　set　off　toward　Tafelberg。　　He　met　no　one　upon　the　road；　nor　within　the　outskirts　of　the　village；　and　so　he　came　to　the　door　of　the　shop　he　sought　without　attracting　attention。

Swinging　to　the　ground　he　tied　the　pony　to　one　of　the　supporting　columns　of　the　porch…roof　and　a　moment　later　had　stepped　within　the　shop。

From　a　back　room　the　shopkeeper　presently　emerged；　and　when　he　saw　who　it　was　that　stood　before　him　his　eyes　went　wide　in　consternation。

〃In　the　name　of　all　the　saints；　your　majesty；〃　cried　the　old　fellow；　〃what　has　happened？　　How　comes　it　that　you　are　out　of　the　hospital；　and　travel…stained　as　though　from　a　long；　hard　ride？　　I　cannot　understand　it；　sire。〃

〃Hospital？〃　queried　the　young　man。　　〃What　do　you　mean；　my　good　fellow？　　I　have　been　in　no　hospital。〃

〃You　were　there　only　last　evening　when　I　inquired　after　you　of　the　doctor；〃　insisted　the　shopkeeper；　〃nor　did　any　there　yet　suspect　your　true　identity。〃

〃Last　evening　I　was　hiding　far　up　in　the　mountains　from　Yellow　Franz's　band　of　cutthroats；〃　replied　Barney。　　〃Tell　me　what　manner　of　riddle　you　are　propounding。〃

Then　a　sudden　light　of　understanding　flashed　through　Barney's　mind。

〃Man！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Tell　meyou　have　found　the　true　king？　　He　is　at　a　hospital　in　Tafelberg？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　I　have　found　the　true　king；　and　it　is　so　that　he　was　at　the　Tafelberg　sanatorium　last　evening。　　It　was　beside　the　remnants　of　your　wrecked　automobile　that　two　of　the　men　of　Tafelberg　found　you。

〃One　leg　was　pinioned　beneath　the　machine　which　was　on　fire　when　they　discovered　you。　　They　brought　you　to　my　shop；　which　is　the　first　on　the　road　into　town；　and　not　guessing　your　true　identity　they　took　my　word　for　it　that　you　were　an　old　acquaintance　of　mine　and　without　more　ado　turned　you　over　to　my　care。〃

Barney　scratched　his　head　in　puzzled　bewilderment。　　He　began　to　doubt　if　he　were　in　truth　himself；　or；　after　all；　Leopold　of　Lutha。　　As　no　one　but　himself　could；　by　the　wildest　stretch　of　imagination；　have　been　in　such　a　position；　he　was　almost　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　all　that　had　passed　since　the　instant　that　his　car　shot　over　the　edge　of　the　road　into　the　ravine　had　been　but　the　hallucinations　of　a　fever…excited　brain；　and　that　for　the　past　three　weeks　he　had　been　lying　in　a　hospital　cot　instead　of　experiencing　the　strange　and　inexplicable　adventures　that　he　had　believed　to　have　befallen　him。

But　yet　the　more　he　thought　of　it　the　more　ridiculous　such　a　conclusion　appeared；　for　it　did　not　in　the　least　explain　the　pony　tethered　without；　which　he　plainly　could　see　from　where　he　stood　within　the　shop；　nor　did　it　satisfactorily　ac…　count　for　the　blotch　of　blood　upon　his　shoulder　from　a　wound　so　fresh　that　the　stain　still　was　damp；　nor　for　the　sword　which　Joseph　had　buckled　about　his　waist　within　Blentz's　forbidding　walls；　nor　for　the　arms　and　ammunition　he　had　taken　from　the　dead　brigandsall　of　which　he　had　before　him　as　tangible　evidence　of　the　rationality　of　the　past　few　weeks。

〃My　friend；〃　said　Barney　at　last；　〃I　cannot　wonder　that　you　have　mistaken　me　for　the　king；　since　all　those　I　have　met　within　Lutha　have　leaped　to　the　same　error；　though　not　one　among　them　made　the　slightest　pretense　of　ever　having　seen　his　majesty。　　A　ridiculous　beard　started　the　trouble；　and　later　a　series　of　happenings；　no　one　of　which　was　particularly　remarkable　in　itself；　aggravated　it；　until　but　a　moment　since　I　myself　was　almost　upon　the　point　of　believing　that　I　am　the　king。

〃But；　my　dear　Herr　Kramer；　I　am　not　the　king；　and　when　you　have　accompanied　me　to　the　hospital　and　seen　that　your　patient　still　is　there；　you　may　be　willing　to　admit　that　there　is　some　justification　for　doubt　as　to　my　royalty。〃

The　old　man　shook　his　head。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　he　said；　〃for　he　who　lies　at　the　hospital；　providing　you　are　not　he；　or　he　you；　maintains　as　sturdily　as　do　you　that　he　is　not　Leopold。　　If　one　of　you；　whichever　be　kingproviding　that　you　are　not　one　and　the　same；　and　that　I　be　not　the　only　maniac　in　the　sad　muddleif　one　of　you　would　but　trust　my　loyalty　and　love　for　the　true　king　and　admit　your　identity；　then　I　might　be　of　some　real　service　to　that　one　of　you　who　is　really　Leo…　pold。　　Herr　Gott！　　My　words　are　as　mixed　as　my　poor　brain。〃

〃If　you　will　listen　to　me；　Herr　Kramer；〃　said　Barney；　〃and　believe　what　I　tell　you；　I　shall　be　able　to　unscramble　your　ideas　in　so　far　as　they　pertain　to　me　and　my　identity。　　As　to　the　man　you　say　was　found　beneath　my　car；　and　who　now　lies　in　the　sanatorium　of　Tafelberg；　I　cannot　say　until　I　have　seen　and　talked　with　him。　　He　may　be　the　king　and　he　may　not；　but　if　he　insists　that　he　is　not；　I　shall　be　the　last　to　wish　a　kingship　upon　him。　　I　know　from　sad　experience　the　hardships　and　burdens　that　the　thing　entails。〃

Then　Barney　narrated　carefully　and　in　detail　the　principal　events　of　his　life；　from　his　birth　in　Beatrice　to　his　coming　to　Lutha　upon　pleasure。　　He　showed　Herr　Kramer　his　watch　with　his　monogram　upon　it；　his　seal　ring；　and　inside　the　pocket　of　his　coat　the　label　of　his　tailor；　with　his　own　name　written　beneath　it　and　the　date　that　the　garment　had　been　ordered。

When　he　had　completed　his　narrative　the　old　man　shook　his　head。

〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　yet　I　am　almost　forced　to　believe　that　you　are　not　the　king。〃

〃Direct　me　to　the　sanatorium；〃　suggested　Barney；　〃and　if　it　be　within　the　range　of　possibility　I　shall　learn　whether　the　man　who　lies　there　is　Leopold　or　another；　and　if　he　be　the　king　I　shall　serve　him　as　loyally　as　you　would　have　served　me。　　Together　we　may　assist　him　to　gain　the　safety　of　Tann　and　the　protection　of　old　Prince　Ludwig。〃

〃If　you　are　not　the　king；〃　said　Kramer　suspiciously；　〃why　should　you　be　so　interested　in　aiding　Leopold？　　You　may　even　be　an　enemy。　　How　can　I　know？〃

〃You　cannot　know；　my　good　friend；〃　replied　Barney。　　〃But　had　I　been　an　enemy；　how　much　more　easily　might　I　have　encompassed　my　designs；　whatever　they　might　have　been；　had　I　encouraged　you　to　believe　that　I　was　king。　　The　fact　that　I　did　not；　must　assure　you　that　I　have　no　ulterior　designs　against　Leopold。〃

This　line　of　reasoning　proved　quite　convincing　to　the　old　shopkeeper；　and　at　last　he　consented　to　lead　Barney　to　the　sanatorium。　　Together　they　traversed　the　quiet　village　streets　to　the　outskirts　of　the　town；　where　in　large；　park…like　grounds　the　well…known　sanatorium　of　Tafelberg　is　situated　in　quiet　surroundings。　　It　is　an　institution　for　the　treatment　of　nervous　diseases　to　which　patients　are　brought　from　all　parts　of　Europe；　and　is　doubtless　Lutha's　principal　claim　upon　the　attention　of　the　outer　world。

As　the　two　crossed　the　gardens　which　lay　between　the　gate　and　the　main　entrance　and　mounted　the　broad　steps　leading　to　the　veranda　an　old　servant　opened　the　door；　and　recognizing　Herr　Kramer；　nodded　pleasantly　to　him。

〃Your　patient　seems　much　brighter　this　morning；　Herr　Kramer；〃　he　said；　〃and　has　been　asking　to　be　allowed　to　sit　up。〃

〃He　is　still　here；　then？〃　questioned　the　shopkeeper　with　a　sigh　that　might　have　indicated　either　relief　or　resignation。

〃Why；　certainly。　　You　did　not　expect　that　he　had　entirely　recovered　overnight；　did　you？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Herr　Kramer；　〃not　exactly。　　In　fact；　I　did　not　know　what　I　should　expect。〃

As　the　two　passed　him　on　their　way　to　the　room　in　which　the　patient　lay；　the　servant　eyed　Herr　Kramer　in　surprise；　as　though　wondering　what　had　occurred　to　his　mentality　since　he　had　seen　him　the　previous　day。　　He　paid　no　attention　to　Barney　other　than　to　bow　to　him　as　he　passed；　but　there　was　another　who　didan　attendant　standing　in　the　hallway　through　which　the　two　men　walked　toward　the　private　room　where　one　of　them　expected　to　find　the　real　mad　king　of　Lutha。

He　was　a　dark…visaged　fellow；　sallow　and　small…eyed；　and　as　his　glance　rested　upon　the　features　of　the　American　a　puzzled　expression　crossed　his　face。　　He　let　his　gaze　follow　the　two　as　they　moved　on　up　the　corridor　until　they　turned　in　at　the　door　of　the　room　they　sought；　then　he　followed　them；　entering　an　apartment　next　to　that　in　which　Herr　Kramer's　patient　lay。

As　Barney　and　the　shopkeeper　entered　the　small；　white…　washed　room；　the　former　saw　upon　the　narrow　iron　cot　the　figure　of　a　man　of　about　his　own　height。　　The　face　that　turned　toward　them　as　they　entered　was　covered　by　a　full；　reddish…　brown　beard；　and　the　eyes　that　looked　up　at　them　in　trou…　bled　surprise　were　gray。　　Beyond　these　Barney　could　see　no　likenesses　to　himself；　yet　they　were　sufficient；　he　realized；　to　have　deceived　any　who　might　have　compared　one　solely　to　the　printed　description　of　the　other。

At　the　doorway　Kramer　halted；　motioning　Barney　within。

〃It　will　be　better　if　you　talk　with　him　alone；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　sure　that　before　both　of　us　he　will　admit　nothing。〃

Barney　nodded；　and　the　shopkeeper　of　Tafelberg　with…　drew　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　　The　American　ap…　proached　the　bedside　with　a　cheery　〃Good　morning。〃

The　man　returned　the　salutation　with　a　slight　inclination　of　his　head。　　There　was　a　questioning　look　in　his　eyes；　but　dominating　that　was　a　pitiful；　hunted　expression　that　touched　the　American's　heart。

The　man's　left　hand　lay　upon　the　coverlet。　　Barney　glanced　at　the　third　finger。　　About　it　was　a　plain　gold　band。　　There　was　no　royal　ring　of　the　kings　of　Lutha　in　evidence；　yet　that　was　no　indication　that　the　man　was　not　Leopold；　for　were　he　the　king　and　desirous　of　concealing　his　identity；　his　first　act　would　be　to　remove　every　symbol　of　his　kingship。

Barney　took　the　hand　in　his。

〃They　tell　me　that　you　are　well　on　the　road　to　recovery；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　very　glad　that　it　is　so。〃

〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　man。

〃I　am　Bernard　Custer；　an　American。　　You　were　found　beneath　my　car　at　the　bottom　of　a　ravine。　　I　feel　that　I　owe　you　full　reparation　for　the　injuries　you　received；　though　it　is　beyond　me　how　you　happened　to　be　found　under　the　machine。　　Unless　I　am　truly　mad；　I　was　the　only　occupant　of　the　roadster　when　it　plunged　over　the　embankment。〃

〃It　is　very　simple；〃　replied　the　man　upon　the　cot。　　〃I　chanced　to　be　at　the　bottom　of　the　ravine　at　the　time　and　the　car　fell　upon　me。〃

〃What　were　y