the mad king-第14部分

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　fell　upon　me。〃

〃What　were　you　doing　at　the　bottom　of　the　ravine？〃　asked　Barney　quite　suddenly；　after　the　manner　of　one　who　ad…　ministers　a　third　degree。

The　man　started　and　flushed　with　suspicion。

〃That　is　my　own　affair；〃　he　said。

He　tried　to　disengage　his　hand　from　Barney's；　and　as　he　did　so　the　American　felt　something　within　the　fingers　of　the　other。　　For　an　instant　his　own　fingers　tightened　upon　those　that　lay　within　them；　so　that　as　the　others　were　withdrawn　his　index　finger　pressed　close　upon　the　thing　that　had　aroused　his　curiosity。

It　was　a　large　setting　turned　inward　upon　the　third　finger　of　the　left　hand。　　The　gold　band　that　Barney　had　seen　was　but　the　opposite　side　of　the　same　ring。

A　quick　look　of　comprehension　came　to　Barney's　eyes。　　The　man　upon　the　cot　evidently　noted　it　and　rightly　interpreted　its　cause；　for；　having　freed　his　hand；　he　now　slipped　it　quickly　beneath　the　coverlet。

〃I　have　passed　through　a　series　of　rather　remarkable　ad…　ventures　since　I　came　to　Lutha；〃　said　Barney　apparently　quite　irrelevantly；　after　the　two　had　remained　silent　for　a　moment。　　〃Shortly　after　my　car　fell　upon　you　I　was　mistaken　for　the　fugitive　King　Leopold　by　the　young　lady　whose　horse　fell　into　the　ravine　with　my　car。　　She　is　a　most　loyal　supporter　of　the　king；　being　none　other　than　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann。　　From　her　I　learned　to　espouse　the　cause　of　Leopold。〃

Step　by　step　Barney　took　the　man　through　the　adventures　that　had　befallen　him　during　the　past　three　weeks；　closing　with　the　story　of　the　death　of　the　boy；　Rudolph。

〃Above　his　dead　body　I　swore　to　serve　Leopold　of　Lutha　as　loyally　as　the　poor；　mistaken　child　had　served　me；　your　majesty；〃　and　Barney　looked　straight　into　the　eyes　of　him　who　lay　upon　the　little　iron　cot。

For　a　moment　the　man　held　his　eyes　upon　those　of　the　American；　but　finally；　under　the　latter's　steady　gaze；　they　dropped　and　wandered。

〃Why　do　you　address　me　as　'your　majesty'？〃　he　asked　irritably。

〃With　my　forefinger　I　felt　the　ruby　and　the　four　wings　of　the　setting　of　the　royal　ring　of　the　kings　of　Lutha　upon　the　third　finger　of　your　left　hand；〃　replied　Barney。

The　king　started　up　upon　his　elbow；　his　eyes　wild　with　apprehension。

〃It　is　not　so；〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　a　lie！　　I　am　not　the　king。〃

〃Hush！〃　admonished　Barney。　　〃You　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me。　　There　are　good　friends　and　loyal　subjects　in　plenty　to　serve　and　protect　your　majesty；　and　place　you　upon　the　throne　that　has　been　stolen　from　you。　　I　have　sworn　to　serve　you。　　The　old　shopkeeper；　Herr　Kramer；　who　brought　me　here；　is　an　honest；　loyal　old　soul。　　He　would　die　for　you；　your　majesty。　　Trust　us。　　Let　us　help　you。　　Tomorrow；　Kramer　tells　me；　Peter　of　Blentz　is　to　have　himself　crowned　as　king　in　the　cathedral　at　Lustadt。

〃Will　you　sit　supinely　by　and　see　another　rob　you　of　your　kingdom；　and　then　continue　to　rob　and　throttle　your　sub…　jects　as　he　has　been　doing　for　the　past　ten　years？　　No；　you　will　not。　　Even　if　you　do　not　want　the　crown；　you　were　born　to　the　duties　and　obligations　it　entails；　and　for　the　sake　of　your　people　you　must　assume　them　now。〃

〃How　am　I　to　know　that　you　are　not　another　of　the　creatures　of　that　fiend　of　Blentz？〃　cried　the　king。　　〃How　am　I　to　know　that　you　will　not　drag　me　back　to　the　terrors　of　that　awful　castle；　and　to　the　poisonous　potions　of　the　new　physician　Peter　has　employed　to　assassinate　me？　　I　can　trust　none。

〃Go　away　and　leave　me。　　I　do　not　want　to　be　king。　　I　wish　only　to　go　away　as　far　from　Lutha　as　I　can　get　and　pass　the　balance　of　my　life　in　peace　and　security。　　Peter　may　have　the　crown。　　He　is　welcome　to　it；　for　all　of　me。　　All　I　ask　is　my　life　and　my　liberty。〃

Barney　saw　that　while　the　king　was　evidently　of　sound　mind；　his　was　not　one　of　those　iron　characters　and　coura…　geous　hearts　that　would　willingly　fight　to　the　death　for　his　own　rights　and　the　rights　and　happiness　of　his　people。　　Per…　haps　the　long　years　of　bitter　disappointment　and　misery；　the　tedious　hours　of　imprisonment；　and　the　constant　haunt…　ing　fears　for　his　life　had　reduced　him　to　this　pitiable　condi…　tion。

Whatever　the　cause；　Barney　Custer　was　determined　to　overcome　the　man's　aversion　to　assuming　the　duties　which　were　rightly　his；　for　in　his　memory　were　the　words　of　Emma　von　der　Tann；　in　which　she　had　made　plain　to　him　the　fate　that　would　doubtless　befall　her　father　and　his　house　were　Peter　of　Blentz　to　become　king　of　Lutha。　　Then；　too；　there　was　the　life　of　the　little　peasant　boy。　　Was　that　to　be　given　up　uselessly　for　a　king　with　so　mean　a　spirit　that　he　would　not　take　a　scepter　when　it　was　forced　upon　him？

And　the　people　of　Lutha？　　Were　they　to　be　further　and　continually　robbed　and　downtrodden　beneath　the　heel　of　Peter's　scoundrelly　officials　because　their　true　king　chose　to　evade　the　responsibilities　that　were　his　by　birth？

For　half　an　hour　Barney　pleaded　and　argued　with　the　king；　until　he　infused　in　the　weak　character　of　the　young　man　a　part　of　his　own　tireless　enthusiasm　and　courage。　Leopold　commenced　to　take　heart　and　see　things　in　a　brighter　and　more　engaging　light。　　Finally　he　became　quite　excited　about　the　prospects；　and　at　last　Barney　obtained　a　willing　promise　from　him　that　he　would　consent　to　being　placed　upon　his　throne　and　would　go　to　Lustadt　at　any　time　that　Barney　should　come　for　him　with　a　force　from　the　retainers　of　Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann。

〃Let　us　hope；〃　cried　the　king；　〃that　the　luck　of　the　reign…　ing　house　of　Lutha　has　been　at　last　restored。　　Not　since　my　aunt；　the　Princess　Victoria；　ran　away　with　a　foreigner　has　good　fortune　shone　upon　my　house。　　It　was　when　my　father　was　still　a　young　manbefore　he　had　yet　come　to　the　throneand　though　his　reign　was　marked　with　great　peace　and　prosperity　for　the　people　of　Lutha；　his　own　private　fortunes　were　most　unhappy。

〃My　mother　died　at　my　birth；　and　the　last　days　of　my　father's　life　were　filled　with　suffering　from　the　cancer　that　was　slowly　killing　him。　　Let　us　pray；　Herr　Custer；　that　you　have　brought　new　life　to　the　fortunes　of　my　house。〃

〃Amen；　your　majesty；〃　said　Barney。　　〃And　now　I'll　be　off　for　Tannthere　must　not　be　a　moment　lost　if　we　are　to　bring　you　to　Lustadt　in　time　for　the　coronation。　　Herr　Kramer　will　watch　over　you；　but　as　none　here　guesses　your　true　identity　you　are　safer　here　than　anywhere　else　in　Lutha。　Good…bye；　your　majesty。　　Be　of　good　heart。　　We'll　have　you　on　the　road　to　Lustadt　and　the　throne　tomorrow　morning。〃

After　Barney　Custer　had　closed　the　door　of　the　king's　chamber　behind　him　and　hurried　down　the　corridor；　the　door　of　the　room　next　the　king's　opened　quietly　and　a　dark…　visaged　fellow；　sallow　and　small…eyed；　emerged。　　Upon　his　lips　was　a　smile　of　cunning　satisfaction；　as　he　hastened　to　the　office　of　the　medical　director　and　obtained　a　leave　of　absence　for　twenty…four　hours。




VIII

THE　CORONATION　DAY

TOWARD　DUSK　of　the　day　upon　which　the　mad　king　of　Lutha　had　been　found；　a　dust…covered　horseman　reined　in　before　the　great　gate　of　the　castle　of　Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann。　The　unsettled　political　conditions　which　overhung　the　little　kingdom　of　Lutha　were　evident　in　the　return　to　medievalism　which　the　raised　portcullis　and　the　armed　guard　upon　the　barbican　of　the　ancient　feudal　fortress　revealed。　　Not　for　a　hundred　years　before　had　these　things　been　done　other　than　as　a　part　of　the　ceremonials　of　a　fete　day；　or　in　honor　of　visiting　royalty。

At　the　challenge　from　the　gate　Barney　replied　that　he　bore　a　message　for　the　prince。　　Slowly　the　portcullis　sank　into　position　across　the　moat　and　an　officer　advanced　to　meet　the　rider。

〃The　prince　has　ridden　to　Lustadt　with　a　large　retinue；〃　he　said；　〃to　attend　the　coronation　of　Peter　of　Blentz　to…　morrow。〃

〃Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　has　gone　to　attend　the　coronation　of　Peter！〃　cried　Barney　in　amazement。　　〃Has　the　Princess　Emma　returned　from　her　captivity　in　the　castle　of　Blentz？〃

〃She　is　with　her　father　now；　having　returned　nearly　three　weeks　ago；〃　replied　the　officer；　〃and　Peter　has　disclaimed　responsibility　for　the　outrage；　promising　that　those　respon…　sible　shall　be　punished。　　He　has　convinced　Prince　Ludwig　that　Leopold　is　dead；　and　for　the　sake　of　Luthato　save　her　from　civil　strifemy　prince　has　patched　a　truce　with　Peter；　though　unless　I　mistake　the　character　of　the　latter　and　the　temper　of　the　former　it　will　be　short…lived。

〃To　demonstrate　to　the　people；〃　continued　the　officer；　〃that　Prince　Ludwig　and　Peter　are　good　friends；　the　great　Von　der　Tann　will　attend　the　coronation；　but　that　he　takes　little　stock　in　the　sincerity　of　the　Prince　of　Blentz　would　be　ap…　parent　could　the　latter　have　a　peep　beneath　the　cloaks　and　look　into　the　loyal　hearts　of　the　men　of　Tann　who　rode　down　to　Lustadt　today。〃

Barney　did　not　wait　to　hear　more。　　He　was　glad　that　in　the　gathering　dusk　the　officer　had　not　seen　his　face　plainly　enough　to　mistake　him　for　the　king。　　With　a　parting；　〃Then　I　must　ride　to　Lustadt　with　my　message　for　the　prince；〃　he　wheeled　his　tired　mount　and　trotted　down　the　steep　trail　from　Tann　toward　the　highway　which　leads　to　the　capital。

All　night　Barney　rode。　　Three　times　he　wandered　from　the　way　and　was　forced　to　stop　at　farmhouses　to　inquire　the　proper　direction；　but　darkness　hid　his　features　from　the　sleepy　eyes　of　those　who　answered　his　summons；　and　day…　light　found　him　still　forging　ahead　in　the　direction　of　the　capital　of　Lutha。

The　American　was　sunk　in　unhappy　meditation　as　his　weary　little　mount　plodded　slowly　along　the　dusty　road。　For　hours　the　man　had　not　been　able　to　urge　the　beast　out　of　a　walk。　　The　loss　of　time　consequent　upon　his　having　followed　wrong　roads　during　the　night　and　the　exhaustion　of　the　pony　which　retarded　his　speed　to　what　seemed　little　better　than　a　snail's　pace　seemed　to　assure　the　failure　of　his　mission；　for　at　best　he　could　not　reach　Lustadt　before　noon。

There　was　no　possibility　of　bringing　Leopold　to　his　capital　in　time　for　the　coronation；　and　but　a　bare　possibility　that　Prince　Ludwig　would　accept　the　word　of　an　entire　stranger　that　Leopold　lived；　for　the　acknowledgment　of　such　a　con…　dition　by　the　old　prince　could　result　in　nothing　less　than　an　immediate　resort　to　arms　by　the　two　factions。　　It　was　certain　that　Peter　would　be　infinitely　more　anxious　to　proceed　with　his　coronation