the mad king-第15部分

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actions。　　It　was　certain　that　Peter　would　be　infinitely　more　anxious　to　proceed　with　his　coronation　should　it　be　rumored　that　Leopold　lived；　and　equally　certain　that　Prince　Ludwig　would　interpose　every　obstacle；　even　to　armed　resistance；　to　prevent　the　consum…　mation　of　the　ceremony。

Yet　there　seemed　to　Barney　no　other　alternative　than　to　place　before　the　king's　one　powerful　friend　the　information　that　he　had。　　It　would　then　rest　with　Ludwig　to　do　what　he　thought　advisable。

An　hour　from　Lustadt　the　road　wound　through　a　dense　forest；　whose　pleasant　shade　was　a　grateful　relief　to　both　horse　and　rider　from　the　hot　sun　beneath　which　they　had　been　journeying　the　greater　part　of　the　morning。　　Barney　was　still　lost　in　thought；　his　eyes　bent　forward；　when　at　a　sudden　turning　of　the　road　he　came　face　to　face　with　a　troop　of　horse　that　were　entering　the　main　highway　at　this　point　from　an　unfrequented　byroad。

At　sight　of　them　the　American　instinctively　wheeled　his　mount　in　an　effort　to　escape；　but　at　a　command　from　an　officer　a　half　dozen　troopers　spurred　after　him；　their　fresh　horses　soon　overtaking　his　jaded　pony。

For　a　moment　Barney　contemplated　resistance；　for　these　were　troopers　of　the　Royal　Horse；　the　body　which　was　now　Peter's　most　effective　personal　tool；　but　even　as　his　hand　slipped　to　the　butt　of　one　of　the　revolvers　at　his　hip；　the　young　man　saw　the　foolish　futility　of　such　a　course；　and　with　a　shrug　and　a　smile　he　drew　rein　and　turned　to　face　the　advancing　soldiers。

As　he　did　so　the　officer　rode　up；　and　at　sight　of　Barney's　face　gave　an　exclamation　of　astonishment。　　The　officer　was　Butzow。

〃Well　met；　your　majesty；〃　he　cried　saluting。　　〃We　are　rid…　ing　to　the　coronation。　　We　shall　be　just　in　time。〃

〃To　see　Peter　of　Blentz　rob　Leopold　of　a　crown；〃　said　the　American　in　a　disgusted　tone。

〃To　see　Leopold　of　Lutha　come　into　his　own；　your　majesty。　　Long　live　the　king！〃　cried　the　officer。

Barney　thought　the　man　either　poking　fun　at　him　be…　cause　he　was　not　the　king；　or；　thinking　he　was　Leopold；　tak…　ing　a　mean　advantage　of　his　helplessness　to　bait　him。　　Yet　this　last　suspicion　seemed　unfair　to　Butzow；　who　at　Blentz　had　given　ample　evidence　that　he　was　a　gentleman；　and　of　far　different　caliber　from　Maenck　and　the　others　who　served　Peter。

If　he　could　but　convince　the　man　that　he　was　no　king　and　thus　gain　his　liberty　long　enough　to　reach　Prince　Lud…　wig's　ear；　his　mission　would　have　been　served　in　so　far　as　it　lay　in　his　power　to　serve　it。　　For　some　minutes　Barney　expended　his　best　eloquence　and　logic　upon　the　cavalry　officer　in　an　effort　to　convince　him　that　he　was　not　Leopold。

The　king　had　given　the　American　his　great　ring　to　safe…　guard　for　him　until　it　should　be　less　dangerous　for　Leopold　to　wear　it；　and　for　fear　that　at　the　last　moment　someone　within　the　sanatorium　might　recognize　it　and　bear　word　to　Peter　of　the　king's　whereabouts。　　Barney　had　worn　it　turned　in　upon　the　third　finger　of　his　left　hand；　and　now　he　slipped　it　surreptitiously　into　his　breeches　pocket　lest　Butzow　should　see　it　and　by　it　be　convinced　that　Barney　was　indeed　Leo…　pold。

〃Never　mind　who　you　are；〃　cried　Butzow；　thinking　to　humor　the　king's　strange　obsession。　　〃You　look　enough　like　Leopold　to　be　his　twin；　and　you　must　help　us　save　Lutha　from　Peter　of　Blentz。〃

The　American　showed　in　his　expression　the　surprise　he　felt　at　these　words　from　an　officer　of　the　prince　regent。

〃You　wonder　at　my　change　of　heart？〃　asked　Butzow。

〃How　can　I　do　otherwise？〃

〃I　cannot　blame　you；〃　said　the　officer。　　〃Yet　I　think　that　when　you　know　the　truth　you　will　see　that　I　have　done　only　that　which　I　believed　to　be　the　duty　of　a　patriotic　officer　and　a　true　gentleman。〃

They　had　rejoined　the　troop　by　this　time；　and　the　entire　company　was　once　more　headed　toward　Lustadt。　　Butzow　had　commanded　one　of　the　troopers　to　exchange　horses　with　Barney；　bringing　the　jaded　animal　into　the　city　slowly；　and　now　freshly　mounted　the　American　was　making　better　time　toward　his　destination。　　His　spirits　rose；　and　as　they　galloped　along　the　highway；　he　listened　with　renewed　in…　terest　to　the　story　which　Lieutenant　Butzow　narrated　in　detail。

It　seemed　that　Butzow　had　been　absent　from　Lutha　for　a　number　of　years　as　military　attache　to　the　Luthanian　legation　at　a　foreign　court。　　He　had　known　nothing　of　the　true　condition　at　home　until　his　return；　when　he　saw　such　scoundrels　as　Coblich；　Maenck；　and　Stein　high　in　the　favor　of　the　prince　regent。　　For　some　time　before　the　events　that　had　transpired　after　he　had　brought　Barney　and　the　Princess　Emma　to　Blentz　he　had　commenced　to　have　his　doubts　as　to　the　true　patriotism　of　Peter　of　Blentz；　and　when　he　had　learned　through　the　unguarded　words　of　Schonau　that　there　was　a　real　foundation　for　the　rumor　that　the　regent　had　plotted　the　assassination　of　the　king　his　suspicions　had　crystallized　into　knowledge；　and　he　had　sworn　to　serve　his　king　before　all　otherswere　he　sane　or　mad。　　From　this　loyalty　he　could　not　be　shaken。

〃And　what　do　you　intend　doing　now？〃　asked　Barney。

〃I　intend　placing　you　upon　the　throne　of　your　ancestors；　sire；〃　replied　Butzow；　〃nor　will　Peter　of　Blentz　dare　the　wrath　of　the　people　by　attempting　to　interpose　any　ob…　stacle。　　When　he　sees　Leopold　of　Lutha　ride　into　the　capital　of　his　kingdom　at　the　head　of　even　so　small　a　force　as　ours　he　will　know　that　the　end　of　his　own　power　is　at　hand；　for　he　is　not　such　a　fool　that　he　does　not　perfectly　realize　that　he　is　the　most　cordially　hated　man　in　all　Lutha；　and　that　only　those　attend　upon　him　who　hope　to　profit　through　his　success　or　who　fear　his　evil　nature。〃

〃If　Peter　is　crowned　today；〃　asked　Barney；　〃will　it　pre…　vent　Leopold　regaining　his　throne？〃

〃It　is　difficult　to　say；〃　replied　Butzow；　〃but　the　chances　are　that　the　throne　would　be　lost　to　him　forever。　　To　regain　it　he　would　have　to　plunge　Lutha　into　a　bitter　civil　war；　for　once　Peter　is　proclaimed　king　he　will　have　the　law　upon　his　side；　and　with　the　resources　of　the　State　behind　himthe　treasury　and　the　armyhe　will　feel　in　no　mood　to　relinquish　the　scepter　without　a　struggle。　　I　doubt　much　that　you　will　ever　sit　upon　your　throne；　sire；　unless　you　do　so　within　the　very　next　hour。〃

For　some　time　Barney　rode　in　silence。　　He　saw　that　only　by　a　master　stroke　could　the　crown　be　saved　for　the　true　king。　　Was　it　worth　it？　　The　man　was　happier　without　a　crown。　　Barney　had　come　to　believe　that　no　man　lived　who　could　be　happy　in　possession　of　one。　　Then　there　came　be…　fore　his　mind's　eye　the　delicate；　patrician　face　of　Emma　von　der　Tann。

Would　Peter　of　Blentz　be　true　to　his　new　promises　to　the　house　of　Von　der　Tann？　　Barney　doubted　it。　　He　recalled　all　that　it　might　mean　of　danger　and　suffering　to　the　girl　whose　kisses　he　still　felt　upon　his　lips　as　though　it　had　been　but　now　that　hers　had　placed　them　there。　　He　re…　called　the　limp　little　body　of　the　boy；　Rudolph；　and　the　Spartan　loyalty　with　which　the　little　fellow　had　given　his　life　in　the　service　of　the　man　he　had　thought　king。　　The　pitiful　figure　of　the　fear…haunted　man　upon　the　iron　cot　at　Tafelberg　rose　before　him　and　cried　for　vengeance。

To　this　man　was　the　woman　he　loved　betrothed！　　He　knew　that　he　might　never　wed　the　Princess　Emma。　　Even　were　she　not　promised　to　another；　the　iron　shackles　of　con…　vention　and　age…old　customs　must　forever　separate　her　from　an　untitled　American。　　But　if　he　couldn't　have　her　he　still　could　serve　her！

〃For　her　sake；〃　he　muttered。

〃Did　your　majesty　speak？〃　asked　Butzow。

〃Yes；　lieutenant。　　We　urge　greater　haste；　for　if　we　are　to　be　crowned　today　we　have　no　time　to　lose。〃

Butzow　smiled　a　relieved　smile。　　The　king　had　at　last　regained　his　senses！


Within　the　ancient　cathedral　at　Lustadt　a　great　and　gor…　geously　attired　assemblage　had　congregated。　　All　the　nobles　of　Lutha　were　gathered　there　with　their　wives；　their　chil…　dren；　and　their　retainers。　　There　were　the　newer　nobility　of　the　lowlandsmany　whose　patents　dated　but　since　the　regency　of　Peterand　there　were　the　proud　nobility　of　the　highlandsthe　old　nobility　of　which　Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　was　the　chief。

It　was　noticeable　that　though　a　truce　had　been　made　between　Ludwig　and　Peter；　yet　the　former　chancellor　of　the　kingdom　did　not　stand　upon　the　chancel　with　the　other　dignitaries　of　the　State　and　court。

Few　there　were　who　knew　that　he　had　been　invited　to　occupy　a　place　of　honor　there；　and　had　replied　that　he　would　take　no　active　part　in　the　making　of　any　king　in　Lutha　whose　veins　did　not　pulse　to　the　flow　of　the　blood　of　the　house　in　whose　service　he　had　grown　gray。

Close　packed　were　the　retainers　of　the　old　prince　so　that　their　great　number　was　scarcely　noticeable；　though　quite　so　was　the　fact　that　they　kept　their　cloaks　on；　presenting　a　somber　appearance　in　the　midst　of　all　the　glitter　of　gold　and　gleam　of　jewels　that　surrounded　thema　grim；　business…　like　appearance　that　cast　a　chill　upon　Peter　of　Blentz　as　his　eyes　scanned　the　multitude　of　faces　below　him。

He　would　have　shown　his　indignation　at　this　seeming　affront　had　he　dared；　but　until　the　crown　was　safely　upon　his　head　and　the　royal　scepter　in　his　hand　Peter　had　no　mind　to　do　aught　that　might　jeopardize　the　attainment　of　the　power　he　had　sought　for　the　past　ten　years。

The　solemn　ceremony　was　all　but　completed；　the　Bishop　of　Lustadt　had　received　the　great　golden　crown　from　the　purple　cushion　upon　which　it　had　been　borne　at　the　head　of　the　procession　which　accompanied　Peter　up　the　broad　center　aisle　of　the　cathedral。　　He　had　raised　it　above　the　head　of　the　prince　regent；　and　was　repeating　the　solemn　words　which　precede　the　placing　of　the　golden　circlet　upon　the　man's　brow。　　In　another　moment　Peter　of　Blentz　would　be　proclaimed　the　king　of　Lutha。

By　her　father's　side　stood　Emma　von　der　Tann。　　Upon　her　haughty；　high…bred　face　there　was　no　sign　of　the　emo…　tions　which　ran　riot　within　her　fair　bosom。　　In　the　act　that　she　was　witnessing　she　saw　the　eventual　ruin　of　her　father's　house。　　That　Peter　would　long　want　for　an　excuse　to　break　and　humble　his　ancient　enemy　she　did　not　believe；　but　this　was　not　the　only　cause　for　the　sorrow　that　overwhelmed　her。

Her　most　poignant　grief；　like　that　of　her　father；　was　for　the　dead　king；　Leopold；　but　to　the　sorrow　of　the　loyal　sub…　ject　was　adde