the mad king-第3部分

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Barney　Custer　shook　his　head　despairingly。

〃Won't　you　please　believe　that　I　am　but　a　plain　Ameri…　can？〃　he　begged。

Upon　the　bole　of　a　large　wayside　tree　a　fresh；　new　placard　stared　them　in　the　face。　　Emma　von　der　Tann　pointed　at　one　of　the　paragraphs。

〃Gray　eyes；　brown　hair；　and　a　full　reddish…brown　beard；〃　she　read。　　〃No　matter　who　you　may　be；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　safer　off　the　highways　of　Lutha　than　on　them　until　you　can　find　and　use　a　razor。〃

〃But　I　cannot　shave　until　the　fifth　of　November；〃　said　Barney。

Again　the　girl　looked　quickly　into　his　eyes　and　again　in　her　mind　rose　the　question　that　had　hovered　there　once　be…　fore。　　Was　he　indeed；　after　all；　quite　sane？

〃Then　please　come　with　me　the　safest　way　to　my　father's；〃　she　urged。　　〃He　will　know　what　is　best　to　do。〃

〃He　cannot　make　me　shave；〃　insisted　Barney。

〃Why　do　you　wish　not　to　shave？〃　asked　the　girl。；

〃It　is　a　matter　of　my　honor；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　had　my　choice　of　wearing　a　green　wastebasket　bonnet　trimmed　with　red　roses　for　six　months；　or　a　beard　for　twelve。　　If　I　shave　off　the　beard　before　the　fifth　of　November　I　shall　be　without　honor　in　the　sight　of　all　men　or　else　I　shall　have　to　wear　the　green　bonnet。　　The　beard　is　bad　enough；　but　the　bonnetugh！〃

Emma　von　der　Tann　was　now　quite　assured　that　the　poor　fellow　was　indeed　quite　demented；　but　she　had　seen　no　in…　dications　of　violence　as　yet；　though　when　that　too　might　develop　there　was　no　telling。　　However；　he　was　to　her　Leo…　pold　of　Lutha；　and　her　father's　house　had　been　loyal　to　him　or　his　ancestors　for　three　hundred　years。

If　she　must　sacrifice　her　life　in　the　attempt；　nevertheless　still　must　she　do　all　within　her　power　to　save　her　king　from　recapture　and　to　lead　him　in　safety　to　the　castle　upon　the　Tann。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃we　waste　time　here。　　Let　us　make　haste；　for　the　way　is　long。　　At　best　we　cannot　reach　Tann　by　dark。〃

〃I　will　do　anything　you　wish；〃　replied　Barney；　〃but　I　shall　never　forgive　myself　for　having　caused　you　the　long　and　tedious　journey　that　lies　before　us。　　It　would　be　per…　fectly　safe　to　go　to　the　nearest　town　and　secure　a　rig。〃

Emma　von　der　Tann　had　heard　that　it　was　always　well　to　humor　maniacs　and　she　thought　of　it　now。　　She　would　put　the　scheme　to　the　test。

〃The　reason　that　I　fear　to　have　you　go　to　the　village；〃　she　said；　〃is　that　I　am　quite　sure　they　would　catch　you　and　shave　off　your　beard。〃

Barney　started　to　laugh；　but　when　he　saw　the　deep　serious…　ness　of　the　girl's　eyes　he　changed　his　mind。　　Then　he　recalled　her　rather　peculiar　insistence　that　he　was　a　king；　and　it　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　been　foolish　not　to　have　guessed　the　truth　before。

〃That　is　so；〃　he　agreed；　〃I　guess　we　had　better　do　as　you　say；〃　for　he　had　determined　that　the　best　way　to　handle　her　would　be　to　humor　herhe　had　always　heard　that　that　was　the　proper　method　for　handling　the　mentally　defective。　〃Where　is　theerahsanatorium？〃　he　blurted　out　at　last。

〃The　what？〃　she　asked。　　〃There　is　no　sanatorium　near　here；　your　majesty；　unless　you　refer　to　the　Castle　of　Blentz。〃

〃Is　there　no　asylum　for　the　insane　near　by？〃

〃None　that　I　know　of；　your　majesty。〃

For　a　while　they　moved　on　in　silence；　each　wondering　what　the　other　might　do　next。

Barney　had　evolved　a　plan。　　He　would　try　and　ascertain　the　location　of　the　institution　from　which　the　girl　had　es…　caped　and　then　as　gently　as　possible　lead　her　back　to　it。　　　It　was　not　safe　for　as　beautiful　a　woman　as　she　to　be　roam…　ing　through　the　forest　in　any　such　manner　as　this。　　He　won…　dered　what　in　the　world　the　authorities　at　the　asylum　had　been　thinking　of　to　permit　her　to　ride　out　alone　in　the　first　place。

〃From　where　did　you　ride　today？〃　he　blurted　out　sud…　denly。

〃From　Tann。〃

〃That　is　where　we　are　going　now？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty。〃

Barney　drew　a　breath　of　relief。　　The　way　had　become　suddenly　difficult　and　he　took　the　girl's　arm　to　help　her　down　a　rather　steep　place。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　ravine　there　was　a　little　brook。

〃There　used　to　be　a　fallen　log　across　it　here；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃How　in　the　world　am　I　ever　to　get　across；　your　majesty？〃

〃If　you　call　me　that　again；　I　shall　begin　to　believe　that　I　am　a　king；〃　he　humored　her；　〃and　then；　being　a　king；　I　presume　that　it　wouldn't　be　proper　for　me　to　carry　you　across；　or　would　it？　Never　really　having　been　a　king；　I　do　not　know。〃

〃I　think；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃that　it　would　be　eminently　proper。〃

She　had　difficulty　in　keeping　in　mind　the　fact　that　this　handsome；　smiling　young　man　was　a　dangerous　maniac；　though　it　was　easy　to　believe　that　he　was　the　king。　　In　fact；　he　looked　much　as　she　had　always　pictured　Leopold　as　looking。　　She　had　known　him　as　a　boy；　and　there　were　many　paintings　and　photographs　of　his　ancestors　in　her　father's　castle。　　She　saw　much　resemblance　between　these　and　the　young　man。

The　brook　was　very　narrow；　and　the　girl　thought　that　it　took　the　young　man　an　unreasonably　long　time　to　carry　her　across；　though　she　was　forced　to　admit　that　she　was　far　from　uncomfortable　in　the　strong　arms　that　bore　her　so　easily。

〃Why；　what　are　you　doing？〃　she　cried　presently。　　〃You　are　not　crossing　the　stream　at　all。　　You　are　walking　right　up　the　middle　of　it！〃

She　saw　his　face　flush；　and　then　he　turned　laughing　eyes　upon　her。

〃I　am　looking　for　a　safe　landing；〃　he　said。

Emma　von　der　Tann　did　not　know　whether　to　be　frightened　or　amused。　　As　her　eyes　met　the　clear；　gray　ones　of　the　man　she　could　not　believe　that　insanity　lurked　behind　that　laugh…　ing；　level　gaze　of　her　carrier。　　She　found　herself　continually　forgetting　that　the　man　was　mad。　　He　had　turned　toward　the　bank　now；　and　a　couple　of　steps　carried　them　to　the　low　sward　that　fringed　the　little　brooklet。　　Here　he　lowered　her　to　the　ground。

〃Your　majesty　is　very　strong；〃　she　said。　　〃I　should　not　have　expected　it　after　the　years　of　confinement　you　have　suffered。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　realizing　that　he　must　humor　herit　was　difficult　to　remember　that　this　lovely　girl　was　insane。　　〃Let　me　see；　now　just　what　was　I　in　prison　for？　I　do　not　seem　to　be　able　to　recall　it。　　In　Nebraska；　they　used　to　hang　men　for　horse　stealing；　so　I　am　sure　it　must　have　been　something　else　not　quite　so　bad。　　Do　you　happen　to　know？〃

〃When　the　king；　your　father；　died　you　were　thirteen　years　old；〃　the　girl　explained；　hoping　to　reawaken　the　sleeping　mind；　〃and　then　your　uncle；　Prince　Peter　of　Blentz；　an…　nounced　that　the　shock　of　your　father's　death　had　unbal…　anced　your　mind。　　He　shut　you　up　in　Blentz　then；　where　you　have　been　for　ten　years；　and　he　has　ruled　as　regent。　　Now；　my　father　says；　he　has　recently　discovered　a　plot　to　take　your　life　so　that　Peter　may　become　king。　　But　I　suppose　you　learned　of　that；　and　because　of　it　you　escaped！〃

〃This　Peter　person　is　all…powerful　in　Lutha？〃　he　asked。

〃He　controls　the　army；〃　the　girl　replied。

〃And　you　really　believe　that　I　am　the　mad　king　Leopold？〃

〃You　are　the　king；〃　she　said　in　a　convincing　manner。

〃You　are　a　very　brave　young　lady；〃　he　said　earnestly。　　〃If　all　the　mad　king's　subjects　were　as　loyal　as　you；　and　as　brave；　he　would　not　have　languished　for　ten　years　behind　the　walls　of　Blentz。〃

〃I　am　a　Von　der　Tann；〃　she　said　proudly；　as　though　that　was　explanation　sufficient　to　account　for　any　bravery　or　loyalty。

〃Even　a　Von　der　Tann　might；　without　dishonor；　hesitate　to　accompany　a　mad　man　through　the　woods；〃　he　replied；　〃especially　if　she　happened　to　be　a　verya　very〃　He　halted；　flushing。

〃A　very　what；　your　majesty？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃A　very　young　woman；〃　he　ended　lamely。

Emma　von　der　Tann　knew　that　he　had　not　intended　say…　ing　that　at　all。　　Being　a　woman；　she　knew　precisely　what　he　had　meant　to　say；　and　she　discovered　that　she　would　very　much　have　liked　to　hear　him　say　it。

〃Suppose；〃　said　Barney；　〃that　Peter's　soldiers　run　across　uswhat　then？〃

〃They　will　take　you　back　to　Blentz；　your　majesty。〃

〃And　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think　that　they　will　dare　lay　hands　on　me；　though　it　is　possible　that　Peter　might　do　so。　　He　hates　my　father　even　more　now　than　he　did　when　the　old　king　lived。〃

〃I　wish；〃　said　Mr。　Custer；　〃that　I　had　gone　down　after　my　guns。　　Why　didn't　you　tell　me；　in　the　first　place；　that　I　was　a　king；　and　that　I　might　get　you　in　trouble　if　you　were　found　with　me？　Why；　they　may　even　take　me　for　an　emperor　or　a　mikadowho　knows？　And　then　look　at　all　the　trouble　we'd　be　in。〃

Which　was　Barney's　way　of　humoring　a　maniac。

〃And　they　might　even　shave　off　your　beautiful　beard。〃

Which　was　the　girl's　way。

〃Do　you　think　that　you　would　like　me　better　in　the　green　wastebasket　hat　with　the　red　roses？〃　asked　Barney。

A　very　sad　look　came　into　the　girl's　eyes。　　It　was　pitiful　to　think　that　this　big；　handsome　young　man；　for　whose　return　to　the　throne　all　Lutha　had　prayed　for　ten　long　years；　was　only　a　silly　half…wit。　　What　might　he　not　have　accomplished　for　his　people　had　this　terrible　misfortune　not　overtaken　him！　In　every　other　way　he　seemed　fitted　to　be　the　savior　of　his　country。　　If　she　could　but　make　him　remember！

〃Your　majesty；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　not　recall　the　time　that　your　father　came　upon　a　state　visit　to　my　father's　castle？　You　were　a　little　boy　then。　　He　brought　you　with　him。　　I　was　a　little　girl；　and　we　played　together。　　You　would　not　let　me　call　you　'highness；'　but　insisted　that　I　should　always　call　you　Leopold。　　When　I　forgot　you　would　accuse　me　of　lese…　majeste；　and　sentence　me　toto　punishment。'

〃What　was　the　punishment？〃　asked　Barney；　noticing　her　hesitation　and　wishing　to　encourage　her　in　the　pretty　turn　her　dementia　had　taken。

Again　the　girl　hesitated；　she　hated　to　say　it；　but　if　it　would　help　to　recall　the　past　to　that　poor；　dimmed　mind；　it　was　her　duty。

〃Every　time　I　called　you　'highness'　you　made　me　give　you　aa　kiss；〃　she　almost　whispered。

〃I　hope；〃　said　Barney；　〃that　you　will　be　guilty　of　lese…　majeste　often。〃

〃We　were　little　children　then；　your　majesty；〃　the　girl　re…　minded　him。

Had　he　thought　her　of　sound　mind　Mr。　Custer　might　have　taken　advantage　of　his　royal　prerogatives　on　the　spot；　for　the　girl's　lips　were　most　tempting；　but　when　he　remembered　the　poor；　weak　mind；　tears　almost　came　to　his　eyes；　and　there　sprang　to　his　heart　a　great　desire　to　protect　and　guard　this　unfortunate　child。

〃And　when　I