the mad king-第45部分

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om　the　memory　of　her　husband's　achievements　upon　the　battlefield　of　Lustadt？　　Why　rob　her　of　that　little？

But　now；　face　to　face　with　her；　and　with　the　evidence　of　her　suffering　so　plain　before　him；　Barney's　intentions　wa…　vered。　　Like　most　fighting　men；　he　was　tender　in　his　dealings　with　women。　　And　now　the　last　straw　came　in　the　form　of　a　single　tiny　tear　that　trickled　down　the　girl's　cheek。　　He　seized　the　hand　that　lay　upon　his　arm。

〃Your　highness；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　grieve　for　the　American。　He　is　not　worth　it。　　He　has　deceived　you。　　He　is　not　at　Blentz。〃

The　girl　drew　her　hand　from　his　and　straightened　to　her　full　height。

〃What　do　you　mean；　sire？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Mr。　Custer　would　not　deceive　me　even　if　he　had　an　opportunitywhich　he　has　not　had。　　But　if　he　is　not　at　Blentz；　where　is　he？〃

Barney　bowed　his　head　and　looked　at　the　floor。

〃He　is　here；　your　highness；　asking　your　forgiveness；〃　he　said。

There　was　a　puzzled　expression　upon　the　girl's　face　as　she　looked　at　the　man　before　her。　　She　did　not　understand。　Why　should　she？　　Barney　drew　a　diamond　ring　from　his　little　finger　and　held　it　out　to　her。

〃You　gave　it　to　me　to　cut　a　hole　in　the　window　of　the　garage　where　I　stole　the　automobile；〃　he　said。　　〃I　forgot　to　return　it。　　Now　do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

Emma　von　der　Tann's　eyes　showed　her　incredulity；　then；　act　by　act；　she　recalled　all　that　this　man　had　said　and　done　since　they　had　escaped　from　Blentz　that　had　been　so　unlike　the　king　she　knew。

〃When　did　you　assume　the　king's　identity？〃　she　asked。

Barney　told　her　all　that　had　transpired　in　the　king's　apart…　ments　at　Blentz　before　she　had　been　conducted　to　the　king's　presence。

〃And　Leopold　is　there　now？〃　she　asked。

〃He　is　there；〃　replied　Barney；　〃and　he　is　to　be　shot　in　the　morning。〃

〃Gott！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。　　〃What　are　we　to　do？〃

〃There　is　but　one　thing　to　do；〃　replied　the　American；　〃and　that　is　for　Butzow　and　me　to　ride　to　Blentz　as　fast　as　horses　will　carry　us　and　rescue　the　king。〃

〃And　then？〃　asked　the　girl；　a　shadow　crossing　her　face。

〃And　then　Barney　Custer　will　have　to　beat　it　for　the　boundary；〃　he　replied　with　a　sorry　smile。

She　came　quite　close　to　him；　laying　her　hands　upon　his　shoulders。

〃I　cannot　give　you　up　now；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃I　have　tried　to　be　loyal　to　Leopold　and　the　promise　that　my　father　made　his　king　when　I　was　only　a　little　girl；　but　since　I　thought　that　you　were　to　be　shot；　I　have　wished　a　thousand　times　that　I　had　gone　with　you　to　America　two　years　ago。　Take　me　with　you　now；　Barney。　　We　can　send　Lieutenant　Butzow　to　rescue　the　king；　and　before　he　has　returned　we　can　be　safe　across　the　Serbian　frontier。〃

The　American　shook　his　head。

〃I　got　the　king　into　this　mess　and　I　must　get　him　out；〃　he　said。　　〃He　may　deserve　to　be　shot；　but　it　is　up　to　me　to　prevent　it；　if　I　can。　　And　there　is　your　father　to　consider。　If　Butzow　rides　to　Blentz　and　rescues　the　king；　it　may　be　difficult　to　get　him　back　to　Lustadt　without　the　truth　of　his　identity　and　mine　becoming　known。　　With　me　there；　the　change　can　be　effected　easily；　and　not　even　Butzow　need　know　what　has　happened。

〃If　the　people　should　guess　that　it　was　not　Leopold　who　won　the　battle　of　Lustadt　there　might　be　the　devil　to　pay；　and　your　father　would　go　down　along　with　the　throne。　　No；　I　must　stay　until　Leopold　is　safe　in　Lustadt。　　But　there　is　a　hope　for　us。　　I　may　be　able　to　wrest　from　Leopold　his　sanction　of　our　marriage。　　I　shall　not　hesitate　to　use　threats　to　get　it；　and　I　rather　imagine　that　he　will　be　in　such　a　terror…stricken　condition　that　he　will　assent　to　any　terms　for　his　release　from　Blentz。　　If　he　gives　me　such　a　paper；　Emma；　will　you　marry　me？〃

Perhaps　there　never　had　been　a　stranger　proposal　than　this；　but　to　neither　did　it　seem　strange。　　For　two　years　each　had　known　the　love　of　the　other。　　The　girl's　betrothal　to　the　king　had　prevented　an　avowal　of　their　love　while　Barney　posed　in　his　own　identity。　　Now　they　merely　accepted　the　conditions　that　had　existed　for　two　years　as　though　a　mat…　ter　of　fact　which　had　been　often　discussed　between　them。

〃Of　course　I'll　marry　you；〃　said　the　princess。　　〃Why　in　the　world　would　I　want　you　to　take　me　to　America　otherwise？〃

As　Barney　Custer　took　her　in　his　arms　he　was　happier　than　he　had　ever　before　been　in　all　his　life；　and　so；　too；　was　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann。




XII

LEOPOLD　WAITS　FOR　DAWN

AFTER　THE　American　had　shoved　him　through　the　secret　doorway　into　the　tower　room　of　the　castle　of　Blentz；　Leopold　had　stood　for　several　minutes　waiting　for　the　next　command　from　his　captor。　　Presently；　hearing　no　sound　other　than　that　of　his　own　breathing；　the　king　ventured　to　speak。　　He　asked　the　American　what　he　purposed　doing　with　him　next。

There　was　no　reply。　　For　another　minute　the　king　listened　intently；　then　he　raised　his　hands　and　removed　the　bandage　from　his　eyes。　　He　looked　about　him。　　The　room　was　vacant　except　for　himself。　　He　recognized　it　as　the　one　in　which　he　had　spent　ten　years　of　his　life　as　a　prisoner。　　He　shuddered。　What　had　become　of　the　American？　　He　approached　the　door　and　listened。　　Beyond　the　panels　he　could　hear　the　two　soldiers　on　guard　there　conversing。　　He　called　to　them。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　shouted　one　of　the　men　through　the　closed　door。

〃I　want　Prince　Peter！〃　yelled　the　king。　　〃Send　him　at　once！〃

The　soldiers　laughed。

〃He　wants　Prince　Peter；〃　they　mocked。　　〃Wouldn't　you　rather　have　us　send　the　king　to　you？〃　they　asked。

〃I　am　the　king！〃　yelled　Leopold。　　〃I　am　the　king！　　Open　the　door；　pigs；　or　it　will　go　hard　with　you！　　I　shall　have　you　both　shot　in　the　morning　if　you　do　not　open　the　door　and　fetch　Prince　Peter。〃

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　soldiers。　　〃Then　there　will　be　three　of　us　shot　together。〃

Leopold　went　white。　　He　had　not　connected　the　sentence　of　the　American　with　himself；　but　now；　quite　vividly；　he　realized　what　it　might　mean　to　him　if　he　failed　before　dawn　to　convince　someone　that　he　was　not　the　American。　　Peter　would　not　be　awake　at　so　early　an　hour；　and　if　he　had　no　better　success　with　others　than　he　was　having　with　these　soldiers；　it　was　possible　that　he　might　be　led　out　and　shot　before　his　identity　was　discovered。　　The　thing　was　prepos…　terous。　　The　king's　knees　became　suddenly　quite　weak。　　They　shook；　and　his　legs　gave　beneath　his　weight　so　that　he　had　to　lean　against　the　back　of　a　chair　to　keep　from　falling。

Once　more　he　turned　to　the　soldiers。　　This　time　he　pleaded　with　them；　begging　them　to　carry　word　to　Prince　Peter　that　a　terrible　mistake　had　been　made；　and　that　it　was　the　king　and　not　the　American　who　was　confined　in　the　death　cham…　ber。　　But　the　soldiers　only　laughed　at　him；　and　finally　threat…　ened　to　come　in　and　beat　him　if　he　again　interrupted　their　conversation。

It　was　a　white　and　shaken　prisoner　that　the　officer　of　the　guard　found　when　he　entered　the　room　at　dawn。　　The　man　before　him；　his　face　streaked　with　tears　of　terror　and　self…　pity；　fell　upon　his　knees　before　him；　beseeching　him　to　carry　word　to　Peter　of　Blentz；　that　he　was　the　king。　　The　officer　drew　away　with　a　gesture　of　disgust。

〃I　might　well　believe　from　your　actions　that　you　are　Leo…　pold；〃　he　said；　〃for；　by　Heaven；　you　do　not　act　as　I　have　always　imagined　the　American　would　act　in　the　face　of　danger。　　He　has　a　reputation　for　bravery　that　would　suffer　could　his　admirers　see　him　now。〃

〃But　I　am　not　the　American；〃　pleaded　the　king。　　〃I　tell　you　that　the　American　came　to　my　apartments　last　night；　overpowered　me；　forced　me　to　change　clothing　with　him；　and　then　led　me　back　here。〃

A　sudden　inspiration　came　to　the　king　with　the　memory　of　all　that　had　transpired　during　that　humiliating　encounter　with　the　American。

〃I　signed　a　pardon　for　him！〃　he　cried。　　〃He　forced　me　to　do　so。　　If　you　think　I　am　the　American；　you　cannot　kill　me　now；　for　there　is　a　pardon　signed　by　the　king；　and　an　order　for　the　American's　immediate　release。　　Where　is　it？　　Do　not　tell　me　that　Prince　Peter　did　not　receive　it。〃

〃He　received　it；〃　replied　the　officer；　〃and　I　am　here　to　acquaint　you　with　the　fact；　but　Prince　Peter　said　nothing　about　your　release。　　All　he　told　me　was　that　you　were　not　to　be　shot　this　morning；〃　and　the　man　emphasized　the　last　two　words。

Leopold　of　Lutha　spent　two　awful　days　a　prisoner　at　Blentz；　not　knowing　at　what　moment　Prince　Peter　might　see　fit　to　carry　out　the　verdict　of　the　Austrian　court　martial。　He　could　convince　no　one　that　he　was　the　king。　　Peter　would　not　even　grant　him　an　audience。　　Upon　the　evening　of　the　third　day；　word　came　that　the　Austrians　had　been　defeated　before　Lustadt；　and　those　that　were　not　prisoners　were　re…　treating　through　Blentz　toward　the　Austrian　frontier。

The　news　filtered　to　Leopold's　prison　room　through　the　servant　who　brought　him　his　scant　and　rough　fare。　　The　king　was　utterly　disheartened　before　this　word　reached　him。　　For　the　moment　he　seemed　to　see　a　ray　of　hope；　for；　since　the　impostor　had　been　victorious；　he　would　be　in　a　position　to　force　Peter　of　Blentz　to　give　up　the　true　king。

There　was　the　chance　that　the　American；　flushed　with　success　and　power；　might　elect　to　hold　the　crown　he　had　seized。　　Who　would　guess　the　transfer　that　had　been　ef…　fected；　or；　guessing；　would　dare　voice　his　suspicions　in　the　face　of　the　power　and　popularity　that　Leopold　knew　such　a　victory　as　the　impostor　had　won　must　have　given　him　in　the　hearts　and　minds　of　the　people　of　Lutha？　　Still；　there　was　a　bare　possibility　that　the　American　would　be　as　good　as　his　word；　and　return　the　crown　as　he　had　promised。　Though　he　hated　to　admit　it；　the　king　had　every　reason　to　believe　that　the　impostor　was　a　man　of　honor；　whose　bare　word　was　as　good　as　another's　bond。

He　was　commencing；　under　this　line　of　reasoning；　to　achieve　a　certain　hopeful　content　when　the　door　to　his　prison　opened　and　Peter　of　Blentz；　black　and　scowling；　entered。　At　his　elbow　was　Captain　Ernst　Maenck。

〃Leopold　has　defeated　the　Austrians；〃　announced　the　former。　　〃Until　you　returned　to　Lutha　he　considered　the　Aus…　trians　his　best　friends。　　I　do　not　know　how　you　could　have　reached　or　influenced　him。　　It　is　to　learn　how　you　accom…　plished　it　that　I　am　here。　　The　fact　that　he　signed　your　pardon　indicates　that　his　attitude　toward　you　changed　sud…　denlyalmost　within　an　hour。　　Th