the mad king-第7部分

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at　this　huge　oil　should　have　been　bung　in　a　lady's　boudoir。　　It　seemed　singu…　larly　out　of　place。

〃If　she　would　but　smile；〃　thought　Emma　von　der　Tann；　〃she　would　detract　less　from　the　otherwise　pleasant　sur…　roundings；　but　I　suppose　she　serves　her　purpose　in　some　way；　whatever　it　may　be。〃

There　were　papers；　magazines　and　books　upon　the　center　table　and　more　books　upon　a　low　tier　of　shelves　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace。　　The　girl　tried　to　amuse　herself　by　reading；　but　she　found　her　thoughts　continually　reverting　to　the　unhappy　situation　of　the　king；　and　her　eyes　momentarily　wandered　to　the　cold　and　repellent　face　of　the　Blentz　prin…　cess。

Finally　she　wheeled　a　great　armchair　near　the　fireplace；　and　with　her　back　toward　the　portrait　made　a　final　attempt　to　submerge　her　unhappy　thoughts　in　a　current　periodical。


When　Barney　and　his　escort　reached　the　apartments　that　had　been　occupied　by　the　king　of　Lutha　before　his　escape；　Butzow　and　the　soldiers　left　him　in　company　with　Dr。　Stein　and　an　old　servant；　whom　the　doctor　introduced　as　his　new　personal　attendant。

〃Your　majesty　will　find　him　a　very　attentive　and　faithful　servant；〃　said　Stein。　　〃He　will　remain　with　you　and　ad…　minister　your　medicine　at　proper　intervals。〃

〃Medicine？〃　ejaculated　Barney。　　〃What　in　the　world　do　I　need　of　medicine？　There　is　nothing　the　matter　with　me。〃

Stein　smiled　indulgently。

〃Ah；　your　majesty；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　could　but　realize　the　sad　affliction　that　clouds　your　life！　You　may　never　sit　upon　your　throne　until　the　last　trace　of　this　sinister　mental　dis…　order　is　eradicated；　so　take　your　medicine　voluntarily；　or　otherwise　Joseph　will　be　compelled　to　administer　it　by　force。　Remember；　sire；　that　only　through　this　treatment　will　you　be　able　to　leave　Blentz。〃

After　Stein　had　left　the　room　Joseph　bolted　the　door　be…　hind　him。　　Then　he　came　to　where　Barney　stood　in　the　center　of　the　apartment；　and　dropping　to　his　knees　took　the　young　man's　hand　in　his　and　kissed　it。

〃God　has　been　good　indeed；　your　majesty；〃　he　whispered。　　　〃It　was　He　who　made　it　possible　for　old　Joseph　to　deceive　them　and　find　his　way　to　your　side。〃

〃Who　are　you；　my　man？〃　asked　Barney。

〃I　am　from　Tann；〃　whispered　the　old　man；　in　a　very　low　voice。　　〃His　highness；　the　prince；　found　the　means　to　obtain　service　for　me　with　the　new　retinue　that　has　replaced　the　old　which　permitted　your　majesty's　escape。　　There　was　an…　other　from　Tann　among　the　former　servants　here。

〃It　was　　through　his　efforts　that　you　escaped　before；　you　will　recall。　　I　have　seen　Fritz　and　learned　from　him　the　way；　so　that　if　your　majesty　does　not　recall　it　it　will　make　no　difference；　for　I　know　it　well；　having　been　over　it　three　times　already　since　I　came　here；　to　be　sure　that　when　the　time　came　that　they　should　recapture　you　I　might　lead　you　out　quickly　before　they　could　slay　you。〃

〃You　really　think　that　they　intend　murdering　me？〃

〃There　is　no　doubt　about　it；　your　majesty；〃　replied　the　old　man。　　〃This　very　bottle〃Joseph　touched　the　phial　which　Stein　had　left　upon　the　table〃contains　the　means　whereby；　through　my　hands；　you　were　to　be　slowly　poisoned。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　it　is？〃

〃Bichloride　of　mercury；　your　majesty。　　One　dose　would　have　been　sufficient；　and　after　a　few　daysperhaps　a　week　you　would　have　died　in　great　agony。〃

Barney　shuddered。

〃But　I　am　not　the　king；　Joseph；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃so　even　had　they　succeeded　in　killing　me　it　would　have　profited　them　nothing。〃

Joseph　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃Your　majesty　will　pardon　the　presumption　of　one　who　loves　him；〃　he　said；　〃if　he　makes　so　bold　as　to　suggest　that　your　majesty　must　not　again　deny　that　he　is　king。　　That　only　tends　to　corroborate　the　contention　of　Prince　Peter　that　your　majesty　is　noter；　just　sane；　and　so；　incompetent　to　rule　Lutha。　　But　we　of　Tann　know　differently；　and　with　the　help　of　the　good　God　we　will　place　your　majesty　upon　the　throne　which　Peter　has　kept　from　you　all　these　years。〃

Barney　sighed。　　They　were　determined　that　he　should　be　king　whether　he　would　or　no。　　He　had　often　thought　he　would　like　to　be　a　king；　but　now　the　realization　of　his　boy…　ish　dreaming　which　seemed　so　imminent　bade　fair　to　be　almost　anything　than　pleasant。

Barney　suddenly　realized　that　the　old　fellow　was　talking。　　　He　was　explaining　how　they　might　escape。　　It　seemed　that　a　secret　passage　led　from　this　very　chamber　to　the　vaults　be…　neath　the　castle　and　from　there　through　a　narrow　tunnel　below　the　moat　to　a　cave　in　the　hillside　far　beyond　the　structure。

〃They　will　not　return　again　tonight　to　see　your　majesty；〃　said　Joseph；　〃and　so　we　had　best　make　haste　to　leave　at　once。　　I　have　a　rope　and　swords　in　readiness。　　We　shall　need　the　rope　to　make　our　way　down　the　hillside；　but　let　us　hope　that　we　shall　not　need　the　swords。〃

〃I　cannot　leave　Blentz；〃　said　Barney；　〃unless　the　Princess　Emma　goes　with　us。〃

〃The　Princess　Emma！〃　cried　the　old　man。　　〃What　Princess　Emma？〃

〃Princess　von　der　Tann；〃　replied　Barney。　　〃Did　you　not　know　that　she　was　captured　with　me！〃

The　old　man　was　visibly　affected　by　the　knowledge　that　his　young　mistress　was　a　prisoner　within　the　walls　of　Blentz。　　　He　seemed　torn　by　conflicting　emotionshis　duty　toward　his　king　and　his　love　for　the　daughter　of　his　old　master。　　So　it　was　that　he　seemed　much　relieved　when　he　found　that　Barney　insisted　upon　saving　the　girl　before　any　thought　of　their　own　escape　should　be　taken　into　consideration。

〃My　first　duty；　your　majesty；〃　said　Joseph；　〃is　to　bring　you　safely　out　of　the　hands　of　your　enemies；　but　if　you　command　me　to　try　to　bring　your　betrothed　with　us　I　am　sure　that　his　highness；　Prince　Ludwig；　would　be　the　last　to　censure　me　for　deviating　thus　from　his　instructions；　for　if　he　loves　another　more　than　he　loves　his　king　it　is　his　daughter；　the　beautiful　Princess　Emma。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Joseph；〃　asked　Barney；　〃by　referring　to　the　princess　as　my　betrothed？　　I　never　saw　her　before　today。〃

〃It　has　slipped　your　majesty's　mind；〃　said　the　old　man　sadly；　〃but　you　and　my　young　mistress　were　betrothed　many　years　ago　while　you　were　yet　but　children。　　It　was　the　old　king's　wish　that　you　wed　the　daughter　of　his　best　friend　and　most　loyal　subject。〃

Here　was　a　pretty　pass；　indeed；　thought　Barney。　　It　was　sufficiently　embarrassing　to　be　mistaken　for　the　king；　but　to　be　thrown　into　this　false　position　in　company　with　a　beau…　tiful　young　woman　to　whom　the　king　was　engaged　to　be　married；　and　who；　with　the　others；　thought　him　to　be　the　king；　was　quite　the　last　word　in　impossible　positions。

Following　this　knowledge　there　came　to　Barney　the　first　pangs　of　regret　that　he　was　not　really　the　king；　and　then　the　realization；　so　sudden　that　it　almost　took　his　breath　away；　that　the　girl　was　very　beautiful　and　very　much　to　be　desired。　　　He　had　not　thought　about　the　matter　until　her　utter　im…　possibility　was　forced　upon　him。

It　was　decided　that　Joseph　should　leave　the　king's　apart…　ment　at　once　and　discover　in　what　part　of　the　castle　Emma　von　der　Tann　was　imprisoned。　　Their　further　plans　were　to　depend　upon　the　information　gained　by　the　old　man　during　his　tour　of　investigation　of　the　castle。

In　the　interval　of　his　absence　Barney　paced　the　length　of　his　prison　time　and　time　again。　　He　thought　the　fellow　would　never　return。　　Perhaps　he　had　been　detected　in　the　act　of　spying；　and　was　himself　a　prisoner　in　some　other　part　of　the　castle！　The　thought　came　to　Barney　like　a　blow　in　the　face；　for　he　realized　that　then　he　would　be　entirely　at　the　mercy　of　his　captors；　and　that　there　would　be　none　to　champion　the　cause　of　the　Princess　von　der　Tann。

When　his　nervous　tension　had　about　reached　the　breaking　point　there　came　a　sound　of　stealthy　movement　just　outside　the　door　of　his　room。　　Barney　halted　close　to　the　massive　panels。　　He　heard　a　key　fitted　quietly　and　then　the　lock　grated　as　it　turned。

Barney　thought　that　they　had　surely　detected　Joseph's　duplicity　and　had　come　to　make　short　work　of　the　king　before　other　traitors　arose　in　their　midst　entirely　to　frustrate　their　plans。　　The　young　American　stepped　to　the　wall　behind　the　door　that　he　might　be　out　of　sight　of　whoever　entered。　　　Should　it　prove　other　than　Joseph；　might　the　Lord　help　them！　The　clenched　fists；　square…set　chin；　and　gleaming　gray　eyes　of　the　prisoner　presaged　no　good　for　any　incoming　en…　emy。

Slowly　the　door　swung　open　and　a　man　entered　the　room。　　　Barney　breathed　a　deep　sigh　of　reliefit　was　Joseph。

〃Well？〃　cried　the　young　man　from　behind　him；　and　Joseph　started　as　though　Peter　of　Blentz　himself　had　laid　an　accusing　finger　upon　his　shoulder。　　〃What　news？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　gasped　Joseph；　〃how　you　did　startle　me！　I　found　the　apartments　of　the　princess；　sire。　　There　is　a　bare　chance　that　we　may　succeed　in　rescuing　her；　but　a　very　bare　one；　indeed。

〃We　must　traverse　a　main　corridor　of　the　castle　to　reach　her　suite；　and　then　return　by　the　same　way。　　It　will　be　a　miracle　if　we　are　not　discovered；　but　the　worst　of　it　is　that　next　to　her　apartments；　and　between　them　and　your　majesty's；　are　the　apartments　of　Captain　Maenck。

〃He　is　sure　to　be　there　and　officers　and　servants　may　be　coming　and　going　throughout　the　entire　night；　for　the　man　is　a　convivial　fellow；　sitting　at　cards　and　drink　until　sunrise　nearly　every　day。〃

〃And　when　we　have　brought　the　princess　in　safety　to　my　quarters；〃　asked　Barney；　〃what　then？　How　shall　we　conduct　her　from　the　castle？　You　have　not　told　me　that　as　yet。〃

The　old　man　explained　then　the　plan　of　escape。　　It　seemed　that　one　of　the　two　huge　tile　panels　that　flanked　the　fire…　place　on　either　side　was　in　reality　a　door　hiding　the　entrance　to　a　shaft　that　rose　from　the　vaults　beneath　the　castle　to　the　roof。　　At　each　floor　there　was　a　similar　secret　door　conceal…　ing　the　mouth　of　the　passage。　　From　the　vaults　a　corridor　led　through　another　secret　panel　to　the　tunnel　that　wound　down…　ward　to　the　cave　in　the　hillside。

〃Beyond　that　we　shall　find　horses；　your　majesty；〃　con…　cluded　the　old　man。　　〃They　have　been　hidden　in　the　woods　since　I　came　to　Blentz。　　Each　day　I　go　there　to　water　and　feed　them。〃

During　the　servant's　explanation　Barney　had　been　casting　about　in　his　mind　for　some　means　of　rescuing　the　princess　without　so　great　risk　of　detection；　and　as　the　plan　of　the　secret　passage