Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-29
BY ANTHONY HOPE.
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Prisoner and the King.
English Gentleman.


In order to q full understanding OF what
had occurred in the castle Of Zenda 1t Is
necessary to supplement my account OF
what myself saw and did on that night
by relating briefly what afterward learn
ed from Fritz and from Nine. de Mauban.
The story told by the latter explained
clearly how it happened that the cry which
l had arranged as a strategem ana
sham had come, in dreadful reality. before
its time, and had thus, as 1t seemed at the
moment. ruined our hopes, while In the
end it favored them. The unhappy wom-
ment to the Duke of Strelsau, no less than
by the dazzling prospects which domln-
ion over him opened before her eyes, had
followed him at his request from Paris TO
Ruritania. He was q man OF strong pas
sions, but of stronger will. and his cool
head ruled both. He was content to take
all and give nothing. When she arrived
she was not long In finding that she nad
desperate, she stood at nothing which
might give or keep her power over the
duke. AS 1 say. he. took and gave not;
Simultaneously Antoinette found hersen
entangled in his audacious schemes. I'm
willing to abandon him, bound to him by
the chains Of shame and hope. she yet
would not be decoy, nor at MS ploorng
lure me to death Hence the letters OF
warning she had written. Whether the
lines she sent to Flavia were inspired by
good or bad feeling. by jealousy or by
pity, l do not know; but here also she
served US well. When the duke went to
the first time she learned the full measure
of his cruelty, and was touched with COM
passion for the unfortunate king. FROM
this time she was with us; yet, from what
women wild loved Michael, and trusted to
gain his life, If not his pardon, from the
king as the reward for her assistance. His
triumph she did not desire, for she loathed
Loo had "a
what would be the prize Of this mar
rage with his cousin, Princess Flavia.
At Zenda new forces came into play
the lust and daring Of young Rupert. He
haps it was enough for him that she be-
longed to another man, and that she hated
him. For many days there had been quar-
rels and ill will between him and the duke,
and the scene which 1 had witnessed in
the dukes room was but one Of many.
Ruperts proposals to me. of which she
had of course been ignorant, in no way
surprised her when l related them; she
pert. even when she was calling on me to
deliver her from both of them. On this
night, then, Rupert had determined to
have his will. When she had gone to her
room he, having furnished himself with a
key to it. had made his entrance. Her
cries had brought the duke, and there In
the dark room while she screamed. the
men had fought; and Rupert having
wounded his master with mortal blow,
had. on the servants rushing in, escaped
through the window as 1 have described.
The dukes blood, squirting out, had stain
ed his opponents shirt; but Rupert. not
knowing that he had dealt Michael his
DEATH was eager to finish the encounter.
How he meant to deal with the other three
of the band L know not. / dare say he did
not think, for the killing of Michael was
not premeditated. Antoinette, left alone
with the duke, had tried to stanch his
wound, and thus was she busted till he
died and then, hearing Rupert's taunts. she
had come forth to avenge him. Me she
had not seen, nor did she till I darted out
of my ambush and leaped after Rupert
into the moat
The same moment found my friends on
the scene. They had reached the chateau
in due time. and awaited ready by the
door. But Johann, swept with the rest to
the rescue Of the duke, did not open 1t,
nay, he took a part against Rupert, put
ting himself forward more bravely than
any in his anxiety to avert suspicion; and
he had received a wound, in the embrasure
of the window. Till nearly half-past 2
Sapt waited; then, following my orders.
he had sent Fritz to search the banks Of
the moat. l was not there. Fastening
following orders still. and riding at full
speed back to Tarlenheim; while Fritz
would not hear of abandoning me, let me
have ordered what 1 would. On this they
disputed some few minutes; then Sapt,
persuaded by Fritz. detached party un-
der Bernenstein to gallop back to Tarlen-
helm and bring up the marshal, while the
rest fell to on the great door Of the cha
teau. For nearly fifteen minutes it re-
sisted them; then, just as Antoinette de
Mauban fired at Rupert Hentzau on the
bridge, they broke in, eight of them in all;
and the first door they came to was the
door of Michaers room; and Michael lay
dead across the threshold, with a sword
thrust through his breast. Sapt cried out
at his death. as I had heard. and they
rushed on the servants; but these, in fear,
dropped their weapons. and Antoinette
flung herself weeping, at sapt's feet. And
all she cried was that l had been at the
end of the bridge and had leaped off.
What of the prisoner" asked Sapt; but
she shook her head. Then Sapt and Fritz,
the bridge. slowly, warily and without
noise; and Fritz stumbled over the body
of De Gautet In the way of the door. They
felt him and found him dead.
Then they consulted, listening eagerly
for any sound from the cells below; but
there came none, and they were greatly
afraid that the kings guards had killed
him, and having pushed his body through
themselves. Yet, because I had been seen
here they had still some hope (hus indeed
Fritz, in his friendship, told me); and 60
ing back to Michaels body, pushing aside
a key to the door which 1 had locked, and
opened the door, The staircase was dark,
and they would not use a torch at first,
lest they should be the more exposed to
fire. But soon Fritz cried: 1.-The door
down there is open! See, there is light!'
So they went on boldly, and found none to
oppose them. And when they came to
the outer room and saw the Belgian, Ber-
sonin, lying dead they thanked God, Sapt
saying: AYE, he has been here" Then
rushing into the kings cell, they found
Detchard lying dead across the dead ply
sician, and the king on his back with his
chair by him. And Fritz cried: Hes
deadv' and Sapt drove all out of the room
except Fritz, and knelt down by the king;
and, having learned more of wounds and
the signs of death than I, he soon knew
that the king was not dead. nor, if proper
ly attended, would die. And they covered
his face and carried him to Duke Michaers
room, and laid him there; and Antoinette
rose from praying by the body of the duke
and went to battle the kings head and
dress his wounds. till a doctor came. And
Sapt, seeing l had been there, and having
heard Antoinette's story, sent Fritz to
search the moat and then the forest. He
dared send no one else And Fritz found
my horse, and feared the worst. Then, as
I have told, he found me. guided by the
shout with which I had called nm R,,port