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"'The king will not leave the lodge to-day. Thank God, then, we have to-day!" "Yes, but where's Rupert?" "We shall know in an hour, if he's in Strelsau," and Mr. Rassendyll looked as though it would please him well to find Rupert in Strelsau. "Yes, I must seek him. I shall stand at nothing to find him. If I can only get to him as the king, then I'll be the king. We have to-day!"
Sapt raised his weapon after him, and there was such an expression of wistful regret on his face that I had much ado not to burst out laughing. For ten minutes we stayed where we were. "You see," said Sapt, "they've sent him news that all is well." "What does that mean?" I asked. "God knows," said Sapt, frowning heavily. "But it's brought him from Strelsau in a rare puzzle."
Opening the paper, he displayed a double-page engraving of the Coronation of Rudolf V at Strelsau. The photograph and the picture he laid side by side. I sat at the table fronting them; and, as I looked, I grew absorbed. My eye travelled from my own portrait to Sapt, to Strakencz, to the rich robes of the Cardinal, to Black Michael's face, to the stately figure of the princess by his side.
They gave no thought to him; his only thought was to escape as soon as he might; so he passed them, and, going on, passed also the chamberlain, who stood dazed at the house door, and so disappeared, intent on saving the life that he had justly forfeited. Thus the rogue vanished, and what became of him no one knew nor cared. He showed his face no more at Glottenberg or Strelsau.
My train reached there in the evening; I would spend the next day, Tuesday, in a wander over the hills, which were said to be very fine, and in taking a glance at the famous Castle, and go over by train to Strelsau on the Wednesday morning, returning at night to sleep at Zenda.
His eyes seemed fascinated by Rudolf Rassendyll. "Yet you've seen me before, I think," smiled Rudolf. "I seem to remember you as a boy in Strelsau when I was there. Now tell us, sir, where did you leave this cousin of yours?" For the plan was to find out from Rischenheim where Rupert was, and to set off in pursuit of Rupert as soon as they had disposed of Rischenheim.
Rassendyll, a friend of the king's, who with his servant James was awaiting his Majesty's return from Strelsau. His servant here is ready to start for England, to tell Mr. Rassendyll's relatives the news." The queen had begun to listen before now; her eyes were fixed on Sapt, and she had stretched out one arm to him, as if imploring him to read her his riddle.
"Your Majesty could not be," she said, curtseying in feigned deference, but adding, mischievously, after a pause: "Unless, that is " "Well, unless what?" "Unless you tell me that I mind a snap of my fingers where the Duke of Strelsau is." Really, I wished that I had been the King. "You don't care where cousin Michael " "Ah, cousin Michael! I call him the Duke of Strelsau."
But to carry a body secretly from here to Strelsau " "Yes, that is, as we agreed at the first, difficult. Well, it's a pretty story, but your master wouldn't approve of it. Supposing he were not killed, I mean." "It's a waste of time, sir, disapproving of what's done: he might think the story better than the truth, although it's not a good story." The two men's eyes met again in a long glance.
I saw nothing of the brilliant throng that filled it, I hardly distinguished the stately figure of the Cardinal as he rose from the archiepiscopal throne to greet me. And when he saw me his red cheeks went pale all in a moment, and his helmet fell with a clatter on the floor. Till that moment I believe that he had not realized that the King was in very truth come to Strelsau.
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