The Prisoner of Zenda

  CHAPTER 8

  A Fair Cousin and a Dark Brother

  A real king's life is perhaps a hard one; but a pretended king's is,I warrant, much harder. On the next day, Sapt instructed me in myduties--what I ought to do and what I ought to know--for three hours;then I snatched breakfast, with Sapt still opposite me, telling me thatthe King always took white wine in the morning and was known to detestall highly seasoned dishes. Then came the Chancellor, for another threehours; and to him I had to explain that the hurt to my finger (we turnedthat bullet to happy account) prevented me from writing--whence arosegreat to-do, hunting of precedents and so forth, ending in my "makingmy mark," and the Chancellor attesting it with a superfluity of solemnoaths. Then the French ambassador was introduced, to present hiscredentials; here my ignorance was of no importance, as the King wouldhave been equally raw to the business (we worked through the whole _corpsdiplomatique_ in the next few days, a demise of the Crown necessitatingall this bother).

  Then, at last, I was left alone. I called my new servant (we had chosen,to succeed poor Josef, a young man who had never known the King), had abrandy-and-soda brought to me, and observed to Sapt that I trusted thatI might now have a rest. Fritz von Tarlenheim was standing by.

  "By heaven!" he cried, "we waste time. Aren't we going to throw BlackMichael by the heels?"

  "Gently, my son, gently," said Sapt, knitting his brows. "It would bea pleasure, but it might cost us dear. Would Michael fall and leave theKing alive?"

  "And," I suggested, "while the King is here in Strelsau, on his throne,what grievance has he against his dear brother Michael?"

  "Are we to do nothing, then?"

  "We're to do nothing stupid," growled Sapt.

  "In fact, Fritz," said I, "I am reminded of a situation in one of ourEnglish plays--The Critic--have you heard of it? Or, if you like, of twomen, each covering the other with a revolver. For I can't expose Michaelwithout exposing myself--"

  "And the King," put in Sapt.

  "And, hang me if Michael won't expose himself, if he tries to exposeme!"

  "It's very pretty," said old Sapt.

  "If I'm found out," I pursued, "I will make a clean breast of it, andfight it out with the duke; but at present I'm waiting for a move fromhim."

  "He'll kill the King," said Fritz.

  "Not he," said Sapt.

  "Half of the Six are in Strelsau," said Fritz.

  "Only half? You're sure?" asked Sapt eagerly.

  "Yes--only half."

  "Then the King's alive, for the other three are guarding him!" criedSapt.

  "Yes--you're right!" exclaimed Fritz, his face brightening. "If theKing were dead and buried, they'd all be here with Michael. You knowMichael's back, colonel?"

  "I know, curse him!"

  "Gentlemen, gentlemen," said I, "who are the Six?"

  "I think you'll make their acquaintance soon," said Sapt. "They are sixgentlemen whom Michael maintains in his household: they belong to himbody and soul. There are three Ruritanians; then there's a Frenchman, aBelgian, and one of your countrymen."

  "They'd all cut a throat if Michael told them," said Fritz.

  "Perhaps they'll cut mine," I suggested.

  "Nothing more likely," agreed Sapt. "Who are here, Fritz?"

  "De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard."

  "The foreigners! It's as plain as a pikestaff. He's brought them, andleft the Ruritanians with the King; that's because he wants to committhe Ruritanians as deep as he can."

  "They were none of them among our friends at the lodge, then?" I asked.

  "I wish they had been," said Sapt wistfully. "They had been, not six,but four, by now."

  I had already developed one attribute of royalty--a feeling that I neednot reveal all my mind or my secret designs even to my intimate friends.I had fully resolved on my course of action. I meant to make myselfas popular as I could, and at the same time to show no disfavour toMichael. By these means I hoped to allay the hostility of his adherents,and make it appear, if an open conflict came about, that he wasungrateful and not oppressed.

  Yet an open conflict was not what I hoped for.

  The King's interest demanded secrecy; and while secrecy lasted, I hada fine game to play in Strelsau, Michael should not grow stronger fordelay!

  I ordered my horse, and, attended by Fritz von Tarlenheim, rode in thegrand new avenue of the Royal Park, returning all the salutes which Ireceived with punctilious politeness. Then I rode through a few of thestreets, stopped and bought flowers of a pretty girl, paying her witha piece of gold; and then, having attracted the desired amount ofattention (for I had a trail of half a thousand people after me), I rodeto the residence of the Princess Flavia, and asked if she wouldreceive me. This step created much interest, and was met with shouts ofapproval. The princess was very popular, and the Chancellor himself hadnot scrupled to hint to me that the more I pressed my suit, and the morerapidly I brought it to a prosperous conclusion, the stronger should Ibe in the affection of my subjects. The Chancellor, of course, did notunderstand the difficulties which lay in the way of following his loyaland excellent advice. However, I thought I could do no harm by calling;and in this view Fritz supported me with a cordiality that surprised me,until he confessed that he also had his motives for liking a visit tothe princess's house, which motive was no other than a great desire tosee the princess's lady-in-waiting and bosom friend, the Countess Helgavon Strofzin.

  Etiquette seconded Fritz's hopes. While I was ushered into theprincess's room, he remained with the countess in the ante-chamber: inspite of the people and servants who were hanging about, I doubt notthat they managed a tete-a-tete; but I had no leisure to think of them,for I was playing the most delicate move in all my difficult game. I hadto keep the princess devoted to me--and yet indifferent to me: I had toshow affection for her--and not feel it. I had to make love for another,and that to a girl who--princess or no princess--was the most beautifulI had ever seen. Well, I braced myself to the task, made no easier bythe charming embarrassment with which I was received. How I succeeded incarrying out my programme will appear hereafter.

  "You are gaining golden laurels," she said. "You are like the prince inShakespeare who was transformed by becoming king. But I'm forgetting youare King, sire."

  "I ask you to speak nothing but what your heart tells you--and to callme nothing but my name."

  She looked at me for a moment.

  "Then I'm glad and proud, Rudolf," said she. "Why, as I told you, yourvery face is changed."

  I acknowledged the compliment, but I disliked the topic; so I said:

  "My brother is back, I hear. He made an excursion, didn't he?"

  "Yes, he is here," she said, frowning a little.

  "He can't stay long from Strelsau, it seems," I observed, smiling."Well, we are all glad to see him. The nearer he is, the better."

  The princess glanced at me with a gleam of amusement in her eyes.

  "Why, cousin? Is it that you can--?"

  "See better what he's doing? Perhaps," said I. "And why are you glad?"

  "I didn't say I was glad," she answered.

  "Some people say so for you."

  "There are many insolent people," she said, with delightful haughtiness.

  "Possibly you mean that I am one?"

  "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 ofStrelsau 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."

  "You call him Michael when you meet him?"

  "Yes--by the orders of your father."

  "I see. And now by mine?"

  "If those are your orders."

  "Oh, decidedly! We must all be pleasant to our dear Michael."

  "You
order me to receive his friends, too, I suppose?"

  "The Six?"

  "You call them that, too?"

  "To be in the fashion, I do. But I order you to receive no one unlessyou like."

  "Except yourself?"

  "I pray for myself. I could not order."

  As I spoke, there came a cheer from the street. The princess ran to thewindow.

  "It is he!" she cried. "It is--the Duke of Strelsau!"

  I smiled, but said nothing. She returned to her seat. For a few momentswe sat in silence. The noise outside subsided, but I heard the tread offeet in the ante-room. I began to talk on general subjects. This went onfor some minutes. I wondered what had become of Michael, but it didnot seem to be for me to interfere. All at once, to my great surprise,Flavia, clasping her hands asked in an agitated voice:

  "Are you wise to make him angry?"

  "What? Who? How am I making him angry?"

  "Why, by keeping him waiting."

  "My dear cousin, I don't want to keep him--"

  "Well, then, is he to come in?"

  "Of course, if you wish it."

  She looked at me curiously.

  "How funny you are," she said. "Of course no one could be announcedwhile I was with you."

  Here was a charming attribute of royalty!

  "An excellent etiquette!" I cried. "But I had clean forgotten it; and ifI were alone with someone else, couldn't you be announced?"

  "You know as well as I do. I could be, because I am of the Blood;" andshe still looked puzzled.

  "I never could remember all these silly rules," said I, rather feebly,as I inwardly cursed Fritz for not posting me up. "But I'll repair myfault."

  I jumped up, flung open the door, and advanced into the ante-room.Michael was sitting at a table, a heavy frown on his face. Everyoneelse was standing, save that impudent young dog Fritz, who was loungingeasily in an armchair, and flirting with the Countess Helga. He leapt upas I entered, with a deferential alacrity that lent point to his formernonchalance. I had no difficulty in understanding that the duke mightnot like young Fritz.

  I held out my hand, Michael took it, and I embraced him. Then I drew himwith me into the inner room.

  "Brother," I said, "if I had known you were here, you should not havewaited a moment before I asked the princess to permit me to bring you toher."

  He thanked me, but coldly. The man had many qualities, but he could nothide his feelings. A mere stranger could have seen that he hated me, andhated worse to see me with Princess Flavia; yet I am persuaded that hetried to conceal both feelings, and, further, that he tried to persuademe that he believed I was verily the King. I did not know, of course;but, unless the King were an impostor, at once cleverer and moreaudacious than I (and I began to think something of myself in thatrole), Michael could not believe that. And, if he didn't, how he musthave loathed paying me deference, and hearing my "Michael" and my"Flavia!"

  "Your hand is hurt, sire," he observed, with concern.

  "Yes, I was playing a game with a mongrel dog" (I meant to stir him),"and you know, brother, such have uncertain tempers."

  He smiled sourly, and his dark eyes rested on me for a moment.

  "But is there no danger from the bite?" cried Flavia anxiously.

  "None from this," said I. "If I gave him a chance to bite deeper, itwould be different, cousin."

  "But surely he has been destroyed?" said she.

  "Not yet. We're waiting to see if his bite is harmful."

  "And if it is?" asked Michael, with his sour smile.

  "He'll be knocked on the head, brother," said I.

  "You won't play with him any more?" urged Flavia.

  "Perhaps I shall."

  "He might bite again."

  "Doubtless he'll try," said I, smiling.

  Then, fearing Michael would say something which I must appear toresent (for, though I might show him my hate, I must seem to be full offavour), I began to compliment him on the magnificent condition of hisregiment, and of their loyal greeting to me on the day of my coronation.Thence I passed to a rapturous description of the hunting-lodge whichhe had lent me. But he rose suddenly to his feet. His temper was failinghim, and, with an excuse, he said farewell. However, as he reached thedoor he stopped, saying:

  "Three friends of mine are very anxious to have the honour of beingpresented to you, sire. They are here in the ante-chamber."

  I joined him directly, passing my arm through his. The look on hisface was honey to me. We entered the ante-chamber in fraternal fashion.Michael beckoned, and three men came forward.

  "These gentlemen," said Michael, with a stately courtesy which, todo him justice, he could assume with perfect grace and ease, "are theloyalest and most devoted of your Majesty's servants, and are my veryfaithful and attached friends."

  "On the last ground as much as the first," said I, "I am very pleased tosee them."

  They came one by one and kissed my hand--De Gautet, a tall lean fellow,with hair standing straight up and waxed moustache; Bersonin, theBelgian, a portly man of middle height with a bald head (though he wasnot far past thirty); and last, the Englishman, Detchard, a narrow-facedfellow, with close-cut fair hair and a bronzed complexion. He was afinely made man, broad in the shoulder and slender in the hips. A goodfighter, but a crooked customer, I put him down for. I spoke to him inEnglish, with a slight foreign accent, and I swear the fellow smiled,though he hid the smile in an instant.

  "So Mr. Detchard is in the secret," thought I.

  Having got rid of my dear brother and his friends, I returned to make myadieu to my cousin. She was standing at the door. I bade her farewell,taking her hand in mine.

  "Rudolf," she said, very low, "be careful, won't you?"

  "Of what?"

  "You know--I can't say. But think what your life is to--"

  "Well to--?"

  "To Ruritania."

  Was I right to play the part, or wrong to play the part? I know not:evil lay both ways, and I dared not tell her the truth.

  "Only to Ruritania?" I asked softly.

  A sudden flush spread over her incomparable face.

  "To your friends, too," she said.

  "Friends?"

  "And to your cousin," she whispered, "and loving servant."

  I could not speak. I kissed her hand, and went out cursing myself.

  Outside I found Master Fritz, quite reckless of the footmen, playing atcat's-cradle with the Countess Helga.

  "Hang it!" said he, "we can't always be plotting. Love claims hisshare."

  "I'm inclined to think he does," said I; and Fritz, who had been by myside, dropped respectfully behind.