CHAPTER IV.
The Courtesy of Christian the Highwayman.
"I am tired of men," cried Princess Osra, "and of suitors, and ofprinces. I will go to Zenda and ride in the forest all alone."
"You will meet men even there," said the King.
"How do you know that, sire?" she asked with a smile.
"At least I have found it impossible to avoid meeting women anywhere."
"I do not think it is the same thing," observed Osra, smiling again.
The King said no more, but let her go her own way; and to Zenda shewent, and rode in the forest all alone, meeting for many days no man atall, though, perhaps, she thought a little of those whom she had met,and (who can tell?) now and then of one whom she should some day meet.For the mind loves to entertain itself with such idle musings, and theyare hardly conscious till a sudden smile or a beat of the heart betraysthem to the abashed thinker. Just in this manner a flush had chanced torise to Osra's cheek one day as she rode in a reverie, being above tenmiles from the Castle and on the very edge of the kingdom's frontier,which skirts the extremity of the forest on the east. Breaking off herthoughts, half ashamed of them, she looked up and saw a very fine andpowerful horse tethered to a tree a few yards away, saddled and bridled.Then she said to herself with a sigh, "Alas, here is a man as my brothersaid!" And she shook her head very sorrowfully.
The next instant she saw, as she had foreboded, a man approaching her;indeed, the matter was as bad as could be, for he was young andhandsome, finely dressed, carrying a good sword by his side and a braceof pistols mounted in silver in his belt. He held a feathered hat in hishand, and, advancing with a deep bow, knelt on one knee by thePrincess's horse, saying:
"Madame, if you will, you can do me a great service."
"If it be in my power, sir," she answered--for since fate compelled herto meet a man, she would not show him rudeness--"I am at your service."
"You see my horse there, madame? He is as dear as my life to me; and Ifear I shall lose him, unless I have your aid," and he rose and stoodlooking at the Princess.
"Why, what threatens him?" she asked.
"I will tell you, madame. I come from across the frontier, from asecluded village nearly ten miles from here. There I live with mymother, whom I support. There is a rich fellow there, a farmer, Otho byname, who is, saving your presence, a plaguey boastful fellow. And he isto-day to be betrothed."
"Do you also love the lady?" asked Osra, thinking she had come at thecause of his trouble.
"Not I, madame. But this Otho boasted and vaunted so intolerably of herbeauty, and of his own prowess and attraction, that last night I, ledaway by emulation (nay, I am ashamed to say that I had also drunka flask of wine) wagered with him my horse against a thousandcrowns--though the horse is worth two thousand--that I would bring withme to the feast a girl handsomer than his Lotta. But now it is eleveno'clock, and the feast is at one o'clock, and I have no girl to show,ugly or handsome. And if I lose my horse I must hang myself, for Icannot live without him."
"You cannot live without your horse?" she asked in surprise.
"At least, madame," he answered in some confusion, "his loss would gonear to breaking my heart."
"But is this Lotta so handsome that you can find none to surpass her?"
"She is, indeed, wonderfully handsome. In the village they call her themost beautiful girl in the world."
"Then, sir, it seems to me that your wager was most improvident andrash. For you are certain to lose it."
"Alas, yes!" he answered in great distress. "I am certain to lose; forthere are, I think, only two ladies in the world who could save me, andone would not."
"Two ladies? Who are they?"
"Madame," said he, "before you came in sight, I sat desolate anddespairing on the ground, and what I said to myself was, 'If what mensay is true, there is only one lady who could save me. But how shall I,poor Christian Hantz, come at the Princess Osra? And would she put on acountry girl's dress and go to the feast with me? Alas, it isimpossible! And there is no other lady in the world beautiful enough.'But then----"
"Well, sir, what then?" asked Osra, playing with her whip and smotheringa smile.
"Then, madame," said Christian, "I looked up and I saw you, and I cried,'A fig for the Princess Osra! For here is a lady more beautiful than allthey tell of Princess Osra; I will throw myself at her feet and pray herin pity to help me.'"
Still Osra hid her smile, and so busy was she with this task that shedid not perceive that Christian also hid a smile; but she thought thathe did not know her, whereas he had seen her several times, and had thisday tracked her in the forest, knowing that she was accustomed to ridethere.
"But where," she asked, "would the lady who went with you get the dressyou speak of?"
"At my mother's cottage, madame, where my mother would wait on her."
"And when could she be back at this spot?"
"By five in the afternoon, madame. I would myself escort her."
"And why, sir, should she rescue you from the straits into which yourfolly has led you?"
"Alas, madame, for no reason, unless, by a divine miracle, she shouldprove as kind as she is beautiful."
"You have a rash tongue, sir, in other matters than the making ofwagers." And she looked at him. For she was very sorely tempted to dowhat he prayed of her; and she said:
"Has the Princess Osra ever ridden through your village?"
"Never, madame."
"But some there may know her face, and then they will think nothing ofmine."
"It is unlikely that any one there should have seen even a picture ofher, for they are quiet folk and do not go abroad."
"Besides, in a peasant's dress--" began Osra meditatively. But shestopped, blushing and laughing. And Christian caught her hand and kissedit, crying:
"For heaven's sake, come, madame!"
He was so earnest, and his earnestness so became his bronzed face andbright eyes, that Osra could not deny him, but she swore him to secrecy,and agreed to ride with him, blaming herself all the while very greatly,and blaming yet more that Fate which would not allow her to be quit ofthe troublesome race of men even in the recesses of the forest of Zenda.
Turning their horses, therefore, towards the frontier, they set them ata smart canter, for there was little time to lose if they were to cometo the feast by one o'clock; and shortly before noon, having struck abye-path through the trees, they came on a small cottage that stoodapart and by itself; and a hill rose from it.
"On the other side of the hill lies the village, madame," saidChristian, jumping from his horse. "And this is my cottage. Hallo,there, mother!"
An old woman came out, neatly and cleanly clad. Christian ran up to her,spoke to her briefly, and brought her to Osra. The worthy dame,bewildered by the appearance and stately air of the Princess, didnothing but curtsey and murmur incoherent thanks, but Osra, now caughtby the excitement of the enterprise, clapped her hands, crying:
"Quick, quick, or we shall be too late!"
So Christian lifted her down and led away the horses to a shed behindthe cottage. But the old woman led Osra in, and took her to the bedroom,where lay a dress such as the peasant girls wore. Osra took up theskirt, and looked at it curiously.
"Must I indeed wear this?" she asked. "And I am somewhat tall, mother!"
The old woman said that nothing would serve save the dress, and Osrasighed. Yet as there was no help for it, she suffered the old woman tohelp her in getting it on.
So the door was shut, and Christian sat smiling in the sun outside, wellpleased at the success of his audacious scheme, and feeling Otho'scrowns already in his pocket.
Still less did he doubt of this most desirable result when the door ofthe cottage again opened and Osra came out, blushing, and yet biting herlips to keep back her laughter. Her hair was plaited in two long plaits;she wore a white bodice, and over it a jacket of black velvet, and a redskirt hung full from her waist to
but a very little below her knee; thencame hose of red also--for it was a holiday, and the best of all wasworn--and stout square-toed shoes. Osra in her heart loved all exceptthe shoes, yet she declared that she loathed all except the shoes. AndChristian, with eyes cast most demurely on the ground, prayed her toforgive the sad necessity, yet assured her that Lotta would die of envythat very day.
"Let us go then," said Osra. "For the sooner we go, the sooner will itbe done, and I can get rid of these ridiculous clothes. Heaven havemercy on me and grant that I may meet none who know me!"
They were mounting the hill now, the old woman standing at the cottagedoor and watching. When they reached the top Osra saw a small villagenestling in the valley below, and the sound of music struck on her ear.At this a sudden fear seized her, and putting out her hand she caughtChristian by the sleeve, saying:
"Will they know me?"
"Not they, madame," said he. But as he spoke his eyes fell on a ringthat the Princess wore, a gem engraved with the Royal Arms. "Not they,if you conceal that ring;" and for a moment he looked in her face, andhe smiled.
Osra uttered a little cry, as she hastily plucked the ring from herfinger, and gave it to him, saying:
"Keep it safe, and do not forget to give it me again."
But she would not meet his glance, for she began from now to suspectthat he knew who she was.
The sound of music came from a solid square-built house that stood onthe outskirts of the village, and coming nearer they saw a long tablespread in the shade near the house, and a company of men and womenseated at it. The Princess was somewhat comforted to find that thegirls' dresses were in all respects like her own, though hers seemednewer and more handsome; therefore she took courage, and put her arminside Christian's arm, saying:
"Since I have accepted the part, I will play it. Come, sir, let us goand challenge Lotta. Your horse is at stake!"
"He is in no danger," said Christian, "and I am worth a thousandcrowns." And his eyes most plainly added the reason which led him tothese comfortable conclusions.
Now at this moment Otho, having toasted the company and accepted theirgood wishes, was standing up before them all, Lotta standing by him, herhand in his; and he vowed (as was but right) all manner of love anddevotion to her, and declared that she was the prettiest girl in theworld; in truth she was very pretty, being, although low of stature,most admirably formed, having golden hair, the pinkest of cheeks andlarge blue eyes that followed a man about in a most appealing anddistracting manner. So that Otho had good reason to be content, andwould have come to no harm, had it not been for that old extravagance oflovers which will not allow this world to hold more than one prettygirl--the truth being, of course, quite otherwise. But, led on by thisinfatuation, Otho cried:
"I dare any man to find so pretty a girl! As for Master Christian whosewager you heard--why, this evening his fine horse shall feed in mystable!"
"Softly, friend Otho, softly," came to the ears of the feasters frombehind the trees. "Mistress Lotta is very pretty, but I have here a girlwhom some think handsome. Well, this worthy company shall judge." AndChristian came from the shelter of the trees leading Osra by the hand,and he set her opposite to Lotta, where all could see her. And alllooked and beheld her with amazement. But none spoke. So they rested fora long while, Christian smiling and Osra's eyes being set on Lotta,while Otho did nothing but gaze at Osra.
Presently a low murmur began to run along the table. "Who is she?" askedsome one, but none could answer. "Who is she?" called an old man toChristian, but he answered, "What's that to you? Is she not fairer?" Andwhen the others asked whence she came, he made the same answer. But oneyoung fellow leant from his place and plucked Christian's sleeve,saying, "Is she promised to you?" and at this Christian frowned,answering, "At least she is not for you," while Osra, overhearing,blushed mightily. Then Otho, still saying nothing, suddenly lugged out agreat purse of money, and flung it violently into the middle of thetable with a curse, and Christian with a mocking lift of his hat, cameforward, and, taking it, tossed it up and down in his hand, crying, "Isit fair weight, neighbour Otho?" Otho did not heed him, but turnedsuddenly to Lotta and put his arm round her waist, saying:
"Aye, it is true. The devil must have sent her, but it is true. Yet youare pretty too, my lass." For Lotta, after looking at all the companyand at Osra, had been so sorely wounded in her pride and robbed of hertriumph, that, poor child, she had begun to weep, hiding her face in herhands, and Otho was trying to comfort her, though, lover as he was, hecould not for the life of him declare that she was more beautiful thanthe girl whom Christian had brought. And they all moved from theirplaces and came to stand round Osra. But she, after a moment, caughtfrom Christian the bag that he tossed so exultantly, crying to him:"I'll be your debtor for it;" and bursting through the ring, she ranround the table and came to Lotta, and, pulling the girl's hands downfrom her face, she thrust the bag into her hands, and began to talk toher, whispering low, and looking into her frightened eyes with shiningeyes.
"Ah, my dear," said Osra, "see, he still loves you, dear. Ah, why did Icome? But I am going away, yes, now, and I shall never come here again.I do harm wherever I go! Yes, but you'll be the prettiest girl in thevillage always! Otho, Otho, kiss her, Otho! Tell her that you love her,Otho. Don't stand there dumb. Oh, how stupid men are! Don't you see whatshe wants? Yes, do it again. I never saw anybody so pretty, Otho. Yes,yes, dear, keep the bag. It's from me; you must keep it, and buy prettyclothes and be prettier than ever, for Otho's sake, because he lovesyou."
By the time the Princess Osra had ended her consolations, behold she wasvery nearly crying herself! But Lotta put her arms round the Princess'sneck and kissed her, because she said that Otho still loved her; and inher gratitude for this, she forgot thanks for the bag of crowns, or evento wonder who this girl was that could give away a thousand crowns. Butin this the rest of the company were not like her, and an eagermurmuring marked the excitement with which they watched the scene; andthey cried to Christian:
"Look after your crowns;" and thought him mad when he shook his headjauntily, answering:
"Let Otho do what he will with them."
Then, their interest growing more and more intense, they crowded roundthe Princess, scanning her very closely; and she was in great fear thatshe would be known, and also in some embarrassment from the ardentglances and free comments of the simple countrymen, who were accustomedto say what they thought with more plainness than were the gentlemen ofthe Court. So that at length, fairly alarmed, she gave Lotta a lasthasty kiss, and made her way to Christian, crying: "Take me away."
"Aye, madame," said he, and he put her arm in his and turned away. Butall the company followed him, staring and gossiping and crowding, sothat Lotta and Otho were left alone at the feast which Otho hadprovided, with nothing to console them but one another's love and thehappily recovered thousand crowns. And the crowd pressed hard on Osraand Christian, being full of eagerness to see where the girl went andwhat became of her. Thus they reached the top of the hill and came insight of Christian's cottage. But now Christian suddenly loosed Osra'sarm and, turning round, faced the throng of inquisitive folk; witheither hand he drew a silver-mounted pistol from his belt; and when hehad cocked the pair, he pointed them at his friends and neighbours,saying in a quiet and pleasant voice: "I shall count to twenty. Any onewho means to be within range when I come to twenty had best now orderhis coffin."
"WITH EITHER HAND HE DREW A SILVER-MOUNTEDPISTOL."--_Page 114._]
At this a great grumbling arose among them; yet they knew Christian, anddid not wait till he had counted, but one and all turned tail and randown the hill much quicker than they had come up. But one or twofellows, resentful and malicious because of their disappointment, assoon as they found themselves out of range, turned round and shouted:
"Aye, he is ready with his pistol, is Christian. We know him.Highwayman! Whom did you last rob?" And Christian went red as the frockthat Osra wore. But she turned questioning eyes on him.
"Yes," said he sullenly. "They say highwayman; it is true. I am arobber. That is why I said, madame, that I could not live without myhorse."
"Come," said Osra, "let us go to the cottage."
So they returned together to the cottage, saying nothing. There Osra puton her own clothes again, and having bidden farewell to the old womanwho asked no questions of her, mounted her horse. Then Christian said:
"Shall I ride with you, madame?"
She bowed her head in assent.
Till they entered the forest the Princess did not speak. But then shesighed, saying:
"I am sorry that I went with you. For if you had lost your horse maybeyou would have ceased from your way of life. It is better to lose ahorse than to be hanged."
"Madame," said he, "you speak prudently. Yet I had rather be hanged thanlose him."
"I am in your debt a thousand crowns," said she, and, stopping herhorse, she wrote for him an order for a thousand crowns, and she signedit with her own name, Osra, and gave it to him. He received it bowingvery low.
"You knew me all the time?" she asked.
"Yes, madame," said he. They had now come to where he had first met her.
"Why do you live by robbery?" she asked.
"For the love of the same thing that made you come with me to-day,madame."
"But could you not find what you love in the King's service?"
"I do not like service, madame," said Christian. "I love to be free."
She paused for a moment, and then said in a lower tone:
"Could you not endure my service, sir?"
"In that I shall now live and die, madame," said he, and she felt hiseyes upon her.
Again in silence they rode on; it was evening now, and had grown dark,and presently the lantern in the tower of the keep of Zenda becamevisible. Then Osra drew rein.
"For my sake," said she, "rob no more."
"What you command, madame, is my law. And here is your ring."
"Keep the ring," she said. "But when I can serve you, you shall send itback to me, and ask what you will in return for it."
"There is nothing," said he, very low, and looking away from her, "thatI would take in exchange for it."
"A foolish man or only a foolish speech?" she asked as lightly as shecould, with one fleeting glance at his face.
"A foolish man, madame, it may be, but a true speech," and he bentbareheaded in his saddle and raised her hand to his lips. And, stillbareheaded, he turned away and rode back at a canter into the forest.But the Princess Osra rode on to the Castle, wondering greatly at whatshe had done that day.
Yet she could not be very sorry that she had saved his horse for him,and she trusted that Otho and Lotta would be happy, and she thought thatone man was, after all, as good flesh and blood as another, and thenthat she was a Princess and he a robber, and that his eyes had been overbold. Yet there was deference in them also.
"It is a great pity that he should be a robber," sighed the Princess, asshe reached the Castle.
* * * * *
The Princess Osra's carriage was within two miles of Strelsau when sheput her head out of the window and asked the officer who rode by thewheel why such a throng of people hastened to the city.
"SHE ASKED THE OFFICER WHY A THRONG OF PEOPLE HASTENED TOTHE CITY."--_Page 118._]
"It is nothing, madame," answered he, saluting. "It is only that tworogues are to be hanged to-day."
"What pleasure is there in seeing men hanged?" asked Osra scornfully. "Iwish I had not come to-day." And she drew her head back in disgust. Thenshe called: "Go slowly, and do not let me get into the middle of thewild beasts who go to gloat over men being hanged."
So the horses were checked to a walk, and thus the carriage proceededslowly towards Strelsau. But presently the Princess put her head out ofthe window again and asked:
"Who are to be hanged to-day, sir?"
"The noted highwayman, Sigismund Kohl, madame," said the officer. "Herobbed the Archbishop's coach in the forest of Zenda; but they pursuedhim over the frontier and tracked him to the cottage of the other rogue,who had a part in many previous robberies, though not in this. Thesecond fellow hid Kohl, and tried to put off the officers, but theycaught them both, and both are to be hanged."
"It seems hard," said Osra, "to hang the one who only sheltered hisfriend. He could do no less."
"Nay, madame, he richly deserves it. Besides his previous robberies, heis gravely suspected of a most foul murder. For a few weeks ago he wasin company with a girl, and she seemed to have money and to spare, andwas mighty pretty too, they say. Now he can give no account of what hasbecome of her; but they have found all the clothes she wore hidden awayin his house, and he says his mother bought the clothes. But they are agirl's clothes, not an old woman's. It looks black; but luckily theother matter is enough to hang him on. His mother's clothes, in faith!Would an old woman, who died three weeks ago, have bought a new redfrock and smart red stockings for herself?"
"A red frock? Red stockings? And the mother is dead? Dead of what?"
"Of a chill, madame, such as carries old people off suddenly. Yes, itlooks black, and so the people think, for when the pair were broughtinto the city, though the rascals cheered Kohl who had only robbed theArchbishop, they pelted and came near to killing Christian Hantz."
The Princess's face went pale, and she sank back, murmuring "ChristianHantz!" But in another moment she cried:
"At what hour is the hanging?"
"At noon, madame; that is, half an hour from now."
Then the Princess cried in a loud urgent tone:
"Faster, faster! Drive at top speed!" The officers looked at her inwonder; but she cried: "A hundred crowns to the coachman if he brings meto the place before noon! Quick, quick!" For she was all on fire at thethought that Christian Hantz was to be hanged, not for any new robberybut because he had sheltered his friend. And she knew how the red skirtand the red stockings came in his house; her breath caught in herthroat, as she thought how he had suffered stoning and execration ratherthan betray her secret. And she cried out to herself as she was carriedalong, "But the ring! Why did he not send the ring?"
By now they were at the gates of the city, and now within them. Theofficer and the two men who were with him rode forward to clear the roadfor the Princess. Thus they made their way on, until they came to thestreet which leads from the West Gate to the Cathedral, and could seethe gibbet that had been raised before the prison, between the Cathedraland the Palace. But here the whole street was blocked with people, andthe officer could not get the carriage through, for the folk were thickas swarming bees all across the roadway, and even if they would havemoved, they could not; so the carriage came to a dead stand, while theofficer said to Princess Osra:
"Madame, it is useless, we cannot get through them." Osra sprang fromthe carriage, and she said:
"You have two men with you, sir. For God's sake, gentlemen, bring methrough to the foot of the scaffold. I care not if it costs me my life."
"Nor we, madame, though it costs us ours, since it is your pleasure,"they said, as every man in the city would have said for the PrincessOsra. And the two men went ahead, while Osra followed with the officer;and pushing and struggling, and dodging in and out, aye, and when needwas, hitting, and buffeting, and kicking, the three took her throughinto the square of the Cathedral. And the clock in the great towerstruck noon.
As the bell boomed a cry went up from the thronged square; the body of aman shot from the scaffold to the top of the gibbet and hung there. Thepeople cried aloud, some cheering, some also groaning and weeping.
"Who is it, who is it?" asked the Princess.
"It is Sigismund Kohl, madame," said the officer.
"Then on, on, on!" she commanded, and again they struggled forward. Nowa louder and fiercer cry rang out as a man was brought forward on thescaffold, in his shirt and breeches. A priest was with him, holding acrucifix before his eyes. King Rudolf, who sat at a window
of hispalace, asked why they delayed to string the rascal up; and one of hisgentlemen answered:
"Sire, the priest begged a few minutes' delay. For the obstinate roguewill not confess to the murder of the girl, and therefore cannot receiveabsolution, and the priest is loth to have him hanged without it."
"He shall be hanged without it, unless his conscience act quickly," saidthe King. But a moment later, he asked:
"What is the tumult in the corner of the square? There is a fight there.Let it be seen to."
Indeed there was a fight; for the three with Osra were bent on gettingthrough, and the crowd would not let them through; and they struck atthe crowd, and the crowd at them. But suddenly some one, peering pastthe Guards, exclaimed: "The Princess Osra, the Princess!" Then the blowsceased, and the crowd began slowly to give back, making way for Osra.And she walked between walls of people, yet did not seem to see or totake heed of any of them; her eyes were glued to the man on thescaffold. For even now the priest, who had held the crucifix, turnedsorrowfully away, and signed with his hand to the hangman.
Again the people shouted fiercely for Christian's death; and he,stepping forward, gave himself into the executioner's hands. Those whowere near him saw that there was a smile on his lips, and, as thehangman took hold of him, he kissed a little packet which he held in hisright hand. But the people shrieked loudly: "Murderer, murderer! Whereis the girl?" At this, stung beyond endurance, Christian cried, soloudly that his voice rose above the clamour:
"I am no murderer, I did not touch a hair of her head."
"Then where is she, where is she?" they shouted.
"I do not know," said he; and he added in a low tone, kissing his littlepacket again: "Wherever she is, God in his graciousness send her joy."And he turned to the executioner, saying, "Get on, man." But then helooked as it were for the last time on the living sea of faces roundhim, and suddenly, out of all of them, he saw one.
What Christian saw the King saw also, and he rose from his chair with anoath and a laugh.
"This sister of mine is a wonderful wench," said he. "Come, let us seewhy she will not have this rascal hanged. Run, some one, and tell themnot to string him up till I give the word."
The King walked out of the palace and came into the square, the Guardparting the people before him; and Osra, seeing him coming, stood nowquite still, blushing and smiling, although she was very ashamed andpanted sorely.
Then the King came and faced her, saying nothing, but lifting hiseyebrows and smiling whimsically; but at last he whispered:
"What, was there a man in the forest, Osra?"
And she answered: "Do not ask me that, sire, but ask Christian Hantzwhat is in the packet which he kissed as the hangman took hold of him."
"He is not only a robber, but a murderer also, though he will not own toit."
"No, he is no murderer," said she. "Look in the packet."
"Then come and look with me," said the King, and taking her hand he ledher up on to the scaffold in the sight of all the people, who wonderedand laughed; for they always laughed at the ways of the Princess Osra.But she flew straight across to Christian, who fell on one knee with therope round his neck.
"Give me the packet," she cried, and she tore it open. And in it shefound her order for a thousand crowns and the gem engraved with theRoyal Arms. For an instant she looked at Christian, and then she said:
"You have not got money for the order? Yet my name is good for athousand crowns."
"To me, madame, it was better than fifty thousand."
"But," she broke out eagerly; "you should have sent the ring. I couldhave saved you."
"But you would have kept it in return for the service, madame."
"Aye, sir, that was the bargain," said Osra, with a little low laugh.
"I knew it. And I preferred to die with it rather than live without it."
"Another foolish speech!"
"Yes, for the man is foolish, madame."
"And they cry to you, 'Where is the girl?' And you do not answer, butdie under a foul charge!"
To this Christian Hantz made no answer at all, unless it were one tomurmur mournfully:
"And, madame, they have taken from me the red skirt and----"
The Princess Osra suddenly turned from him, and went to the King, whohad stood regarding her; and she knelt down before him, saying:
"Sire and dear brother, pardon this man. He did but shelter his friend,and he will rob no more."
"I might forgive him his robberies, if he would take service in myarmy."
"Yes, in my regiment of Guards!" she cried.
"But how shall I forgive that foul murder, of which he is certainlyguilty? For where, sister, is the pretty girl, of whom no traces can befound saving her dress, her red skirt, and----?"
"Sire, these things--I pray you, sire, let your gentlemen stand back alittle."
"Stand back, then, gentlemen," said the King.
"These things, sire, were, by a strange chance, in the little parcelthat the poor man kissed. Though why he kissed it, I do not know."
The King took Osra's order for a thousand crowns, and also the gemengraved with the Royal Arms; he looked at them and at his sister.
"Therefore, sire," said she, "I ask life and pardon for the mostcourteous gentleman in your dominions. For he prized my ring above hislife and my secret above his honour. Sire, such men should live and notdie."
The King turned to his officers, and said:
"Gentlemen, the Princess knows that the girl is alive and well and hasno complaint against this man. For he might not in honour tell who orwhere she was. And, for the rest, he did but shelter his friend, and mysister is surety that he will rob no more. May he live?"
When they heard this, they all declared that Christian should live, andthey went into the crowd and told the people that the girl was found.Then the people suddenly veered round and began to cheer Christian, andsome cried, "Who is the girl?" and laughed merrily, conceiving that itwas a love affair on which Christian had been engaged; and because hepreferred to die under an imputation of murder rather than endanger hislove's reputation, he became a hero with them; and when they heard hewas not to die, they dispersed in the utmost good temper, cheering himand the King, and above all the Princess Osra, whom they loved.
But she went again to Christian, and bade the hangman take the rope offhis neck.
"Will you serve in my regiment of Guards, sir?" she asked. "Or isservice still irksome to you?"
"I will serve you, madame," said Christian.
"And since you will need equipment, get money for this order," and shegave him again the order.
"I must needs obey you, madame, though reluctantly."
"It is well, sir. I trust you will serve me faithfully. I bid youfarewell, sir," and she bowed slightly, and turned as if to leave him.And he said nothing, but stood looking at her, so that presently sheblushed, saying:
"They will let you have those things now, sir."
Christian bowed very low, and, raising himself again, looked at herring.
"Nay, I cannot do that," said Princess Osra. "But you will see it nowand then, and, now and then, maybe, you can touch it." And she put thering on her finger and held out her hand to him. He knelt and kissed thering and then her hand; but he looked very glum. And the Princesslaughed openly at him, her eyes dancing in delight and amusement. But hestill looked more as though he were going to be hanged than he had anytime before in the day. So that the King, pointing at him, said to Osra:
"An ungrateful dog! Upon my soul he looks as though he were sorry not tobe hanged! Do you call that courtesy?"
But the Princess laughed softly and rubbed the ring on her finger, asshe answered:
"Aye, sire, I call that the best of courtesy."