the mad king-第32部分

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nsulted　we　shall　send　for　you。〃

As　the　chancellor　passed　into　the　antechamber　Count　Zellerndorf　rose　and　greeted　him　warmly；　almost　effusively。　Von　der　Tann　returned　his　salutations　with　courtesy　but　with　no　answering　warmth。　　Then　he　passed　on　out　of　the　palace。

〃The　old　fox　must　have　heard；〃　he　mused　as　he　mounted　his　horse　and　turned　his　face　toward　Tann　and　the　Old　Forest。

When　Count　Zellerndorf　of　Austria　entered　the　presence　of　Leopold　of　Lutha　he　found　that　young　ruler　much　dis…　turbed。　　He　had　resumed　his　restless　pacing　between　desk　and　window；　and　as　the　Austrian　entered　he　scarce　paused　to　receive　his　salutation。　　Count　Zellerndorf　was　a　frequent　visitor　at　the　palace。　　There　were　few　formalities　between　this　astute　diplomat　and　the　young　king；　those　had　passed　gradually　away　as　their　acquaintance　and　friendship　ripened。

〃Prince　Ludwig　appeared　angry　when　he　passed　through　the　antechamber；〃　ventured　Zellerndorf。　　〃Evidently　your　majesty　found　cause　to　rebuke　him。〃

The　king　nodded　and　looked　narrowly　at　the　Austrian。　〃The　Prince　von　der　Tann　insinuated　that　Austria's　only　wish　in　connection　with　Lutha　is　to　seize　her；〃　he　said。

Zellerndorf　raised　his　hands　in　well…simulated　horror。

〃Your　majesty！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　cannot　be　that　the　prince　has　gone　to　such　lengths　to　turn　you　against　your　best　friend；　my　emperor。　　If　he　has　I　can　only　attribute　it　to　his　own　ambitions。　　I　have　hesitated　to　speak　to　you　of　this　matter；　your　majesty；　but　now　that　the　honor　of　my　own　ruler　is　questioned　I　must　defend　him。

〃Bear　with　me　then；　should　what　I　have　to　say　wound　you。　　I　well　know　the　confidence　which　the　house　of　Von　der　Tann　has　enjoyed　for　centuries　in　Lutha；　but　I　must　brave　your　wrath　in　the　interest　of　right。　　I　must　tell　you　that　it　is　common　gossip　in　Vienna　that　Von　der　Tann　aspires　to　the　throne　of　Lutha　either　for　himself　or　for　his　daughter　through　the　American　impostor　who　once　sat　upon　your　throne　for　a　few　days。　　And　let　me　tell　you　more。

〃The　American　will　never　again　menace　youhe　was　arrested　in　Burgova　as　a　spy　and　executed。　　He　is　dead；　but　not　so　are　Von　der　Tann's　ambitions。　　When　he　learns　that　he　no　longer　may　rely　upon　the　strain　of　the　Rubinroth　blood　that　flowed　in　the　veins　of　the　American　from　his　royal　mother；　the　runaway　Princess　Victoria；　there　will　remain　to　him　only　the　other　alternative　of　seizing　the　throne　for　him…　self。　　He　is　a　very　ambitious　man；　your　majesty。　　Already　he　has　caused　it　to　become　current　gossip　that　he　is　the　real　power　behind　the　throne　of　Luthathat　your　majesty　is　but　a　figure…head；　the　puppet　of　Von　der　Tann。〃

Zellerndorf　paused。　　He　saw　the　flush　of　shame　and　anger　that　suffused　the　king's　face；　and　then　he　shot　the　bolt　that　he　had　come　to　fire；　but　which　he　had　not　dared　to　hope　would　find　its　target　so　denuded　of　defense。

〃Your　majesty；〃　he　whispered；　coming　quite　close　to　the　king；　〃all　Lutha　is　inclined　to　believe　that　you　fear　Prince　von　der　Tann。　　Only　a　few　of　us　know　the　truth　to　be　the　contrary。　　For　the　sake　of　your　prestige　you　must　take　some　step　to　counteract　this　belief　and　stamp　it　out　for　good　and　all。　　I　have　planned　a　wayhear　it。

〃Von　der　Tann's　hatred　of　Peter　of　Blentz　is　well　known。　No　man　in　Lutha　believes　that　he　would　permit　you　to　have　any　intercourse　with　Peter。　　I　have　brought　from　Blentz　an　invitation　to　your　majesty　to　honor　the　Blentz　prince　with　your　presence　as　a　guest　for　the　ensuing　week。　　Accept　it；　your　majesty。

〃Nothing　could　more　conclusively　prove　to　the　most　skep…　tical　that　you　are　still　the　king；　and　that　Von　der　Tann；　nor　any　other；　may　not　dare　to　dictate　to　you。　　It　will　be　the　most　splendid　stroke　of　statesmanship　that　you　could　achieve　at　the　present　moment。〃

For　an　instant　the　king　stood　in　thought。　　He　still　feared　Peter　of　Blentz　as　the　devil　is　reputed　to　fear　holy　water；　though　for　converse　reasons。　　Yet　he　was　very　angry　with　Von　der　Tann。　　It　would　indeed　be　an　excellent　way　to　teach　the　presumptuous　chancellor　his　place。

Leopold　almost　smiled　as　he　thought　of　the　chagrin　with　which　Prince　Ludwig　would　receive　the　news　that　he　had　gone　to　Blentz　as　the　guest　of　Peter。　　It　was　the　last　impetus　that　was　required　by　his　weak；　vindictive　nature　to　press　it　to　a　decision。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　go　tomorrow。〃

It　was　late　the　following　day　that　Prince　von　der　Tann　received　in　his　castle　in　the　Old　Forest　word　that　an　Austrian　army　had　crossed　the　Luthanian　frontierthe　neutrality　of　Lutha　had　been　violated。　　The　old　chancellor　set　out　im…　mediately　for　Lustadt。　　At　the　palace　he　sought　an　interview　with　the　king　only　to　learn　that　Leopold　had　departed　earlier　in　the　day　to　visit　Peter　of　Blentz。

There　was　but　one　thing　to　do　and　that　was　to　follow　the　king　to　Blentz。　　Some　action　must　be　taken　immediatelyit　would　never　do　to　let　this　breach　of　treaty　pass　unnoticed。

The　Serbian　minister　who　had　sent　word　to　the　chancellor　of　the　invasion　by　the　Austrian　troops　was　closeted　with　him　for　an　hour　after　his　arrival　at　the　palace。　　It　was　clear　to　both　these　men　that　the　hand　of　Zellerndorf　was　plainly　in　evidence　in　both　the　important　moves　that　had　occurred　in　Lutha　within　the　past　twenty…four　hoursthe　luring　of　the　king　to　Blentz　and　the　entrance　of　Austrian　soldiery　into　Lutha。

Following　his　interview　with　the　Serbian　minister　Von　der　Tann　rode　toward　Blentz　with　only　his　staff　in　attendance。　It　was　long　past　midnight　when　the　lights　of　the　town　ap…　peared　directly　ahead　of　the　little　party。　　They　rode　at　a　trot　along　the　road　which　passes　through　the　village　to　wind　upward　again　toward　the　ancient　feudal　castle　that　looks　down　from　its　hilltop　upon　the　town。

At　the　edge　of　the　village　Von　der　Tann　was　thunder…　struck　by　a　challenge　from　a　sentry　posted　in　the　road；　nor　was　his　dismay　lessened　when　he　discovered　that　the　man　was　an　Austrian。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　he　cried　angrily。　　〃What　are　Austrian　soldiers　doing　barring　the　roads　of　Lutha　to　the　chancellor　of　Lutha？〃

The　sentry　called　an　officer。　　The　latter　was　extremely　suave。　　He　regretted　the　incident；　but　his　orders　were　most　positiveno　one　could　be　permitted　to　pass　through　the　lines　without　an　order　from　the　general　commanding。　　He　would　go　at　once　to　the　general　and　see　if　he　could　procure　the　necessary　order。　　Would　the　prince　be　so　good　as　to　await　his　return？　　Von　der　Tann　turned　on　the　young　officer；　his　face　purpling　with　rage。

〃I　will　pass　nowhere　within　the　boundaries　of　Lutha；〃　he　said；　〃upon　the　order　of　an　Austrian。　　You　may　tell　your　general　that　my　only　regret　is　that　I　have　not　with　me　to…　night　the　necessary　force　to　pass　through　his　lines　to　my　kinganother　time　I　shall　not　be　so　handicapped；〃　and　Lud…　wig；　Prince　von　der　Tann；　wheeled　his　mount　and　spurred　away　in　the　direction　of　Lustadt；　at　his　heels　an　extremely　angry　and　revengeful　staff。




VI

A　TRAP　IS　SPRUNG

LONG　BEFORE　Prince　von　der　Tann　reached　Lustadt　he　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　Leopold　was　in　virtue　a　prisoner　in　Blentz。　　To　prove　his　conclusion　he　directed　one　of　his　staff　to　return　to　Blentz　and　attempt　to　have　audience　with　the　king。

〃Risk　anything；〃　he　instructed　the　officer　to　whom　he　had　entrusted　the　mission。　　〃Submit；　if　necessary；　to　the　humilia…　tion　of　seeking　an　Austrian　pass　through　the　lines　to　the　castle。　　See　the　king　at　any　cost　and　deliver　this　message　to　him　and　to　him　alone　and　secretly。　　Tell　him　my　fears；　and　that　if　I　do　not　have　word　from　him　within　twenty…　four　hours　I　shall　assume　that　he　is　indeed　a　prisoner。

〃I　shall　then　direct　the　mobilization　of　the　army　and　take　such　steps　as　seem　fit　to　rescue　him　and　drive　the　in…　vaders　from　the　soil　of　Lutha。　　If　you　do　not　return　I　shall　understand　that　you　are　held　prisoner　by　the　Austrians　and　that　my　worst　fears　have　been　realized。〃

But　Prince　Ludwig　was　one　who　believed　in　being　fore…　handed　and　so　it　happened　that　the　orders　for　the　mobiliza…　tion　of　the　army　of　Lutha　were　issued　within　fifteen　minutes　of　his　return　to　Lustadt。　　It　would　do　no　harm；　thought　the　old　man；　with　a　grim　smile；　to　get　things　well　under　way　a　day　ahead　of　time。　　This　accomplished；　he　summoned　the　Serbian　minister；　with　what　purpose　and　to　what　effect　be…　came　historically　evident　several　days　later。　　When；　after　twenty…four　hours'　absence；　his　aide　had　not　returned　from　Blentz；　the　chancellor　had　no　regrets　for　his　forehanded…　ness。

In　the　castle　of　Peter　of　Blentz　the　king　of　Lutha　was　be…　ing　entertained　royally。　　He　was　told　nothing　of　the　attempt　of　his　chancellor　to　see　him；　nor　did　he　know　that　a　messen…　ger　from　Prince　von　der　Tann　was　being　held　a　prisoner　in　the　camp　of　the　Austrians　in　the　village。　　He　was　sur…　rounded　by　the　creatures　of　Prince　Peter　and　by　Peter's　staunch　allies；　the　Austrian　minister　and　the　Austrian　officers　attached　to　the　expeditionary　force　occupying　the　town。　They　told　him　that　they　had　positive　information　that　the　Serbians　already　had　crossed　the　frontier　into　Lutha；　and　that　the　presence　of　the　Austrian　troops　was　purely　for　the　protection　of　Lutha。

It　was　not　until　the　morning　following　the　rebuff　of　Prince　von　der　Tann　that　Peter　of　Blentz；　Count　Zellern…　dorf　and　Maenck　heard　of　the　occurrence。　　They　were　cha…　grined　by　the　accident；　for　they　were　not　ready　to　deliver　their　final　stroke。　　The　young　officer　of　the　guard　had；　of　course；　but　followed　his　instructionswho　would　have　thought　that　old　Von　der　Tann　would　come　to　Blentz！　　That　he　suspected　their　motives　seemed　apparent；　and　now　that　his　rebuff　at　the　gates　had　aroused　his　ire　and；　doubtless；　crystallized　his　suspicions；　they　might　find　in　him　a　very　ugly　obstacle　to　the　fruition　of　their　plans。

With　Von　der　Tann　actively　opposed　to　them；　the　value　of　having　the　king　upon　their　side　would　be　greatly　mini…　mized。　　The　people　and　the　army　had　every　confidence　in　the　old　chancellor。　　Even　if　he　opposed　the　king　there　was　reason　to　believe　that　they　might　still　side　with　him。

〃What　is　to　be　done？〃　asked　Zellerndorf。　　〃Is　there　no　way　either　to　win　or　force　Von　der　Tann　to　acquiescence？〃

〃I　think　we　can　accomplish　it；〃　said　Prince　Peter；　after　a　moment　of　thought。　　〃Let　us　see　Leopold。　　His　mind　has　been　prepared　to　receive　almo