the mad king-第42部分

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eign。　　Taxes　had　gone　even　higher　than　under　the　corrupt　influence　of　the　Blentz　regime。　The　king's　days　were　spent　in　bed；　his　nights　in　dissipation。　Old　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　seemed　Lutha's　only　friend　at　court。　　Him　the　people　loved　and　trusted。

It　was　the　old　chancellor　who　met　them　as　they　entered　the　palacethe　Princess　Emma；　Lieutenant　Butzow；　and　the　false　king。　　As　the　old　man's　eyes　fell　upon　his　daughter；　he　gave　an　exclamation　of　surprise　and　of　incredulity。　　He　looked　from　her　to　the　American。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this；　your　majesty？〃　he　cried　in　a　voice　hoarse　with　emotion。　　〃What　does　her　highness　in　your　company？〃

There　was　neither　fear　nor　respect　in　Prince　Ludwig's　toneonly　anger。　　He　was　demanding　an　accounting　from　Leopold；　the　man；　not　from　Leopold；　the　king。　　Barney　raised　his　hand。

〃Wait；〃　he　said；　〃before　you　judge。　　The　princess　was　brought　to　Blentz　by　Prince　Peter。　　She　will　tell　you　that　I　have　aided　her　to　escape　and　that　I　have　accorded　her　only　such　treatment　as　a　woman　has　a　right　to　expect　from　a　king。〃

The　girl　inclined　her　head。

〃His　majesty　has　been　most　kind；〃　she　said。　　〃He　has　treated　me　with　every　consideration　and　respect；　and　I　am　convinced　that　he　was　not　a　willing　party　to　my　arrest　and　forcible　detention　at　Blentz；　or；〃　she　added；　〃if　he　was；　he　regretted　his　action　later　and　has　made　full　reparation　by　bringing　me　to　Lustadt。〃

Prince　von　der　Tann　found　difficulty　in　hiding　his　surprise　at　this　evidence　of　chivalry　in　the　cowardly　king。　　But　for　his　daughter's　testimony　he　could　not　have　believed　it　pos…　sible　that　it　lay　within　the　nature　of　Leopold　of　Lutha　to　have　done　what　he　had　done　within　the　past　few　hours。

He　bowed　low　before　the　man　who　wore　the　king's　uni…　form。　　The　American　extended　his　hand；　and　Von　der　Tann；　taking　it　in　his　own；　raised　it　to　his　lips。

〃And　now；〃　said　Barney　briskly；　〃let　us　go　to　my　apart…　ments　and　get　to　work。　　Your　highness〃and　he　turned　to…　ward　the　Princess　Emma〃must　be　greatly　fatigued。　　Lieu…　tenant　Butzow；　you　will　see　that　a　suite　is　prepared　for　her　highness。　　Afterward　you　may　call　upon　Count　Zellerndorf；　whom　I　understand　returned　to　Lustadt　yesterday；　and　noti…　fy　him　that　I　will　receive　him　in　an　hour。　　Inform　the　Serbian　minister　that　I　desire　his　presence　at　the　palace　immediately。　Lose　no　time；　lieutenant；　and　be　sure　to　impress　upon　the　Serbian　minister　that　immediately　means　immediately。〃

Butzow　saluted　and　the　Princess　Emma　curtsied；　as　the　king　turned　and；　slipping　his　arm　through　that　of　Prince　Ludwig；　walked　away　in　the　direction　of　the　royal　apart…　ments。　　Once　at　the　king's　desk　Barney　turned　toward　the　chancellor。　　In　his　mind　was　the　determination　to　save　Lutha　if　Lutha　could　be　saved。　　He　had　been　forced　to　place　the　king　in　a　position　where　he　would　be　helpless；　though　that　he　would　have　been　equally　as　helpless　upon　his　throne　the　American　did　not　doubt　for　an　instant。　　However；　the　course　of　events　had　placed　within　his　hands　the　power　to　serve　not　only　Lutha　but　the　house　of　Von　der　Tann　as　well。　　He　would　do　in　the　king's　place　what　the　king　should　have　done　if　the　king　had　been　a　man。

〃Now；　Prince　Ludwig；〃　he　said；　〃tell　me　just　what　con…　ditions　we　must　face。　　Remember　that　I　have　been　at　Blentz　and　that　there　the　King　of　Lutha　is　not　apt　to　learn　all　that　transpires　in　Lustadt。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　the　chancellor；　〃we　face　a　grave　crisis。　　Not　only　is　there　within　Lutha　the　small　force　of　Austrian　troops　that　surround　Blentz；　but　now　an　entire　army　corps　has　crossed　the　border。　　Unquestionably　they　are　marching　on　Lustadt。　　The　emperor　is　going　to　take　no　chances。　　He　sent　the　first　force　into　Lutha　to　compel　Serbian　intervention　and　draw　Serbian　troops　from　the　Austro…Serbian　battle　line。　Serbia　has　withheld　her　forces　at　my　request；　but　she　will　not　withhold　them　for　long。　　We　must　make　a　declaration　at　once。　　If　we　declare　against　Austria　we　are　faced　by　the　menace　of　the　Austrian　troops　already　within　our　bound…　aries；　but　we　shall　have　Serbia　to　help　us。

〃A　Serbian　army　corps　is　on　the　frontier　at　this　moment　awaiting　word　from　Lutha。　　If　it　is　adverse　to　Austria　that　army　corps　will　cross　the　border　and　march　to　our　assist…　ance。　　If　it　is　favorable　to　Austria　it　will　none　the　less　cross　into　Lutha；　but　as　enemies　instead　of　allies。　　Serbia　has　acted　honorably　toward　Lutha。　　She　has　not　violated　our　neutrality。　　She　has　no　desire　to　increase　her　possessions　in　this　direction。

〃On　the　other　hand；　Austria　has　violated　her　treaty　with　us。　　She　has　marched　troops　into　our　country　and　occupied　the　town　of　Blentz。　　Constantly　in　the　past　she　has　incited　internal　discord。　　She　is　openly　championing　the　Blentz　cause；　which　at　last　I　trust　your　majesty　has　discovered　is　inimical　to　your　interests。

〃If　Austria　is　victorious　in　her　war　with　Serbia；　she　will　find　some　pretext　to　hold　Lutha　whether　Lutha　takes　her　stand　either　for　or　against　her。　　And　most　certainly　is　this　true　if　it　occurs　that　Austrian　troops　are　still　within　the　boundaries　of　Lutha　when　peace　is　negotiated。　　Not　only　our　honor　but　our　very　existence　demands　that　there　be　no　Austrian　troops　in　Lutha　at　the　close　of　this　war。　　If　we　cannot　force　them　across　the　border　we　can　at　least　make　such　an　effort　as　will　win　us　the　respect　of　the　world　and　a　voice　in　the　peace　negotiations。

〃If　we　must　bow　to　the　surrender　of　our　national　integrity；　let　us　do　so　only　after　we　have　exhausted　every　resource　of　the　country　in　our　country's　defense。　　In　the　past　your　majesty　has　not　appeared　to　realize　the　menace　of　your　most　power…　ful　neighbor。　　I　beg　of　you；　sire；　to　trust　me。　　Believe　that　I　have　only　the　interests　of　Lutha　at　heart；　and　let　us　work　together　for　the　salvation　of　our　country　and　your　majesty's　throne。〃

Barney　laid　his　hand　upon　the　old　man's　shoulder。　　It　seemed　a　shame　to　carry　the　deception　further；　but　the　American　well　knew　that　only　so　could　he　accomplish　aught　for　Lutha　or　the　Von　der　Tanns。　　Once　the　old　chancellor　suspected　the　truth　as　to　his　identity　he　would　be　the　first　to　denounce　him。

〃I　think　that　you　and　I　can　work　together；　Prince　Lud…　wig；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　sent　for　the　Serbian　and　Austrian　ministers。　　The　former　should　be　here　immediately。〃

Nor　did　they　have　long　to　wait　before　the　tall　Slav　was　announced。　　Barney　lost　no　time　in　getting　down　to　business。　He　asked　no　questions。　　What　Von　der　Tann　had　told　him；　what　he　had　seen　with　his　own　eyes　since　he　had　entered　Lutha；　and　what　he　had　overheard　in　the　inn　at　Burgova　was　sufficient　evidence　that　the　fate　of　Lutha　hung　upon　the　prompt　and　energetic　decisions　of　the　man　who　sat　upon　Lutha's　throne　for　the　next　few　days。

Had　Leopold　been　the　present　incumbent　Lutha　would　have　been　lost；　for　that　he　would　play　directly　into　the　hands　of　Austria　was　not　to　be　questioned。　　Were　Von　der　Tann　to　seize　the　reins　of　government　a　state　of　revolution　would　exist　that　would　divide　the　state　into　two　bitter　factions；　weaken　its　defense；　and　give　Austria　what　she　most　desireda　plausible　pretext　for　intervention。

Lutha's　only　hope　lay　in　united　defense　of　her　liberties　under　the　leadership　of　the　one　man　whom　all　acknowledged　kingLeopold。　　Very　well；　Barney　Custer；　of　Beatrice；　would　be　Leopold　for　a　few　days；　since　the　real　Leopold　had　proven　himself　incompetent　to　meet　the　emergency。

General　Petko；　the　Serbian　minister　to　Lutha；　brought　to　the　audience　the　memory　of　a　series　of　unpleasant　encounters　with　the　king。　　Leopold　had　never　exerted　himself　to　hide　his　pro…Austrian　sentiments。　　Austria　was　a　powerful　country　Serbia；　a　relatively　weak　neighbor。　　Leopold；　being　a　royal　snob；　had　courted　the　favor　of　the　emperor　and　turned　up　his　nose　at　Serbia。　　The　general　was　prepared　for　a　repetition　of　the　veiled　affronts　that　Leopold　delighted　in　according　him；　but　this　time　he　brought　with　him　a　reply　that　for　two　years　he　had　been　living　in　the　hope　of　some　day　being　able　to　deliver　to　the　young　monarch　he　so　cordially　de…　spised。

It　was　an　ultimatum　from　his　governmentan　ultimatum　couched　in　terms　from　which　all　diplomatic　suavity　had　been　stripped。　　If　Barney　Custer；　of　Beatrice；　could　have　read　it　he　would　have　smiled；　for　in　plain　American　it　might　have　been　described　as　announcing　to　Leopold　precisely　〃where　he　got　off。〃　　But　Barney　did　not　have　the　opportunity　to　read　it；　since　that　ultimatum　was　never　delivered。

Barney　took　the　wind　all　out　of　it　by　his　first　words。　　〃Your　excellency　may　wonder　why　it　is　that　we　have　summoned　you　at　such　an　early　hour；〃　he　said。

General　Petko　inclined　his　head　in　deferential　acknowl…　edgment　of　the　truth　of　the　inference。

〃It　is　because　we　have　learned　from　our　chancellor；〃　continued　the　American；　〃that　Serbia　has　mobilized　an　en…　tire　army　corps　upon　the　Luthanian　frontier。　　Am　I　correctly　informed？〃

General　Petko　squared　his　shoulders　and　bowed　in　assent。　At　the　same　time　he　reached　into　his　breast…pocket　for　the　ultimatum。

〃Good！〃　exclaimed　Barney；　and　then　he　leaned　close　to　the　ear　of　the　Serbian。　　〃How　long　will　it　take　to　move　that　army　corps　to　Lustadt？〃

General　Petko　gasped　and　returned　the　ultimatum　to　his　pocket。

〃Sire！〃　he　cried；　his　face　lighting　with　incredulity。　　〃You　mean〃

〃I　mean；〃　said　the　American；　〃that　if　Serbia　will　loan　Lutha　an　army　corps　until　the　Austrians　have　evacuated　Luthanian　territory；　Lutha　will　loan　Serbia　an　army　corps　until　such　time　as　peace　is　declared　between　Serbia　and　Austria。　　Other　than　this　neither　government　will　incur　any　obligations　to　the　other。

〃We　may　not　need　your　help；　but　it　will　do　us　no　harm　to　have　them　well　on　the　way　toward　Lustadt　as　quickly　as　possible。　　Count　Zellerndorf　will　be　here　in　a　few　minutes。　We　shall；　through　him；　give　Austria　twenty…four　hours　to　withdraw　all　her　troops　beyond　our　frontiers。　　The　army　of　Lutha　is　mobilized　before　Lustadt。　　It　is　not　a　large　army；　but　with　the　help　of　Serbia　it　should　be　able　to　drive　the　Austrians　from　the　country；　provided　they　do　not　leave　of　their　own　accord。〃

General　Petko　smiled。　　So　did　the　American　and　the　chan…　cellor。　　Each　knew　that　Austria　would　not　withdraw　her　army　from　Lutha。

〃With　your　majesty's　permission　I　will　withdraw；〃　said　the　Serbian；　〃and　transmi