the mad king-第51部分

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le。

Five　minutes　later　Barney　was　riding　toward　the　gate。　The　portcullis　was　raisedthe　drawbridge　spanned　the　moat　no　guard　was　there　to　bar　his　way。　　The　sunlight　flooded　the　green　valley；　stretching　lazily　below　him　in　the　soft　warmth　of　a　mellow　autumn　morning。　　Behind　him　he　had　left　the　brooding　shadows　of　the　grim　old　fortressthe　cold；　cruel；　depressing　stronghold　of　intrigue；　treason；　and　sud…　den　death。

He　threw　back　his　shoulders　and　filled　his　lungs　with　the　sweet；　pure　air　of　freedom。　　He　was　a　new　man。　　The　wound　in　his　breast　was　forgotten。　　Lightly　he　touched　his　spurs　to　the　hunter's　sides。　　Tossing　his　head　and　curveting；　the　ani…　mal　broke　into　a　long；　easy　trot。　　Where　the　road　dipped　into　the　ravine　and　down　through　the　village　to　the　valley　the　rider　drew　his　restless　mount　into　a　walk；　but；　once　in　the　valley；　he　let　him　out。　　Barney　took　the　short　road　to　Lus…　tadt。　　It　would　cut　ten　miles　off　the　distance　that　the　main　wagonroad　covered；　and　it　was　a　good　road　for　a　horseman。　It　should　bring　him　to　Lustadt　by　one　o'clock　or　a　little　after。　　The　road　wound　through　the　hills　to　the　east　of　the　main　highway；　and　was　scarcely　more　than　a　trail　where　it　crossed　the　Ru　River　upon　a　narrow　bridge　that　spanned　the　deep　mountain　gorge　that　walls　the　Ru　for　ten　miles　through　the　hills。

When　Barney　reached　the　river　his　hopes　sank。　　The　bridge　was　gonedynamited　by　the　Austrians　in　their　re…　treat。　　The　nearest　bridge　was　at　the　crossing　of　the　main　highway　over　ten　miles　to　the　southwest。　　There；　too；　the　river　might　be　forded　even　if　the　Austrians　had　destroyed　that　bridge　also；　but　here　or　elsewhere　in　the　hills　there　could　be　no　fordingthe　banks　of　the　Ru　were　perpendicular　cliffs。

The　misfortune　would　add　nearly　twenty　miles　to　his　journeyhe　could　not　now　hope　to　reach　Lustadt　before　late　in　the　afternoon。　　Turning　his　horse　back　along　the　trail　he　had　come；　he　retraced　his　way　until　he　reached　a　nar…　row　bridle　path　that　led　toward　the　southwest。　　The　trail　was　rough　and　indistinct；　yet　he　pushed　forward；　even　more　rapidly　than　safety　might　have　suggested。　　The　noble　beast　beneath　him　was　all　loyalty　and　ambition。

〃Take　it　easy；　old　boy；〃　whispered　Barney　into　the　slim；　pointed　ears　that　moved　ceaselessly　backward　and　forward；　〃you'll　get　your　chance　when　we　strike　the　highway；　never　fear。〃

And　he　did。


So　unexpected　had　been　Maenck's　entrance　into　the　room　in　the　east　transept；　so　sudden　his　attack；　that　it　was　all　over　before　a　hand　could　be　raised　to　stay　him。　　At　the　report　of　his　revolver　the　king　sank　to　the　floor。　　At　almost　the　same　instant　Lieutenant　Butzow　whipped　a　revolver　from　beneath　his　tunic　and　fired　at　the　assassin。　　Maenck　staggered　forward　and　stumbled　across　the　body　of　the　king。　Butzow　was　upon　him　instantly；　wresting　the　revolver　from　his　fingers。　　Prince　Ludwig　ran　to　the　king's　side　and；　kneel…　ing　there；　raised　Leopold's　head　in　his　arms。　　The　bishop　and　the　doctor　bent　over　the　limp　form。　　The　Princess　Emma　stood　a　little　apart。　　She　had　leaped　from　the　couch　where　she　had　been　lying。　　Her　eyes　were　wide　in　horror。　　Her　palms　pressed　to　her　cheeks。

It　was　upon　this　scene　that　a　hatless；　dust…covered　man　in　a　red　hunting　coat　burst　through　the　door　that　had　ad…　mitted　Maenck。　　The　man　had　seen　and　recognized　the　con…　spirator　as　he　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　limousine　and　dropped　within　the　cathedral　grounds；　and　he　had　followed　close　upon　his　heels。

No　one　seemed　to　note　his　entrance。　　All　ears　were　turned　toward　the　doctor；　who　was　speaking。

〃The　king　is　dead；〃　he　said。

Maenck　raised　himself　upon　an　elbow。　　He　spoke　feebly。

〃You　fools；〃　he　cried。　　〃That　man　was　not　the　king。　　I　saw　him　steal　the　king's　clothes　at　Blentz　and　I　followed　him　here。　　He　is　the　Americanthe　impostor。〃　　Then　his　eyes；　circling　the　faces　about　him　to　note　the　results　of　his　an…　nouncements；　fell　upon　the　face　of　the　man　in　the　red　hunt…　ing　coat。　　Amazement　and　wonder　were　in　his　face。　　Slowly　he　raised　his　finger　and　pointed。

〃There　is　the　king；〃　he　said。

Every　eye　turned　in　the　direction　he　indicated。　　Exclama…　tions　of　surprise　and　incredulity　burst　from　every　lip。　　The　old　chancellor　looked　from　the　man　in　the　red　hunting　coat　to　the　still　form　of　the　man　upon　the　floor　in　the　blood…　spattered　marriage　garments　of　a　king　of　Lutha。　　He　let　the　king's　head　gently　down　upon　the　carpet；　and　then　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　faced　the　man　in　the　red　hunting　coat。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　demanded。

Before　Barney　could　speak　Lieutenant　Butzow　spoke。

〃He　is　the　king；　your　highness；〃　he　said。　　〃I　rode　with　him　to　Blentz　to　free　Mr。　Custer。　　Both　were　wounded　in　the　courtyard　in　the　fight　that　took　place　there。　　I　helped　to　dress　their　wounds。　　The　king　was　wounded　in　the　breast　Mr。　Custer　in　the　left　leg。〃

Prince　von　der　Tann　looked　puzzled。　　Again　he　turned　his　eyes　questioningly　toward　the　newcomer。

〃Is　this　the　truth？〃　he　asked。

Barney　looked　toward　the　Princess　Emma。　　In　her　eyes　he　could　read　the　relief　that　the　sight　of　him　alive　had　brought　her。　　Since　she　had　recognized　the　king　she　had　believed　that　Barney　was　dead。　　The　temptation　was　greathe　dreaded　losing　her；　and　he　feared　he　would　lose　her　when　her　father　learned　the　truth　of　the　deception　that　had　been　practiced　upon　him。　　He　might　lose　even　moremen　had　lost　their　heads　for　tampering　with　the　affairs　of　kings。

〃Well？〃　persisted　the　chancellor。

〃Lieutenant　Butzow　is　partially　correcthe　honestly　be…　lieves　that　he　is　entirely　so；〃　replied　the　American。　　〃He　did　ride　with　me　from　Lustadt　to　Blentz　to　save　the　man　who　lies　dead　here　at　your　feet。　　The　lieutenant　thought　that　he　was　riding　with　his　king；　just　as　your　highness　thought　that　he　was　riding　with　his　king　during　the　battle　of　Lustadt。　You　were　both　wrongyou　were　riding　with　Mr。　Bernard　Custer；　of　Beatrice。　　I　am　he。　　I　have　no　apologies　to　make。　What　I　did　I　would　do　again。　　I　did　it　for　Lutha　and　for　the　woman　I　love。　　She　knows　and　the　king　knew　that　I　intended　restoring　his　identity　to　him　with　no　one　the　wiser　for　the　interchange　that　had　taken　place。　　The　king　upset　my　plans　by　stealing　back　his　identity　while　I　slept；　with　the　result　that　you　see　before　you　upon　the　floor。　　He　has　died　as　he　had　livedfutilely。〃

As　he　spoke　the　Princess　Emma　had　crossed　the　room　to…　ward　him。　　Now　she　stood　at　his　side；　her　hand　in　his。　Tense　silence　reigned　in　the　apartment。　　The　old　chancellor　stood　with　bowed　head；　buried　in　thought。　　All　eyes　were　upon　him　except　those　of　the　doctor；　who　had　turned　his　attention　from　the　dead　king　to　the　wounded　assassin。　　But…　zow　stood　looking　at　Barney　Custer　in　open　relief　and　ad…　miration。　　He　had　been　trying　to　vindicate　his　friend　in　his　own　mind　ever　since　he　had　discovered；　as　he　believed；　that　Barney　had　tricked　Leopold　after　the　latter　had　saved　his　life　at　Blentz　and　ridden　to　Lustadt　in　the　king's　guise。　　Now　that　he　knew　the　whole　truth　he　realized　how　stupid　he　had　been　not　to　guess　that　the　man　who　had　led　the　vic…　torious　Luthanian　army　before　Lustadt　could　not　have　been　the　cowardly　Leopold。

Presently　the　chancellor　broke　the　silence。

〃You　say　that　Leopold　of　Lutha　lived　futilely。　　You　are　right；　but　when　you　say　that　he　has　died　futilely；　you　are；　I　believe；　wrong。　　Living；　he　gave　us　a　poor　weakling。　　Dy…　ing；　he　leaves　the　throne　to　a　brave　man；　in　whose　veins　flows　the　blood　of　the　Rubinroths；　hereditary　rulers　of　Lutha。

〃You　are　the　only　rightful　successor　to　the　throne　of　Lutha；〃　he　argued；　〃other　than　Peter　of　Blentz。　　Your　mother's　marriage　to　a　foreigner　did　not　bar　the　succession　of　her　offspring。　　Aside　from　the　fact　that　Peter　of　Blentz　is　out　of　the　question；　is　the　more　important　fact　that　your　line　is　closer　to　the　throne　than　his。　　He　knew　it；　and　this　knowledge　was　the　real　basis　of　his　hatred　of　you。〃

As　the　old　chancellor　ceased　speaking　he　drew　his　sword　and　raised　it　on　high　above　his　head。

〃The　king　is　dead；〃　he　said。　　〃Long　live　the　king！〃




XVI

KING　OF　LUTHA

BARNEY　CUSTER；　of　Beatrice；　had　no　desire　to　be　king　of　Lutha。　　He　lost　no　time　in　saying　so。　　All　that　he　wanted　of　Lutha　was　the　girl　he　had　found　there；　as　his　father　before　him　had　found　the　girl　of　his　choice。　　Von　der　Tann　pleaded　with　him。

〃Twice　have　I　fought　under　you；　sire；〃　he　urged。　　〃Twice；　and　only　twice　since　the　old　king　died；　have　I　felt　that　the　future　of　Lutha　was　safe　in　the　hands　of　her　ruler；　and　both　these　times　it　was　you　who　sat　upon　the　throne。　　Do　not　desert　us　now。　　Let　me　live　to　see　Lutha　once　more　happy；　with　a　true　Rubinroth　upon　the　throne　and　my　daughter　at　his　side。〃

Butzow　added　his　pleas　to　those　of　the　old　chancellor。　The　American　hesitated。

〃Let　us　leave　it　to　the　representatives　of　the　people　and　to　the　house　of　nobles；〃　he　suggested。

The　chancellor　of　Lutha　explained　the　situation　to　both　houses。　　Their　reply　was　unanimous。　　He　carried　it　to　the　American；　who　awaited　the　decision　of　Lutha　in　the　royal　apartments　of　the　palace。　　With　him　was　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann。

〃The　people　of　Lutha　will　have　no　other　king；　sire；〃　said　the　old　man。

Barney　turned　toward　the　girl。

〃There　is　no　other　way；　my　lord　king；〃　she　said　with　grave　dignity。　　〃With　her　blood　your　mother　bequeathed　you　a　duty　which　you　may　not　shirk。　　It　is　not　for　you　or　for　me　to　choose。　　God　chose　for　you　when　you　were　born。〃

Barney　Custer　took　her　hand　in　his　and　raised　it　to　his　lips。

〃Let　the　King　of　Lutha；〃　he　said；　〃be　the　first　to　salute　Lutha's　queen。〃

And　so　Barney　Custer；　of　Beatrice；　was　crowned　King　of　Lutha；　and　Emma　became　his　queen。　　Maenck　died　of　his　wound　on　the　floor　of　the　little　room　in　the　east　transept　of　the　cathedral　of　Lustadt　beside　the　body　of　the　king　he　had　slain。　　Prince　Peter　of　Blentz　was　tried　by　the　highest　court　of　Lutha　on　the　charge　of　treason；　he　was　found　guilty　and　hanged。　　Von　Coblich　committed　suicide　on　the　eve　of　his　arrest。　　Lieutenant　Otto　Butzow　was　ennobled　and　given　the　confiscated　estates　of　the　Blentz　prince。　　He　became　a　general　in　the　army　of　Lutha；　and　was　sent　to　the　front　in　command　of　the　army　corps　that　guarded　the　northern　frontier　of　the　little　kingdom。




End