the mad king-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Maenck　was　a　coward；　and　he　had　seen　murder　in　the　eyes　of　the　man　rushing　upon　him。　　With　a　bound　he　reached　the　picture　which　still　stood　swung　wide　into　the　room。　　

Barney　was　close　behind　him；　but　fear　lent　wings　to　the　governor　of　Blentz；　so　that　he　was　able　to　dart　into　the　pas…　sage　behind　the　picture　and　slam　the　door　behind　him　a　moment　before　the　infuriated　man　was　upon　him。

The　American　clawed　at　the　edge　of　the　massive　frame；　but　all　to　no　avail。　　Then　he　raised　his　sword　and　slashed　the　canvas；　hoping　to　find　a　way　into　the　place　beyond；　but　mighty　oaken　panels　barred　his　further　progress。　　With　a　whispered　oath　he　turned　back　toward　the　girl。

〃Thank　Heaven　that　I　was　in　time；　Emma；〃　he　cried。

〃Oh；　Leopold；　my　king；　but　at　what　a　price；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃He　will　return　now　with　others　and　kill　you。　　He　is　furiousso　furious　that　he　scarce　knows　what　he　does。〃

〃He　seemed　to　know　what　he　was　doing　when　he　ran　for　that　hole　in　the　wall；〃　replied　Barney　with　a　grin。　　〃But　come；　it　won't　pay　to　let　them　find　us　should　they　return。〃

Together　they　hastened　to　the　window　beyond　which　the　girl　could　see　a　rope　dangling　from　above。　　The　sight　of　it　partially　solved　the　riddle　of　the　king's　almost　uncanny　pres…　ence　upon　her　window　sill　in　the　very　nick　of　time。

Below；　the　lights　in　the　watch　tower　at　the　outer　gate　were　plainly　visible；　and　the　twinkling　of　them　reminded　Barney　of　the　danger　of　detection　from　that　quarter。　　Quickly　he　recrossed　the　apartment　to　the　wall…switch　that　operated　the　recently　installed　electric　lights；　and　an　instant　later　the　chamber　was　in　total　darkness。

Once　more　at　the　girl's　side　Barney　drew　in　one　end　of　the　rope　and　made　it　fast　about　her　body　below　her　arms；　leaving　a　sufficient　length　terminating　in　a　small　loop　to　per…　mit　her　to　support　herself　more　comfortably　with　one　foot　within　the　noose。　　Then　he　stepped　to　the　outer　sill；　and　reaching　down　assisted　her　to　his　side。

Far　below　them　the　moonlight　played　upon　the　sluggish　waters　of　the　moat。　　In　the　distance　twinkled　the　lights　of　the　village　of　Blentz。　　From　the　courtyard　and　the　palace　came　faintly　the　sound　of　voices；　and　the　movement　of　men。　　　A　horse　whinnied　from　the　stables。

Barney　turned　his　eyes　upward。　　He　could　see　the　head　and　shoulders　of　Joseph　leaning　from　the　window　of　the　chamber　directly　above　them。

〃Hoist　away；　Joseph！〃　whispered　the　American；　and　to　the　girl：　〃Be　brave。　　Shut　your　eyes　and　trust　to　Joseph　and　and〃

〃And　my　king；〃　finished　the　girl　for　him。

His　arm　was　about　her　shoulders；　supporting　her　upon　the　narrow　sill。　　His　cheek　so　close　to　hers　that　once　he　felt　the　soft　velvet　of　it　brush　his　own。　　Involuntarily　his　arm　tightened　about　the　supple　body。

〃My　princess！〃　he　murmured；　and　as　he　turned　his　face　toward　hers　their　lips　almost　touched。

Joseph　was　pulling　upon　the　rope　from　above。　　They　could　feel　it　tighten　beneath　the　girl's　arms。　　Impulsively　Barney　Custer　drew　the　sweet　lips　closer　to　his　own。　　There　was　no　resistance。

〃I　love　you；〃　he　whispered。　　The　words　were　smothered　as　their　lips　met。

Joseph；　above；　wondered　at　the　great　weight　of　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann。

〃I　love　you；　Leopold；　forever；〃　whispered　the　girl；　and　then　as　Joseph's　Herculean　tugging　seemed　likely　to　drag　them　both　from　the　narrow　sill；　Barney　lifted　the　girl　up…　ward　with　one　hand　while　he　clung　to　the　window　frame　with　the　other。　　The　distance　to　the　sill　above　was　short；　and　a　moment　later　Joseph　had　grasped　the　princess's　hand　and　was　helping　her　over　the　ledge　into　the　room　beyond。

At　the　same　instant　there　came　a　sudden　commotion　from　the　interior　of　the　room　in　the　window　of　which　Barney　still　stood　waiting　for　Joseph　to　remove　the　rope　from　about　the　princess　and　lower　it　for　him。　　Barney　heard　the　heavy　feet　of　men；　the　clank　of　arms；　and　muttered　oaths　as　the　searchers　stumbled　against　the　furniture。

Presently　one　of　them　found　the　switch　and　instantly　the　room　was　flooded　with　light；　which　revealed　to　the　American　a　dozen　Luthanian　troopers　headed　by　the　murderous　Maenck。

Barney　looked　anxiously　aloft。　　Would　Joseph　never　lower　that　rope！　Within　the　room　the　men　were　searching。　　He　could　hear　Maenck　directing　them。　　Only　a　thin　portiere　screened　him　from　their　view。　　It　was　but　a　matter　of　seconds　before　they　would　investigate　the　window　through　which　Maenck　knew　the　king　had　found　ingress。

Yes！　It　had　come。

〃Look　to　the　window；〃　commanded　Maenck。　　〃He　may　have　gone　as　he　came。〃

Two　of　the　soldiers　crossed　the　room　toward　the　casement。　　　From　above　Joseph　was　lowering　the　rope；　but　it　was　too　late。　　The　men　would　be　at　the　window　before　he　could　clamber　out　of　their　reach。

〃Hoist　away！〃　he　whispered　to　Joseph。　　〃Quick　now；　my　man；　and　make　your　escape　with　the　Princess　von　der　Tann。　　　It　is　the　king's　command。〃

Already　the　soldiers　were　at　the　window。　　At　the　sound　of　his　voice　they　tore　aside　the　draperies；　at　the　same　instant　the　pseudo…king　turned　and　leaped　out　into　the　blackness　of　the　night。

There　were　exclamations　of　surprise　and　rage　from　the　soldiersa　woman's　scream。　　Then　from　far　below　came　a　dull　splash　as　the　body　of　Bernard　Custer　struck　the　surface　of　the　moat。

Maenck；　leaning　from　the　window；　heard　the　scream　and　the　splash；　and　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　both　the　king　and　the　princess　had　attempted　to　make　their　escape　in　this　harebrained　way。　　Immediately　all　the　resources　at　his　com…　mand　were　put　to　the　task　of　searching　the　moat　and　the　adjacent　woods。

He　was　sure　that　one　or　both　of　the　prisoners　would　be　stunned　by　impact　with　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　then　drowned　before　they　regained　consciousness；　but　he　did　not　know　Bernard　Custer；　nor　the　facility　and　almost　uncanny　ease　with　which　that　young　man　could　negotiate　a　high　dive　into　shallow　water。

Nor　did　he　know　that　upon　the　floor　above　him　one　Joseph　was　hastening　along　a　dark　corridor　toward　a　secret　panel　in　another　apartment；　and　that　with　him　was　the　Prin…　cess　Emma　bound　for　liberty　and　safety　far　from　the　frown…　ing　walls　of　Blentz。

As　Barney's　head　emerged　above　the　surface　of　the　moat　he　shook　it　vigorously　to　free　his　eyes　from　water；　and　then　struck　out　for　the　further　bank。

Long　before　his　pursuers　had　reached　the　courtyard　and　alarmed　the　watch　at　the　barbican；　the　American　had　crawled　out　upon　dry　land　and　hastened　across　the　broad　clearing　to　the　patch　of　stunted　trees　that　grew　lower　down　upon　the　steep　hillside　before　the　castle。

He　shrank　from　the　thought　of　leaving　Blentz　without　knowing　positively　that　Joseph　had　made　good　the　escape　of　himself　and　the　princess；　but　he　finally　argued　that　even　if　they　had　been　retaken；　he　could　serve　her　best　by　hasten…　ing　to　her　father　and　fetching　the　only　succor　that　might　prevail　against　the　strength　of　Blentzarmed　men　in　suffi…　cient　force　to　storm　the　ancient　fortress。

He　had　scarcely　entered　the　wood　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　searchers　at　the　moat；　and　saw　the　rays　of　their　lanterns　flitting　hither　and　thither　as　they　moved　back　and　forth　along　the　bank。

Then　the　young　man　turned　his　face　from　the　castle　and　set　forth　across　the　unfamiliar　country　in　the　direction　of　the　Old　Forest　and　the　castle　Von　der　Tann。

The　memory　of　the　warm　lips　that　had　so　recently　been　pressed　to　his　urged　him　on　in　the　service　of　the　wondrous　girl　who　had　come　so　suddenly　into　his　life；　bringing　to　him　the　realization　of　a　love　that　he　knew　must　alter；　for　hap…　piness　or　for　sorrow；　all　the　balance　of　his　existence；　even　unto　death。

He　dreaded　the　day　of　reckoning　when；　at　last；　she　must　learn　that　he　was　no　king。　　He　did　not　have　the　temerity　to　hope　that　her　courage　would　be　equal　to　the　great　sacrifice　which　the　acknowledgment　of　her　love　for　one　not　of　noble　blood　must　entail；　but　he　could　not　believe　that　she　would　cease　to　love　him　when　she　learned　the　truth。

So　the　future　looked　black　and　cheerless　to　Barney　Custer　as　he　trudged　along　the　rocky；　moonlit　way。　　The　only　bright　spot　was　the　realization　that　for　a　while　at　least　he　might　be　serving　the　one　woman　in　all　the　world。

All　the　balance　of　the　long　night　the　young　man　traversed　valley　and　mountain；　holding　due　south　in　the　direction　he　supposed　the　Old　Forest　to　lie。　　He　passed　many　a　little　farm　tucked　away　in　the　hollow　of　a　hillside；　and　quaint　hamlets；　and　now　and　then　the　ruins　of　an　ancient　feudal　stronghold；　but　no　great　forest　of　black　oaks　loomed　before　him　to　apprise　him　of　the　nearness　of　his　goal；　nor　did　he　dare　to　ask　the　correct　route　at　any　of　the　homes　he　passed。

His　fatal　likeness　to　the　description　of　the　mad　king　of　Lutha　warned　him　from　intercourse　with　the　men　of　Lutha　until　he　might　know　which　were　friends　and　which　enemies　of　the　hapless　monarch。

Dawn　found　him　still　upon　his　way；　but　with　the　deter…　mination　fully　crystallized　to　hail　the　first　man　he　met　and　ask　the　way　to　Tann。　　He　still　avoided　the　main　traveled　roads；　but　from　time　to　time　he　paralleled　them　close　enough　that　he　might　have　ample　opportunity　to　hail　the　first　passerby。

The　road　was　becoming　more　and　more　mountainous　and　difficult。　　There　were　fewer　homes　and　no　hamlets；　and　now　he　began　to　despair　entirely　of　meeting　any　who　could　give　him　direction　unless　he　turned　and　retraced　his　steps　to　the　nearest　farm。

Directly　before　him　the　narrow　trail　he　had　been　following　for　the　past　few　miles　wound　sharply　about　the　shoulder　of　a　protruding　cliff。　　He　would　see　what　lay　beyond　the　turn　perhaps　he　would　find　the　Old　Forest　there；　after　all。

But　instead　he　found　something　very　different；　though　in　its　way　quite　as　interesting；　for　as　he　rounded　the　rugged　bluff　he　came　face　to　face　with　two　evil…looking　fellows　astride　stocky；　rough…coated　ponies。

At　sight　of　him　they　drew　in　their　mounts　and　eyed　him　suspiciously。　　Nor　was　there　great　cause　for　wonderment　in　that；　for　the　American　presented　aught　but　a　respectable　appearance。　　His　khaki　motoring　suit；　soaked　from　immersion　in　the　moat；　had　but　partially　dried　upon　him。　　Mud　from　the　banks　of　the　stagnant　pool　caked　his　legs　to　the　knees；　almost　hiding　his　once　tan　puttees。　　More　mud　streaked　his　jacket　front　and　stained　its　sleeves　to　the　elbows。　　He　was　bare…h