登陆注册
15315100000055

第55章

If love were all!

It was night, and I was in the cell wherein the King had lain in the Castle of Zenda.The great pipe that Rupert of Hentzau had nicknamed "Jacob's Ladder" was gone, and the lights in the room across the moat twinkled in the darkness.All was still;the din and clash of strife were gone.I had spent the day hidden in the forest, from the time when Fritz had led me off, leaving Sapt with the princess.Under cover of dusk, muffled up, I had been brought to the Castle and lodged where I now lay.

Though three men had died there--two of them by my hand--I was not troubled by ghosts.I had thrown myself on a pallet by the window, and was looking out on the black water; Johann, the keeper, still pale from his wound, but not much hurt besides, had brought me supper.He told me that the King was doing well, that he had seen the princess; that she and he, Sapt and Fritz, had been long together.Marshal Strakencz was gone to Strelsau;Black Michael lay in his coffin, and Antoinette de Mauban watched by him; had I not heard, from the chapel, priests singing mass for him?

Outside there were strange rumours afloat.Some said that the prisoner of Zenda was dead; some, that he had vanished yet alive; some, that he was a friend who had served the King well in some adventure in England; others, that he had discovered the Duke's plots, and had therefore been kidnapped by him.

One or two shrewd fellows shook their heads and said only that they would say nothing, but they had suspicions that more was to be known than was known, if Colonel Sapt would tell all he knew.

Thus Johann chattered till I sent him away and lay there alone, thinking, not of the future, but--as a man is wont to do when stirring things have happened to him--rehearsing the events of the past weeks, and wondering how strangely they had fallen out.And above me, in the stillness of the night, I heard the standards flapping against their poles, for Black Michael's banner hung there half-mast high, and above it the royal flag of Ruritania, floating for one night more over my head.Habit grows so quick, that only by an effort did I recollect that it floated no longer for me.

Presently Fritz von Tarlenheim came into the room.I was standing then by the window; the glass was opened, and I was idly fingering the cement which clung to the masonry where "Jacob's Ladder" had been.

He told me briefly that the King wanted me, and together we crossed the drawbridge and entered the room that had been Black Michael's.

The King was lying there in bed; our doctor from Tarlenheim was in attendance on him, and whispered to me that my visit must be brief.The King held out his hand and shook mine.

Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the window.

I took the King's ring from my finger and placed it on his.

"I have tried not to dishonour it, sire," said I.

"I can't talk much to you," he said, in a weak voice."I have had a great fight with Sapt and the Marshal--for we have told the Marshal everything.I wanted to take you to Strelsau and keep you with me, and tell everyone of what you had done;and you would have been my best and nearest friend, Cousin Rudolf.

But they tell me I must not, and that the secret must be kept--if kept it can be."

"They are right, sire.Let me go.My work here is done.""Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it.When they see me again, I shall have my beard on; I shall--yes, faith, I shall be wasted with sickness.They will not wonder that the King looks changed in face.Cousin, I shall try to let them find him changed in nothing else.You have shown me how to play the King.""Sire," said I."I can take no praise from you.It is by the narrowest grace of God that I was not a worse traitor than your brother."He turned inquiring eyes on me; but a sick man shrinks from puzzles, and he had no strength to question me.His glance fell on Flavia's ring, which I wore.I thought he would question me about it; but, after fingering it idly, he let his head fall on his pillow.

"I don't know when I shall see you again," he said faintly, almost listlessly.

"If I can ever serve you again, sire," I answered.

His eyelids closed.Fritz came with the doctor.I kissed the King's hand, and let Fritz lead me away.I have never seen the King since.

Outside, Fritz turned, not to the right, back towards the drawbridge, but to the left, and without speaking led me upstairs, through a handsome corridor in the chateau.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Looking away from me, Fritz answered:

"She has sent for you.When it is over, come back to the bridge.

I'll wait for you there."

"What does she want?" said I, breathing quickly.

He shook his head.

"Does she know everything?"

"Yes, everything."

He opened a door, and gently pushing me in, closed it behind me.

I found myself in a drawing-room, small and richly furnished.

At first I thought that I was alone, for the light that came from a pair of shaded candles on the mantelpiece was very dim.

But presently I discerned a woman's figure standing by the window.

I knew it was the princess, and I walked up to her, fell on one knee, and carried the hand that hung by her side to my lips.She neither moved nor spoke.I rose to my feet, and, piercing the gloom with my eager eyes, saw her pale face and the gleam of her hair, and before I knew, I spoke softly:

"Flavia!"

She trembled a little, and looked round.Then she darted to me, taking hold of me.

"Don't stand, don't stand! No, you mustn't! You're hurt!

Sit down--here, here!"

She made me sit on a sofa, and put her hand on my forehead.

"How hot your head is," she said, sinking on her knees by me.

Then she laid her head against me, and I heard her murmur:

"My darling, how hot your head is!"

Somehow love gives even to a dull man the knowledge of his lover's heart.

I had come to humble myself and pray pardon for my presumption;but what I said now was:

"I love you with all my heart and soul!"

For what troubled and shamed her? Not her love for me, but the fear that I had counterfeited the lover as I had acted the King, and taken her kisses with a smothered smile.

"With all my life and heart," said I, as she clung to me.

同类推荐
  • 台湾采访册

    台湾采访册

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 小苑春望宫池柳色

    小苑春望宫池柳色

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 高上大洞文昌司禄紫阳宝箓

    高上大洞文昌司禄紫阳宝箓

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 竹书纪年辑证

    竹书纪年辑证

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 媚娘艳史

    媚娘艳史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 流落三国的星际母舰

    流落三国的星际母舰

    公元183年,黄巾起义前夜,一个往来于中国、阿富汗、巴基斯坦以及伊拉克进行人道主义救援的敦煌集团董事长,原陆军步战团退役团长刘域,在最后一次前往西亚的路上,被一颗袭击巴塔的导弹不幸误伤,一缕幽魂就此飘向苍穹。恰在这时,一艘来自公元3995年的星际母舰,不知出于什么原因将他挽救下来,并一路带到了天下大乱、饿殍满地的三国时代。于是,一段奇妙的三国岁月就此拉开。温馨提示:本书试图展示一个全景化三国,如果仅仅只想看单纯的骑马砍杀和武将对攻,请慎入。参照上条,所以本书设定后半段还有大惊喜。本书尊重历史主线,但因剧情需要个别人物和事件将有错位。小说不是历史教材,还请较真的书友理解。
  • 圣光消逝

    圣光消逝

    忠于圣光之道的圣骑士哈特,相信力量才是一切的法师文森,两人从兽人战争一路走来.却在对抗天灾入侵中失去了自己的生命.重新转生的两人,一个依然怀着对圣光以及爱的执着,另一个却希望用另一种方式来拯救这个世界.巫妖王的理想到底是对还是错?圣光到底是无懈可击的正义还是禁锢人们思想的枷锁?就由我来告诉你们吧!
  • 准妈妈枕边书

    准妈妈枕边书

    怀孕,是每个女人一生中最期待、最渴望的幸福时光,同时在这奇妙的280天,无论身体或是心情,都会经历各种前所未有的变化。妊娠期内孕妇的身心会发生很大的变化,作为孕妇就要正视这些变化。本收将为你介绍准妈妈怀孕期间的各种健康和护理知识。本书能帮助所有准妈妈,从预约一位超级宝宝,到照顾自己与胎儿的身心健康、快乐,乃至增长智慧、爱心与EQ能力都给了您切实的建议。这不只是准妈妈可以参阅的书籍,而且所有准备孕育小宝贝的人,都可以从本书中,得到孕育小宝贝更大的力量与更深刻的观点。
  • 极品傲娇女友

    极品傲娇女友

    2016爆笑来袭!还是一样的欢乐,还是一样的感动!还记得那年七夕情人节,我们一起花前月下,你看着喜羊羊,哭着对我说:“为什么灰太狼不能和喜羊羊一起看星星看雪看月亮,从诗词歌赋谈到人生哲学?为什么真爱的羊与狼不能在一起?”“你从哪里看出喜羊羊和灰太狼是真爱的?”你委屈的看着我,泪眼婆娑,一把鼻涕一把泪往我身上摸着说:“你们男生真的不懂爱!”
  • 穿杭记

    穿杭记

    (穿越梗)上个厕所穿越就算了,结果一穿越被人告知自己成亲了,而且还‘红杏出墙’被抓个现行。无奈加无语,留在这的漫漫时间里,渐渐被这个十项全能的人征服……
  • 龙都高手

    龙都高手

    身为一个算命师,从来没有想过会在某一天,靠着头脑坐拥千万资产,不仅衣食无忧,还抱得美人归。也许是命运的安排,也许是机缘巧合,再加上几分胆识,终于迎来了属于自己的一切。虽不能一步登天,但也要平步青云,征服世界。
  • 末日之强者生存守则

    末日之强者生存守则

    末日的到来,人性的泯灭,即使是如此也阻挡不了一代强者的觉醒。末日的到来也将成为他的踏脚石
  • 天才娱王

    天才娱王

    李小天,穷蛋一枚,得到未来系统,走上泡妞暧昧打斗道路。
  • 大地兽皇

    大地兽皇

    一个被遗弃在森林中的孩子却遇到了一个刚刚失去孩子的大地之熊,由此,却诞生了一个蛮荒界有史以来最强的武者,大地兽皇!“我没有沟通元素的天赋,不能修炼各种元素之力,可是,我知道,我并不孤单!因为,脚下的这片广阔的大地才是我最大的依靠!”叶天荒说道。
  • 无盦词

    无盦词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。