登陆注册
15315100000059

第59章

"And I don't think I can go to Strelsau.My dear Rose, would it be--suitable?""Oh, nobody remembers that horrid old story now."Upon this, I took out of my pocket a portrait of the King of Ruritania.It had been taken a month or two before he ascended the throne.She could not miss my point when I said, putting it into her hands:

"In case you've not seen, or not noticed, a picture of Rudolf V, there he is.Don't you think they might recall the story, if Iappeared at the Court of Ruritania?"

My sister-in-law looked at the portrait, and then at me.

"Good gracious!" she said, and flung the photograph down on the table.

"What do you say, Bob?" I asked.

Burlesdon got up, went to a corner of the room, and searched in a heap of newspapers.Presently he came back with a copy of the Illustrated London News.Opening the paper, he displayed a double-page engraving of the Coronation of Rudolf V at Strelsau.

The photograph and the picture he laid side by side.I sat at the table fronting them; and, as I looked, I grew absorbed.

My eye travelled from my own portrait to Sapt, to Strakencz, to the rich robes of the Cardinal, to Black Michael's face, to the stately figure of the princess by his side.Long I looked and eagerly.

I was roused by my brother's hand on my shoulder.He was gazing down at me with a puzzled expression.

"It's a remarkable likeness, you see," said I."I really think I had better not go to Ruritania."Rose, though half convinced, would not abandon her position.

"It's just an excuse," she said pettishly."You don't want to do anything.Why, you might become an ambassador!""I don't think I want to be an ambassador," said I.

"It's more than you ever will be," she retorted.

That is very likely true, but it is not more than I have been.

The idea of being an ambassador could scarcely dazzle me.

I had been a king!

So pretty Rose left us in dudgeon; and Burlesdon, lighting a cigarette, looked at me still with that curious gaze.

"That picture in the paper--" he said.

"Well, what of it? It shows that the King of Ruritania and your humble servant are as like as two peas."My brother shook his head.

"I suppose so," he said."But I should know you from the man in the photograph.""And not from the picture in the paper?"

"I should know the photograph from the picture: the picture's very like the photograph, but--""Well?"

"It's more like you!" said my brother.

My brother is a good man and true--so that, for all that he is a married man and mighty fond of his wife, he should know any secret of mine.But this secret was not mine, and I could not tell it to him.

"I don't think it's so much like me as the photograph,"said I boldly."But, anyhow, Bob, I won't go to Strelsau.""No, don't go to Strelsau, Rudolf," said he.

And whether he suspects anything, or has a glimmer of the truth, I do not know.If he has, he keeps it to himself, and he and Inever refer to it.And we let Sir Jacob Borrodaile find another attache.

Since all these events whose history I have set down happened I have lived a very quiet life at a small house which I have taken in the country.The ordinary ambitions and aims of men in my position seem to me dull and unattractive.I have little fancy for the whirl of society, and none for the jostle of politics.

同类推荐
  • 南亭

    南亭

    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。
  • 代罗敷诮使君

    代罗敷诮使君

    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。
  • 女科指要

    女科指要

    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。
  • 程门雪遗稿

    程门雪遗稿

    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。
  • 耳書

    耳書

    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
  • 青之空鸣曲

    青之空鸣曲

    奇迹?巧合?阴谋?这一路上,少不了这些障碍。要做的,只是杀……以骸骨铺路,以血为红毯……杀至破晓,杀出一条大道……
  • 回到韩国当天王

    回到韩国当天王

    回到过去,回到2001年,李太赫在韩国刮起了一阵娱乐风暴!他是与国际接轨的名导:处女座《守望者》让其一鸣惊人,《老男孩》奠定一线地位,跨国合作的《变形金刚》系列、《阿凡达》更是使其成就国际名导,成为“好莱坞最佳合伙人”!他是韩流明星的创造者:河智苑、尹恩惠、金雅中,文彩元、韩孝珠、Rain、李准基、金贤重、李敏镐、金秀贤……尽皆成为娱乐先锋!他是韩国实力派巨星的“宝弟”:薛景求、宋康昊、崔岷植、元斌、张东健、车太贤、苏志燮、黄政民……尽皆对其关照有加!他是韩国天团的守护者:神话组合、东方神起、少女时代,三大天团长久不衰,创下“韩国天团最佳组合”神话!他就是“Kirin株式会社”的会长,他是东方赐给韩国娱乐圈的“太阳”!——电影教父林权泽我们这代人的记忆,写的不单单是少女时代的事,温馨暧昧,希望朋友们喜欢……
  • 追光之旅

    追光之旅

    “这个浩瀚星空会让你想到什么?”“想家。”陌生世界的张光明不求长生,不求至尊,一路跌跌撞撞只想回家。————————这是一个充满正能量的,关于回归的故事。书友大本营:6402,6911
  • 女帝追夫记

    女帝追夫记

    女为凰,男为凤。一朝帝崩,帝女登基成皇帝。民间公主回宫就称帝,上演一场宫廷追夫大剧。小煜子:陛下,您这追了这么久还没点起色,奴才看不如一道圣旨巧取豪夺算了吧!宫犹翎:强扭的瓜不甜你懂不懂?朕要让他心甘情愿做王夫……两国交战,成者为王败者送王子入邦……呃……来和亲,哟……这小王子看着还有点面熟。王子:陛下,咱俩是不是见过?小煜子:连自己喜欢的人是谁都没弄清楚,我的陛下,也就只有您了!宫犹翎:什么!!?追了一年才到手的王夫居然不是我的梦中情郎??!糊涂女帝强追夫,认错情郎闹乌龙,好戏如何收场。
  • 做人靠手段做事靠手腕

    做人靠手段做事靠手腕

    头脑聪明不是你做人的唯一资本,手里有钱亦不是你做事的全部资本。那么做人靠什么,做事又靠什么?做人靠手段,做事靠手腕!这是千古不变的真理,是经久不衰的铁律!一样的脑子,一样的身材,为什么有的人在人际关系中如鱼得水,而你却呼吸困难?为什么有的人在生活中游刃有余,而你却举步维艰?为什么有的人一次又一次戴上了成功的花环,而你却一次又一次跌进了失败的深渊?为什么有的人最终走身辉煌,而你却只能在黄昏中收拾失落?
  • 逆天穿越:王爷大大邪宠妃

    逆天穿越:王爷大大邪宠妃

    一觉醒来,21世纪的第一大才【zhai】女竟魂穿到星月大陆!嗯……生活挺美满,没有宅斗没有选秀,没有天生国色也没有小家碧玉,没有艳遇也没有姻缘……只是,谁能来告诉陌小小,脸上这张假皮是怎么回事?平凡的家又为何是虚构的?自己又怎么成为了“幽冥”的杀手?还有这该死的噬心蝎是什么?陌小小的头都快炸了,偏偏还有腹黑王爷纠缠不清,陌小小:“我说帅哥,哪凉快哪待着去好不好?”萧九冥:“嗯”陌小小:“你到我床上来干什么!”
  • TFBOYS之凯源

    TFBOYS之凯源

    不喜勿喷,还有本书和真人无关,请勿对号入座。没有一点点防备你出现在我的世界,带给我欢笑带给我温暖。你是大家口中的小太阳小天使,而对我来说,你是最懂我的人。什么时候开始,你的一颦一笑在我脑海里挥之不去?都说年少…的情感是懵懂的,我比别人都要困惑,对你的不一样,到底是哪一种情感?可是我非常确定的是,关于你的点点滴滴,我都想好好收藏。除了你,没有人能让我改变;除了你,没有人能让我妥协;除了你,我不想是除了你的别人。所以那些心动都是真实的,因为你而发生的不一样的心跳。
  • 黑暗首席:我的契约妻子

    黑暗首席:我的契约妻子

    他曾被仇恨蒙蔽了眼,为牵制仇敌,把过错怪罪在她身上,百般折磨,却被她的美丽和坚强折服。若要报仇势必会伤及她,可情深似海,难为两全。她被命运戏弄,阴差阳错落在他手里,受尽屈辱却仍不失女子的坚强傲骨。他们身心疲惫,都不承认已爱上对方,问天,爱该何去何从?
  • 水云谣

    水云谣

    如未有那惊鸿一瞥,或许她将安分闺楼,遵照父王旨意嫁作他人妇。谁知世事难料,几经兜转徘徊,回首发现原来都不过是为了给人生画一个圆...
  • 我的地下我的城

    我的地下我的城

    我似一粒沙漂泊到天涯兜转一生尽泪眼望春夏一个正在玩地下城与勇士的玩家,意外的进入到了地下城的世界。这个世界叫阿拉德大陆。从此他的人生与命运发生了改变。请大家支持这本小说......