登陆注册
15318400000005

第5章

I had noticed the day before that a large outside drain pipe, decreed by the Bock County Council, ran from the moat to the third floor of the donjon keep. I surmised that the King was imprisoned on that floor. Examining the pipe closely, I saw that it was really a pneumatic dispatch tube, for secretly conveying letters and dispatches from the castle through the moat beyond the castle walls. Its extraordinary size, however, gave me the horrible conviction that it was to be used to convey the dead body of the King to the moat. I grew cold with horror--but I was determined.

I crept up the pipe. As I expected, it opened funnel-wise into a room where the poor King was playing poker with Black Michael. It took me but a moment to dash through the window into the room, push the King aside, gag and bind Black Michael, and lower him by a stout rope into the pipe he had destined for another. Having him in my power, I lowered him until I heard his body splash in the water in the lower part of the pipe. Then I proceeded to draw him up again, intending to question him in regard to Rupert of Glasgow. But this was difficult, as his saturated clothing made him fit the smooth pipe closely. At last I had him partly up, when I was amazed at a rush of water from the pipe which flooded the room. I dropped him and pulled him up again with the same result. Then in a flash I saw it all. His body, acting like a piston in the pipe, had converted it into a powerful pump. Mad with joy, I rapidly lowered and pulled him up again and again, until the castle was flooded--and the moat completely drained! I had created the diversion I wished; the tenants of the castle were disorganized and bewildered in trying to escape from the deluge, and the moat was accessible to my friends. Placing the poor King on a table to be out of the water, and tying up his head in my handkerchief to disguise him from Michael's guards, I drew my sword and plunged downstairs with the cataract in search of the miscreant Rupert. I reached the drawbridge, when I heard the sounds of tumult and was twice fired at,--once, as I have since learned, by my friends, under the impression that I was the escaping Rupert of Glasgow, and once by Black Michael's myrmidons, under the belief that I was the King. I was struck by the fact that these resemblances were confusing and unfortunate! At this moment, however, I caught sight of a kilted figure leaping from alower window into the moat. Some instinct impelled me to follow it. It rapidly crossed the moat and plunged into the forest, with me in pursuit. I gained upon it; suddenly it turned, and I found myself again confronted with MYSELF--and apparently the King! But that very resemblance made me recognize the Scotch pretender, Rupert of Glasgow. Yet he would have been called a "braw laddie," and his handsome face showed a laughing good humor, even while he opposed me, claymore in hand.

"Bide a wee, Maister Rupert Razorbill," he said lightly, lowering his sword, "before we slit ane anither's weasands. I'm no claimin' any descent frae kings, and I'm no acceptin' any auld wife's clavers against my women forbears, as ye are! I'm just paid gude honest siller by Black Michael for the using of ma face and figure-- sic time as his Majesty is tae worse frae trink! And I'm commeesioned frae Michael to ask ye what price YE would take to join me in performing these duties--turn and turn aboot. Eh, laddie--but he would pay ye mair than that daft beggar, Spitz."Rage and disgust overpowered me. "And THIS is my answer," I said, rushing upon him.

I have said earlier in these pages that I was a "strong" swordsman. In point of fact, I had carefully studied in the transpontine theatres that form of melodramatic mediaeval sword-play known as "two up and two down." To my disgust, however, this wretched Scotchman did not seem to understand it, but in a twinkling sent my sword flying over my head. Before I could recover it, he had mounted a horse ready saddled in the wood, and, shouting to me that he would take my "compleements" to the Princess, galloped away. Even then I would have pursued him afoot, but, hearing shouts behind me, I turned as Spitz and Fritz rode up.

"Has the King escaped to Kohlslau?" asked Fritz, staring at me. "No," I said, "but Rupert of Glasgow"--"--Rupert of Glasgow," growled Spitz. "We've settled him! He's gagged and bound and is now on his way to the frontier in a close carriage.""Rupert--on his way to the frontier?" I gasped.

"Yes.Two of my men found him, disguised with a handkerchief overhis face, trying to escape from the castle. And while we were looking for the King, whom we supposed was with you, they have sent the rascally Scotchman home.""Fool!" I gasped. "Rupert of Glasgow has just left me! YOU HAVE DEPORTED YOUR OWN KING." And overcome by my superhuman exertions, I sank unconscious to the ground.

When I came to, I found myself in a wagon lit, speeding beyond the Trulyruralania frontier. On my berth was lying a missive with the seal of the S'helpburgs. Tearing it open I recognized the handwriting of the Princess Flirtia.

MY DEAR RUPERT,--Owing to the confusion that arises from there being so many of you, I have concluded to accept the hand of the Duke Michael. I may not become a Queen, but I shall bring rest to my country, and Michael assures me in his playful manner that "three of a kind," "even of the same color," do not always win at poker. It will tranquilize you somewhat to know that the Lord Chancellor assures me that on examining the records of the dynasty he finds that my ancestor Rupert never left his kingdom during his entire reign, and that consequently your ancestress has been grossly maligned. I am sending typewritten copies of this to Rupert of Glasgow and the King. Farewell.

FLIRTIA.

同类推荐
  • 意拳拳谱

    意拳拳谱

    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。
  • 季春纪

    季春纪

    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。
  • 文王官人

    文王官人

    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。
  • 普济方·针灸

    普济方·针灸

    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。
  • 蜀中言怀

    蜀中言怀

    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
  • 豪门恋,我的青梅小姐

    豪门恋,我的青梅小姐

    两小无猜,青梅竹马。本该一切那么美好的发展着,但青梅却遭遇不测,被抓入极夜。五年的舞女生活,竹马是否还能认出青梅。
  • 正天纪

    正天纪

    实在抱歉,平日的时间实在太少,没办法保障更新,只能先搁一下。
  • 寞寞别情夕阳晚

    寞寞别情夕阳晚

    秦阳说`也许全世界我也可以放弃,至少还有你值得我去珍惜`夏晚说`我不要再去想去得到什么,却追求什么,而是要去珍惜身边的什么,幸好,我还有你去珍惜`从蹦蹦跳跳的女孩变成一个喜静的女生,经历了太多太多,多的能让一个单纯的女孩不再犯傻,多的能让一个爱逛街的女孩宁愿宅在家,说不清为什么,只知道,我们都变了。。。。。`秦阳,我累了``晚晚,我在呢`
  • 洛丽玛丝的幸福

    洛丽玛丝的幸福

    柒月上前,闻了闻花的香味,欣喜地睁开了眼睛,“哈~洛丽玛丝玫瑰。”柒月转身,眼底满满的幸福,“逸,还是你最懂我。”“当然,我可是你老公。”逸坏坏的笑着。柒月面色潮红,“恩~你讨厌。”“好啦,天色不早了,明天还要执行任务呢。”“恩。晚安。”柒月甜甜的笑着。“宝贝儿,晚~安~”逸俯身,在柒月光洁的额头上落下。蜻蜓点水般的一吻。谁也没看见,柒月那被浅紫色长发遮住的眸子,眼中写满了复杂,似是无奈,又是必然。逸,对不起,请原谅我的不辞而别。我和你,是不可能在一起的。柒月露出了凄美的笑容,身影渐渐升高,变得模糊。最后、消失。
  • 我在贫民窟买了一幢房子

    我在贫民窟买了一幢房子

    我从最起初的一无所有,到最后的“一无所有”。我本以为我会得到我想要的一切,谁料最后我却失去了一切。我们的梦真的需要坚持下去么?如果梦实现了真的会像梦中那样美好么?很多事情我我们无法确定结局,我们只有不断的向自己想要的东西奔跑。这个世界更看重的是你拥有什么,而我只是为了让自己拥有更多,可是谁又曾料想到最后能够陪伴我的只是那些冰冷的金银。我们需要的其实是我们在奋斗的路上失去的,留下的却并不一定是你想要的。
  • 冰月疾

    冰月疾

    “唐尧虞舜夏商周,春秋战国乱悠悠。秦汉三国晋一统,南朝北朝是对头。隋唐五代又十国,宋元明清帝王休。”回首中国历史,分久必合合久必分,无数战乱,而最混乱、最无人道的当属唐末五代十国。沙坨反国,藩镇割据,黄巢起义,朱温弑帝,十三太保,儿皇帝,陈桥兵变……等等无不彰显着人性的丑恶。而在这混乱时代下的人也是深受其害。当年北宋欧阳修修撰《新五代史》时,一字一叹息,愤愤而起,当真是:“君不君,臣不臣,父不父,子不子!”而主角正生活在这种背景下,社会的黑暗与对他们的压迫,让孟冰丧命,让岳霜走上谋逆复仇的道路。当时的这种人也应有很多,社会上流的将军尚且如此,那下层的黎民自然就更惨了。
  • 凡尘往年

    凡尘往年

    如同贫瘠大地上草根一样的人很多,认识黎萧之前,蓝烟以为自己是世界上生命力最倔强顽强的那一株草,生命的乐章里她不是最强有力的那个音符,却一定是最柔韧的。认识黎萧之后蓝烟长时间以为他就是个绣花枕头,中看,不知道中不中用,但也先入为主认为他必然是银样镴枪头。了解他之后,蓝烟觉得自己就是一棵妄图与大树媲美的小草,看得见自己在初春末秋时候挣命,看不见大树在疾风酷雨中求生。
  • 离开地球表面

    离开地球表面

    本书科幻元素满满,描写了未来世界的14个相互独立的故事。每个故事所处的时代各不相同。有的故事描绘的是150年内的近未来,有的故事描绘的是150-200年后的中远未来,有的描绘的是300年后的远未来。14个故事所属的时代背景不同,但都没有生硬的时代背景介绍。都是在讲述故事的过程中慢慢展开对时代的介绍。将每个时代的时代特色在各个时代的小人物的背景、经历、价值观中体现、展开,以小见大。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 勇王之上必有猛妻

    勇王之上必有猛妻

    一朝穿越,顾长笙就被一个毒舌美男给强了,强了就强了,看在对方长得还不错的份上她也就不计较了,可没想到这美男竟然是个渣男,居然不负责,拍拍屁股走人,她的内心顿时一万只草泥马奔腾而过!可还没等顾长笙回过神来,未婚夫的退婚,庶姐的迫害,姨娘的算计便接踵而来,让她有些应接不暇!刚虐完嫡姐,甩了渣未婚夫,可是谁来告诉她一下,她肚子里的孩子是怎么回事?她的运气要不要这么好,就那么一次就怀上了?在古代未婚先孕可是要被浸猪笼的啊,可孩子他爹连个影都没有,这可咋整,要不,随便抓一个,先凑合凑合?——情节虚构,请勿模仿