The Prisoner of Zenda

sin and a

own to detest all highly seasoned dishes. Then came the Chancellor, for another three hours; and to him I had to explain that the hurt to my finger (we turned that bullet to happy account) prevented me from writing-whence arose great to-do, hunting of precedents and so forth, ending in my "making my mark," and the Chancellor attes

f, a young man who had never known the King), had a brandy-and-soda brought to me, and observ

te time. Aren't we going to th

rows. "It would be a pleasure, but it might cost us

e in Strelsau, on his throne, what grievan

o do noth

othing stupid,

lays-The Critic-have you heard of it? Or, if you like, of two men, each coverin

King," pu

won't expose himself, i

pretty," sa

ean breast of it, and fight it out with the duke

the King,"

e," sa

x are in Strels

're sure?" aske

only

for the other three are

ning. "If the King were dead and buried, they'd all b

w, cur

lemen," said I,

hom Michael maintains in his household: they belong to him body and soul. There are

hroat if Michael to

'll cut mine,

y," agreed Sapt. "W

Bersonin, an

t them, and left the Ruritanians with the King; that's bec

among our friends at t

Sapt wistfully. "They had bee

d fully resolved on my course of action. I meant to make myself as popular as I could, and at the same time to show no disfavour to Michael. By thes

flict was not w

secrecy lasted, I had a fine game to play in Str

esidence of the Princess Flavia, and asked if she would receive me. This step created much interest, and was met with shouts of approval. The princess was very popular, and the Chancellor himself had not scrupled to hint to me that the more I pressed my suit, and the more rapidly I brought it to a prosperous conclusion, the stronger should I be in the affection of my subjects. The Chancellor, of course, did not understand the

eisure to think of them, for I was playing the most delicate move in all my difficult game. I had to keep the princess devoted to me-and yet indifferent to me: I had to show affection for her-and not feel it. I had to make love for another, and that

like the prince in Shakespeare who was transformed by

what your heart tells you-and

at me for

f," said she. "Why, as I told y

pliment, but I dislike

I hear. He made an

e," she said, f

" I observed, smiling. "Well, we are all gla

at me with a gleam of

n? Is it th

oing? Perhaps," said I.

I was glad,"

ple say s

people," she said, with

ou mean tha

eying in feigned deference, but adding, misc

unles

ind a snap of my fingers whe

ed that I had

are where co

l! I call him the

Michael when

orders of

And now

are your

ust all be pleasant

eceive his friends

e S

l them t

o. But I order you to rece

t your

yself. I coul

heer from the street. The

ried. "It is-the

read of feet in the ante-room. I began to talk on general subjects. This went on for some minutes. I wondered what had become of Michael

se to make

ow am I makin

eeping him

n, I don't wan

n, is he t

e, if you

d at me c

"Of course no one could be an

arming attrib

d clean forgotten it; and if I were alone wi

ld be, because I am of the Blood

aid I, rather feebly, as I inwardly cursed Fritz

nding, save that impudent young dog Fritz, who was lounging easily in an armchair, and flirting with the Countess Helga. He leapt up as I entered,

it, and I embraced him. Then I dr

you should not have waited a moment before I ask

t he tried to conceal both feelings, and, further, that he tried to persuade me that he believed I was verily the King. I did not know, of course; but, unless the King were an impostor, at once cleverer and more

t, sire," he obse

dog" (I meant to stir him), "and you kno

d his dark eyes rest

er from the bite?" cr

gave him a chance to bite deeper

has been destro

iting to see if hi

sked Michael, wit

d on the head, b

with him any mor

ps I s

ht bite

'll try," sai

n the magnificent condition of his regiment, and of their loyal greeting to me on the day of my coronation. Thence I passed to a rapturous description of the hunting-lodge w

have the honour of being presented to you

n his face was honey to me. We entered the ante-chamber in fr

ce, he could assume with perfect grace and ease, "are the loyalest and most dev

as the first," said I, "I

h he was not far past thirty); and last, the Englishman, Detchard, a narrow-faced fellow, with close-cut fair hair and a bronzed complexion. He was a finely made man, broad in the shoulder and slende

d is in the sec

urned to make my adieu to my cousin. She was standing at

, very low, "be ca

wh

say. But think wha

ll

urita

play the part? I know not: evil lay both

itania?" I a

pread over her i

iends, too,

ien

," she whispered, "

issed her hand, and we

reckless of the footmen, playing at

can't always be plotting

id I; and Fritz, who had been by my