Rupert of Hentzau: From The Memoirs of Fritz Von Tarlenheim / Sequel to The Prisoner of Zenda
g-lodge. He could have arrived sooner, but prudence did not allow him to enter the populous suburbs of the town till the darkness guarded him from notice. The
ars, while the gusts of wind made the cramming of his hat low down over his eyes no more than a natural precaution against its loss. Thus masked from curious eyes, he drew rein before my door, and, having dismounted, rang the bell. When the butler came a strange hoarse voice, half-stifled by folds of scarf, asked for the countess, alleging for pretext a message from myself. The man hesitated, as well he might, to leave the stranger alone with the door open and the contents of the hall at his mercy. Murmuring an apology in case his visitor should prove to be a gentleman, he shut the door and went in search of his mistress. His description of the untimely c
eft him out in the rain?" She was anxious lest Rudolf's features
night. Helga cut him short with an impatient gesture, crying, "How stupid of you!" and herself ran quickly down and opened the doo
Pray come in. Oh, but your horse!" She turned to the penitent butler, who had
some one at o
lf-take it at once. I'l
the hall. With a finger on her lips, she led him swiftly into a small sitting-room on the ground floor, which I used as a sort of office or place of business. It
my dear countes
shrug. "Do tell me what brings y
alarm at hearing that I might perhaps meet Rupert at the
e, and, if need be, back a
night, and only Fritz a
ye traveled to the
hrough there," said he. "So we'd better no
night and keep ever
d if I bungle my work a
asked, shrinkin
what it is, Countess. It
do anything and everyt
pressed it in a frien
e my orders?" he
hall be
le supper, and this room
oom, opened the door, and, while Rudolf turned his back, directed the man to br
said to Rudolf, direct
clear for his return to the sitting-room. He came, expressing admiration for her courage and address; I take leave to think that she deserved his compliments. He made a hasty supper; then they talked together, Rudolf smoking his cigar. Eleven came and went. It was not yet time. My wife opened
whispered. "If I come back, I'll kno
careful," she murmure
he pavement, his face again wrapped up. She watched his tall figure stride quickly along till a turn of the road hid it. Then, having closed the window and the shutters again, she sat down
lf was on his way back to the city, and the queen was meditating, in her restless vigil, on the resolve that in a few hours was to bring her also to Strelsau. Even in the dead of night both sides were active. For, plan cautiously and skillfully as he might, Rudolf fought with an an
Bauer to keep an eye on my house during his absence; for it was there that any of us who found our way to the city would naturally resort in the first instance. As a fact, he had not omitted this precaution. The night was so dark that the spy, who had seen the king but once and never Mr. Rassendyll, did not recognize who the visitor was, but he rightly conceived that he should serve his employer by tracking the steps of the tall man who made so mysterious an arrival and so surreptitious a departure from the suspected house. Accordingly, as Rudolf turned the corner and Helena closed the window, a short, thickset figure started cautiously out of the projecting shadow, and followed in Rudolf's wake through the s
d have been to betray his suspicions to his follower; but he crossed the road to the opposite side to that where No. 19 was situated, and slackened his pace a little, so that there was a longer interval between his own footfalls. The steps behind him grew slower, even as his did; their sound cam
threw him one of them. Mr. Rassendyll asked no better than to meet his enemy thus in the open. They could fight a fair fight, and if he fell the lamp would be caught up and carried on by Sapt's hand or mine; if he got the better of Rupert, the letter would be his; a moment would destroy it and give safety to the queen. I do not suppose that he spent time in thinking how he should escape arrest at the hands of the police whom the fracas
confederate, or, after all, some person innocent of our secret and indifferent to our schemes. On came Bauer, softly, whistling and slushing his feet carelessly through the liquid mud. Now he was nearly opposite where Mr. Rassendyll stood. Rudolf was well-nigh convinced that the man had been on his track: he would make certainty surer. The b
my friend, for a
his wits about him. Whether he identified Rudolf at once, I do
d early, sir," said he, arresting his shuffling steps, and look
if Bauer knew or guessed who his challenger was, Mr
eaven forbid that you or any man should walk the streets a night like this. Co
owed that his thoughts had turned towards flight. Rudolf gave no time for putting any such notion into
night, my lad, as sure as I'm alive. Come along with
ld in Rudolf's grasp. He had no alternative but to obey the suasion of Mr. Rassendyll's arm, and they two began to walk down the Konigstrasse. Bauer's whistle had died away, not to return; but from time to time Rudolf
said Rudolf encouragingly; and he laughed a l
numbers at the station end of the Konigstrass
he. "Pray, lad, can you m
had gone home. Bauer was a clever scoundrel, but his nerves were
sir?" he
e bound for, you and I. There I
he was at a loss how either to und
e to old Mother Holf's little shop. "Isn't that a one and a nine over the door, my
longer with a friendly pressure, but with a grip of iron; in the
you? It would startle them if I roused them with a shot." A motio
ell," said Ba
en you
ppose
ticular way
now," grow
Can't yo
ow nothin
, and-Listen, my lad. You mus
asked Bauer, in an
en in two minutes, I shall arouse the good folk with a shot. You see? You quite see,
e noise of the bolt being cautiously worked back into its socket. As it shot home a chink of the door opened. At the same moment Rudolf's hand slipped from Bauer's arm. With a swift movement he caught the fellow by the nape of the neck and flung him violently forward into the roadway, where, losing his footing, he fell sprawling fa
ling to Strelsau. Indeed the girl had seemed to haunt the king's foot-steps, and he had himself joked on her obvious efforts to attract his attention, and the languishing glances of her great black eyes. But it is the lot of prominent personages to inspire these strange passions, and the king had spent as little thought on her as on any of the roma
ise by the murky light of the strong-smelling oil-lamp. The lamp shook and almost fell from her hand when she saw him; for the s
amazement. "No, but-" And she
s shave when they please, as well as other men?" Her face still expressed
over-anxious to
ure at the confidence
ispered, with a glance of the great
ll help me
my l
, merely with a little info
moth
takes l
utious approaches. "Tell me what
who's
Count of Luza
at's he
ng and swearing, because his
nobody e
and sank her voice to a
now-nob
Rudolf. "I want to see him alone. It's
mea
u know wh
one; but he's go
ke it! How do you know
r tol
r! And wh
cked. Why did yo
be sure. So Bauer tells
quettish laugh. It was not amiss for th
foolish count gone to meet
ven't s
aight from the
ge. Ah, but now I recollect! The Count of Rischenheim was gre
Rischenheim brought a messa
ed one another
In this remark, at least, Rudolf spoke no more and no other than
ing, your Majesty-
, and took a couple of go
ney, your Majest
n them and hang th
to me," she cried, hold
asked, playfully holdin
ow
me when I come at eleven
'll be
t I've been here to-night.
my mo
N
nt of Luzau-
obody. My business is very private
u tell me. But-
"Bauer knows. Well, w
door. Suddenly the girl bent, sn
for you," s
profit, even in the queen's service, of her poor foolish lo
nothing. Mind, nothing! I threat
them you hav
st they won't know when I sha
o the house, his visit must be known; but if he could intercept Bauer, the girl's silence was