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THE PRISONER of ZENDA

Part 2

A KING GOES TO STRELSAU

I opened my eyes. My face, hair and clothes were all wet. Sapt and Fritz were near me. I was very angry.

‘Why did you throw water over me?’

‘Its five o'clock,’ said Sapt. ‘And look at the King.’

The King was on the floor. His face was red. Sapt kicked him. He did not move.

‘We threw water over him, too,’ said Fritz. ‘But it was no good.’

I looked at Sapt and Fritz. We were afraid. I remembered the last bottle - what was in it?’

‘We must get a doctor.’

‘There's no doctor near here,’ said Sapt. ‘And a thousand doctor cannot help us. He will not move for six or seven hours.’

‘What about the Coronation?’

‘The King is ill,’ said Fritz. ‘We must send a message to Strelsau.’

‘Nobody will believe it,’ said Sapt. ‘And Black Michael knows that.’

‘Half the people in Strelsau want Black Michael to be King,’ said Sapt. ‘And now it will happen.’

We said nothing. Then Sapt spoke to me. ‘You can help us,’ he said. ‘You can go to Strelsau. You can be the King at the coronation.’

‘But it is not possible!’ I said.

‘There is some danger. Are you afraid?’

‘don't say that!’

‘I'm sorry,’ said Sapt. ‘But the King is in great danger.’

I did not answer. Sapt looked at me. ‘Will you go?’

‘Yes, I’ll go,’ I said.

‘Tonight we will be in the Palace,' said Sapt. ' Fritz will keep everyone away from the Kings bedroom. You and I will ride back here.'

'And then what will happen?'

'The King will ride with me to Strelsau. You will leave the country.’

Sapt left the room. He returned with Joseph. A few minutes later they began to cut the hair from my face.

‘What will you do with the King?’ I asked.

‘I’ll leave him in the wine cellar.’

‘What will happen if they find him?’

‘They won't find him. Joseph will stop them. But we can't escape danger.’

Joseph worked on me for half an hour. After Fritz said, ‘Well do it!’

I was the king

I got off the train in Strelsau. Fritz and Sapt walked behind me.

Many important men were at the station. But Black Michael did not come to meet us.

We travelled on horses through Strelsau. Near the palace there were many people on the streets. Some threw flowers at me. I caught one and wore it on my coat.

Now I was not afraid. I was the King. I looked up and saw - Antoinette de Mauban!

She looked at me for a long time. Her mouth moved. I put my hand down to my gun. But nothing happened.

I walked past the great men and beautiful women. I heard music. After some time we came to a beautiful old church.

But I only remember two things about the coronation. One was the face of a beautiful girl with red hair. The other was my ‘brother’, Black Michael.

The woman with red hair came to me from her place. Somebody called out, ‘The Princess Flavia!’

She took my hand and kissed it. I kissed her twice on the face. She was very beautiful!

Michael came and kissed my hand. He did not look at me. He was afraid.

We went back to the palace with Princess Flavia. I heard people call from the street for Black Michael. Someone said , ‘When are you going to marry her?’

Princess Flavia sat beside me. ‘Your face is different today, Rudolf,’ she said suddenly.

I was a little afraid.

‘Its thinner and - nicer.’ She smiled. Then she said quietly. ‘You must be careful about Black Michael. He wants - ‘

‘I know! He wants to be King. He wants to marry a princess. But perhaps I will marry her one day.’

Princess Flavia looked at me, but she said nothing. Then I heard music and the sound of guns. We were at the Palace.

Later that night I sat with Fritz and Sapt. We were in one of the Kings rooms. I was very tired. Sapt and Fritz were happy.

‘You'll remember this day!’ said Fritz. ‘But you must be careful. Black Michael looked very angry. You talked to the Princess for a long time.’

‘She is very beautiful!’ I said.

‘Forget her,’ said Sapt. ‘We must go. Are you ready?’

The road to Zenda

I was ready, but I did not want to go. It was five o’clock.

‘In seven hours I will be Rudolf Rassendyll again.’

‘You will stay here, Fritz,’ said Sapt. ‘Remember, the King is very tired. He does not want to see anybody.’

Sapt then turned to me. ‘Put on this coat and hat. You'll look like one of my men.’

Sapt took me through a secret door in the wall. We came out on a quiet street behind the Palace gardens. A man was there with two horses for us. We rode out of the city and on to the road to Zenda.

Three hours later Sapt suddenly stopped. ‘Listen!’ he said.

I listened and heard the sound of horses. They were only a mile behind us. We rode on and came to the forest of Zenda. We hid the horses and waited behind a tree. Sapt had his gun in his hand.

The horses came nearer. It was Black Michael. A second man was with him. They came very close to us and stopped.

'Which way? asked Black Michael.

'To the Castle, my Lord. We must find out what has happened.'

Black Michael hesitated. 'I thought I heard horses, ’he said.

‘I didn't hear anything,’ said the second man.

‘Why don't we go to the hunting-lodge?’

‘Because they may be waiting for us there. The message said, ‘All is well.’ And we don't want to lose time.’

Michael hesitated a moment longer. Sapt put his hand on his gun.

Finally Black Michael cried ‘To Zenda!’ and they rode away

Is the King Safe?

We waited for ten minutes before coming out. Sapt said, 'They've sent him news that 'all is well'

'But what does that mean?' I asked.

'I don't know,' said Sapt. 'I just hope the King is safe. Let's ride to the lodge as fast as we can.'

We rode on to the lodge in silence. We were both very worried. 'All is well'. What did it mean? Was all well with the King?

At last the lodge came into sight. We rode up to the gate. All was quiet.

We got off our horses. Suddenly Sapt caught me by the arm. 'Look there!' he said pointing to the ground. 'Someone has just been here.

We hurried towards the door. It was unlocked. We went into the room where we had been the night before.. There was food from our dinner and bottles on the table.

We went down the stairs. The door the wine cellar was open. Suddenly Sapt cried out. His face went white. I looked down and saw Joseph on the floor. He was dead.

Sapt looked at me. ‘Where is the King?’ he cried.

‘The King is not here,’ I answered.

3

WHERE IS THE KING?

I helped Sapt up the stairs. For ten minutes we sat in silence. Then Sapt took his hands from his face and said, ‘They've got the King!’

‘Yes,’ I answered. ‘That was the message to Black Michael. “All is well”. When did he get it?’

‘He had the message before your coronation. But what is he doing now?’

I stood up. ‘We must go back to Strelsau,’ I said. ‘Well get every man in the city. Then well fight Michael.’

Sapt did not answer.

‘We can't stay here,’ I said. ‘The King is in danger. Come on. We must go.’

Again Sapt did not answer. Suddenly he began to laugh. ‘Yes, well go back to Strelsau. The King will be in his Palace again.’

‘I don't understand.’

‘We cannot tell the people our story. They'll be very angry us - and with the King, too. Black Michael will tell his story. And they will believe him.’

Sapt got up. He put his hand on my arm. ‘You can help the King. Go back and be the King.’

‘But Michael knows - ‘

‘Yes, but they can't say anything,’ said Sapt. ‘They cannot say, ‘‘This man is not the King. The King is our prisoner.” But we must have a King in Strelsau.’

‘But will they kill the King?’

‘No, they won’t. Its too dangerous for them. Come back to Strelsau with me.’

Will they try to kill me?

Sapt went and found some new horses. I carried Joseph up the stairs.

‘Come on,’ said Sapt. ‘We must go now.’

We went outside. Far away I could see men on horses. ‘Michael's men are coming here,’ I said. ‘We must do something for poor Joseph.’

We hid with our horses behind the lodge. After a few minutes we heard a voice.

‘Now!’ said Sapt.

We rode to the front of the lodge and fought Michael's men. I killed two men. Sapt killed one. Someone cut my hand.

We rode away fast. ‘That was for little Joseph!’ I said.

We came to Strelsau in the early morning. We rode in the same gate. We were very tired. The streets were very quiet after the coronation.

We went to the Kings rooms in the Palace. We found Fritz. He looked at me. ‘The King!’ he said.

Sapt smiled. ‘You're doing well, boy,’ he said to me.

Fritz looked at me again. ‘Whereas the King?’ he said.

‘He is in the hands of Black Michael.’

Somebody came to the door. Sapt turned to me. ‘Go into the bedroom. Take off your hat and shoes. Get into bed. Remember, you're now the King!’

A King works very hard. After breakfast I met many important people. For many hours I could not talk to Fritz and Sapt.

That night they came to my room.

‘We must do something,’ said Fritz. ‘Are we going after Black Michael?’

‘No, we can't,’ said Sapt. ‘We can't tell anybody about Black Michael. And he can't tell anybody out us.’

‘He'll kill the King,’ said Fritz.

‘He won't,’ said Sapt. ‘Black Michael is back in Strelsau. Half of the ‘Six’ are with him. Three must be in Zenda with the King.’

‘Who are the Six?’ I asked.

‘You will meet them soon,’ said Sapt. ‘They are six men. They live in Michael's house. They will do anything for him. One of the Six is from your country.’

‘Will they try to kill me?’ I asked.

‘Perhaps,’ said Sapt. ‘You must be very careful. But we cannot do anything now. We must wait.'

Black Michael comes to visit

The next day I went to see the Princess Flavia.

‘The people speak well of their King,’ she said. ‘But what do I call you now?’

‘Please call me by my name.’

‘Thank you, Rudolf.’

‘My brother is back in Strelsau,’ I said. ‘We can - ‘

‘Watch him better?’ We both smiled.

She did not like him! I was very happy. We talked a little more about Michael and the Six. Suddenly we heard the sound of a horse. Princess Flavia ran to the window.

‘Its Michael of Strelsau!’ she said

I smiled. The Princess went back to her seat. I talked about different things. Suddenly the Princess said, ‘Are you trying to make him angry?’

‘ What? Who?’

‘Michael is waiting outside.’

‘Why doesn't he come in?’

She looked surprised. ‘You are in the room, Rudolf. Nobody can come in with you here. You know that!’

‘I'm sorry,’ I said. ‘I never remember these things.’

I opened the door. Michael sat at a table. He looked very angry. Three more men stood near him.

‘My dear brother,’ I said. ‘Its good to see you.’

‘You cut your hand ,’ he said. ‘How did you do that?’

‘In a game with a dog,’ I said.

Black Michael looked at me. Suddenly he said, ‘Will you meet my friends?’

They came and kissed my hand. The first was De Gautet. He was tall and thin. The second was a fat man called Bersonin. The third was the English man, Detchard. He had a red face and short yellow hair .

My brother and his friends left. Soon after I said goodbye to Princess Flavia.

‘Rudolf,’ she said. ‘Be careful!’

‘About what?’

‘You know - I can't say. But remember you're important to Ruritania.’

‘Am I only important to Ruritania?’

‘You're important to your friends, too.

‘Friends?’

‘And to a Princess,’ she said in a quiet voice.

I could not speak. I kissed her hand and left.

Part 3