On the way to Ruritania I decided to spend a night in Paris with a friend．The next morning he came with me to the station，and as we waited for the train，we watched the crowds．We noticed a tall，dark，very fashionable lady，and my friend told me who she was．

　　'That's Madame Antoinette de Mauban．She's travelling on the same train as you，but don't fall in love with her．'

　　'Why not？'I asked，amused．

　　'Ah，'said my friend，'all Paris knows that she's in love with Duke Michael of Strelsau．And he，as you know，is the half-brother of the new King of Ruritania．Although he's only the second son and will never be king himself，he's still an important man and very popular，I hear，with many Ruritanians．The lovely Madame Antoinette won't look twice at you，Rudolf．'

　　I laughed，but he had woken my interest in the lady．I did not speak to her during the journey，and when we arrived in Ruritania，I left the train at Zenda，a small town outside the capital．But I noticed that Madame de Mauban went on to Strelsau，the capital．

　　I was welcomed very kindly at my hotel．It belonged to a fat old lady and her pretty daughter．From them I learned that the coronation was to be on the day after next，and not in three weeks．

　　The old lady was more interested in Duke Michael of Strelsau than in the new King．The Castle of Zenda and all the land around it belonged to the Duke，but the old lady said，'It's not enough．Duke Michael should be king．He spends all his time with us．Every Ruritanian knows him，but we never see the new King．'

　　But the daughter cried，'Oh no，I hate Black Michael．I want a red Elphberg-and the King，our friend Johann says，is very red．Johann works for the Duke and he's seen the King．In fact，the King's staying just outside Zenda now，'she added．'He's resting at the Duke's house in the forest before going on to Strelsau on Wednesday for his coronation．The Duke's already in Strelsau，getting everything ready．'

　　'They're friends？'I asked．

　　'Friends who want the same place and the same wife，'the pretty girl replied．'The Duke wants to marry his cousin，Princess Flavia，but people say she's going to be King Rudolf's wife and the Queen．'

　　Just then their friend，Johann，entered the room．

　　'We have a visitor，Johann，'the girl's mother said，and Johann turned towards me．But when he saw me，he stepped back，with a look of wonder on his face．

　　'What's the matter，Johann？'the daughter asked．

　　'Good evening，sir，'Johann said，still staring at me．He did not seem to like what he saw．

　　The girl began to laugh．'It's the colour of your hair，sir，'she explained．'We don't often see that colour here． It's the Elphberg red-not Johann's favourite colour．'

　　* * *

　　The next day I decided to walk through the forest for a few miles and take the train to Strelsau from a little station along the road．I sent my luggage on by train and after lunch，I started out on foot．First，I wanted to see the Castle of Zenda and in half an hour I had climbed the hill to it．There were two buildings the old one，with a moat around it，and the new，modern building．Duke Michael could have friends to stay with him in the new castle，but he could go into the old castle when he wanted to be alone．The water in the moat was deep，and if he pulled up the drawbridge over the moat，no one could get to him．

　　I stayed there for some time and looked at the castle，and then I walked on through the forest for about an hour．It was beautiful and I sat down to enjoy it．Before I knew what had happened，I was asleep．

　　Suddenly I heard a voice say，'Good heavens！He looks just like the King！'

　　When I opened my eyes，there were two men in front of me．One of them came nearer．

　　'May I ask your name？'he said．

　　'Well，why don't you tell me your names first？'I replied．

　　The younger of the two men said，'This is Captain Sapt，and I am Fritz von Tarlenheim．We work for the King of Ruritania．

　　'And I am Rudolf Rassendyll，'I answered，'a traveller from England．My brother is Lord Burlesdon．'

　　'Of course！The hair！'Sapt cried．'You know the story，Fritz？'

　　Just then a voice called out from the trees behind us．'Fritz！Fritz！Where are you，man？'

　　'It's the King！'Fritz said，and Sapt laughed．

　　Then a young man jumped out from behind a tree．I gave a cry，and when he saw me，he stepped back in sudden surprise．The King of Ruritania looked just like Rudolf Rassendyll，and Rudolf Rassendyll looked just like the King！

　　For a moment the King said nothing，but then he asked，'Captain…Fritz…who is this？'

　　Sapt went to the King and spoke quietly in his ear．The King's surprise changed slowly to an amused smile，then suddenly he began to laugh loudly．'Well met，cousin！'he cried．'Where are you travelling to？'

　　'To Strelsau，sirto the coronation．'

　　The King looked at his friends，and，for a moment，he was serious．But then he began to laugh again．'Wait until brother Michael sees that there are two of us！'he cried．

　　'Perhaps it isn't a very good idea for Mr Rassendyll to go to Strelsau，'Fritz said，worried，and Sapt agreed with him．

　　'Oh，we'll think about the coronation tomorrow，the Kingsaid．'Tonight we'll enjoy ourselves．Come，cousin！'

　　We returned to the Duke's house in the forest，where we had an excellent dinner．The King called loudly for wine，and Captain Sapt and Fritz seemed worried．Clearly，the King liked his wine a little too much．

　　'Remember the coronation is tomorrow，'warned old Sapt．

　　But the King was only interested in enjoying himself tonight，so we all drank and talked，and drank again．At last the King put down his glass and said，'I've drunk enough．'

　　As he said that，old Josef，the King's servant，came in．He put some very special old wine on the table in front of the King and said，'Duke Michael offers you this wine and asks you to drink it for love of him．'

　　'Well done，Black Michael！'the King cried．'Well，I'm not afraid to drink your wine！'

　　And he drank every drop of wine in the bottle，himself．Then his head fell forward on to the table，and soon afterwards I too remembered no more of that wild evening．

　　2 头发的颜色

　　去卢里塔尼亚的途中我决定在巴黎的一个朋友处过一夜。第二天早晨他跟我一起来到火车站，等车时我们看着站台上的人群，我们看到一位个子高、肤色棕黑、非常时髦的女士。我的朋友告诉我她的身份。

　　“那位是安东纳特·德·莫班女士，她和你坐同一列火车，但是你可别爱上她。”

　　“为什么不行？”我觉得很有意思。

　　“哎呀，”我的朋友说，“全巴黎都知道她爱着斯特莱索的迈克尔公爵，他是卢里塔尼亚新国王同父异母的兄弟。虽然他只不过是次子，他也决不能当国王，他仍然是个重要人物，而且我听说他也受到许多人的爱戴。鲁道夫，那位可爱的安冬纳特女士不会朝你看第二眼的。”

　　我笑了，但他的话引起了我对那位女士的兴趣。旅途中我没跟她说话。我们到达卢里塔尼亚以后，我在靠近首都的小城曾达下了车，但我注意到莫班女士去了首都斯特莱索。

　　在旅店我受到了很热情的接待。这家旅店是一位胖老太太和她可爱的女儿开的。从她们那儿我听说加冕典礼是后天而不是三星期后举行。

　　老太太对迈克尔公爵比对新国王更感兴趣。虽然曾达城堡和附近所有的土地都属于这位公爵，老太太却说，“这些还不够，迈克尔公爵应该当国王。他总是和我们在一起，每个卢里塔尼亚人都认识他，而新国王我们却从来没见过。”

　　她女儿却说，“哦，不，我讨厌黑迈克尔！我希望一个红头发的艾尔弗伯格当国王。听我们的朋友约翰说，新国王的头发非常红。他见过国王。事实上，国王现在就在曾达。”她又说，“他星期五去斯特莱索加冕。在此之前，他呆在公爵的林中住地休养。公爵已经去了斯特莱索，为国王准备好一切。”

　　“他们是朋友吗？”

　　“朋友，只不过两人想得到同样的地方和同一个女人。”漂亮姑娘回答，“公爵想和他的表妹弗蕾维亚公主结婚，可是据说弗蕾维亚会成为国王鲁道夫的妻子和王后。”

　　就在这时，她们的朋友约翰走进了房间。

　　“我们来了个客人，约翰。”姑娘的母亲说。约翰就转向我。当他看见我后，他后退了一步，脸上露出惊奇的表情。

　　“怎么啦？”姑娘问。

　　“晚上好，先生。”约翰说，仍然紧盯着我。他看上去不喜欢他所看见的东西。

　　姑娘笑了起来。“是因为你的头发，先生。”她解释道。“我们在这儿不常见到这种颜色的头发。这是艾尔弗伯格家族的红色。这可不是约翰最喜欢的颜色。”

　　第二天，我决定步行数英里穿过森林，然后从路边的一个小站上火车去斯特莱索。我把行李交火车托运了。午饭后我开始步行。首先我想看看曾达的城堡。半小时后我爬到了城堡所在的山上。那儿有两幢建筑物，一旧一新，旧的被一道护城河所环绕，新的是一座现代的建筑。迈克尔公爵可以和朋友一起呆在新城堡里，但假如他想要一个人呆着，他可以去旧城堡。壕沟里的水很深，如果他拉起跨越壕沟的吊桥，没人能靠近他。

　　我在那儿呆了一会儿，看着城堡，然后我走了差不多一个小时穿过森林。森林很美，我坐下来欣赏。一会儿我就睡着了。

　　突然间我听到一个声音说：“天哪，他真像国王！”

　　我睁开眼睛，面前站着两个人，其中一个走近我。

　　“请问您尊姓大名？”

　　“可是，您干吗不先告诉我您的姓名呢？”我回答。

　　两人中年轻的一位说：“这位是萨普特上尉，我是弗里茨·冯·塔伦汉姆。我们是卢里塔尼亚国王手下的。”

　　“我是鲁道夫·拉森狄尔，”我回答说，“我是从英国来的游客，我哥哥是伯利斯顿勋爵。”

　　“当然啦！瞧那头发！”萨普特叫道，“你知道那个故事吧，弗里茨？”

　　正在这时，一个声音从我们背后的树林里传来：“弗里茨！你在哪儿呢，伙计？”

　　“是国王。”弗里茨说。萨普特笑了。

　　然后一个年轻人从一棵树后面跳了出来，我叫了一声，当他看见我时，惊愕地后退了一步。卢里塔尼亚国王看上去正像鲁道夫·拉森狄尔，鲁道夫·拉森狄尔看上去正像卢里塔尼亚国王。

　　有一小会儿国王什么也没说，然后他问：“上尉……弗里茨……，这是谁？”

　　萨普特走上去对着他的耳朵轻轻说了几句，国王惊讶的表情慢慢变成了一个感到有趣的微笑。“幸会，表弟！”他突然高声叫道，“你打算去哪儿？”

　　“去斯特莱索，去看加冕典礼。”

　　国王看看他的朋友，严肃了一会儿。然后他又笑起来了，“等着吧，让迈克尔老弟看看我们有两个。”

　　“也许，拉森狄尔先生不应该去斯特莱索。”弗里茨担心地说。萨普特也同意他的看法。

　　“哦，我们明天再谈加冕的事吧。”国王说，“今晚我们要好好乐一乐。来吧，表弟！”

　　我们回到公爵的林中住宅，在那儿吃了一顿非常不错的晚餐。国王嚷嚷着要酒，而上尉萨普特和弗里茨看上去很焦虑不安。很显然，国王过于喜欢喝酒了。

　　“记住，明天就加冕了。”老萨普特警告说。可是国王只对今晚让自己好好乐一乐感兴趣，所以我们都喝酒，说话，然后又喝酒。最后国王放下杯子说：“我已经喝得够多的了。”

　　这时，国王的仆人约瑟夫进来了，他把一瓶非常古老特别的酒放在国王面前的桌子上说道：“迈克尔公爵奉上这瓶酒，并请您为了他对您的爱而喝了它。”

　　“干得好，黑迈克尔！”国王叫道，“好吧，我才不怕喝你的酒呢！”

　　他一个人喝干了瓶里的最后一滴酒。然后他的头伏在了桌子上。很快我自己也记不清那个疯狂的夜晚发生的别的事情了。