8 Back to Zenda

　　The next day Sapt，Fritz，and I left Strelsau to go to Tarlenheim House．This fine modern house belonged to Fritz's uncle and was near the Castle of Zenda．We had ten brave young men with us．Sapt had told them that a friend of the King's was a prisoner in the Castle of Zenda and that the King needed their help．

　　Michael，of course，knew of my arrival．But I was sure he did not understand why I had come．He would think that my plan was to kill him and the King-and marry the Princess myself．So，I had not been in the house an hour when he sent three of the Six to me．These were not the three men who had tried to kill me．This time he sent the three Ruritanians-Lauengram，Krafstein and young Rupert of Hentzau．

　　'Duke Michael is very sorry that he can't welcome you himself，'explained Rupert of Hentzau．'But，sadly，he's ill at the moment．'

　　'I hope that my dear brother will soon be better，'I replied with a smile．

　　Rupert threw back his head，shook his black hair and laughed．He was a good-looking young man．People said he had broken many hearts already．

　　'Oh，I'm sure he will！'he answered．

　　* * *

　　That evening，instead of having dinner at the house，Fritz and I went to the little hotel in the town of Zenda where I had stayed before．

　　'Ask for a room where we can dine alone，'I said to Fritz．'And ask the pretty girl to bring our food．'

　　I covered my face and the girl came and put the wine down on the table．When she turned to go，she looked at me and I let her see my face．

　　'The King！'she cried．'You were the King！Oh，I'm sorry，sir！I'm sorry！The things that we said！'

　　'Forget that now，' I answered．'You can help me．Bring our dinner，but tell no one that the King is here．'

　　She came back in a few minutes，looking very serious．

　　'How's your friend Johann？' I began．

　　She looked surprised．'Oh，we don't see him very often now，'she answered．'He's very busy at the castle．''But you could get Johann to meet you tomorrow night，couldn't you？At ten o'clock，perhaps，on the road out of Zen-da．'

　　'Yes，sir…Yon're not going to hurt him？'

　　'Not if he does what I say．Go now，and say nothing about this．'

　　After dinner，we left to go back to Tarlenheim House．We had almost reached it when we saw Sapt running to meet us．'Have you seen them？'he cried．

　　'Who？'I asked．

　　'Duke Michael's men．Don't go out unless you have six men or more with you！'he said．'You know Bernenstein， one of your men？'

　　'Of course，'I answered．'A good，strong man，about as tall as me．'

　　'Well，they tried to kill him．He's upstairs now with a bullet in his arm．He was walking in the woods and he saw three men．Suddenly，they started shooting at him，so he began to run．He was lucky．They were afraid to come too near the house，so he escaped．But it was you they wanted to kill！'

　　'Sapt，'I said，'I promise I'll do one thing for Ruritania be fore I leave it．'

　　'What's that？'asked Sapt．

　　'I'll kill every one of the Six．Ruritania will be a better place without them！'

　　8 回到曾达

　　第二天萨普特、弗里茨和我离开斯特莱索去塔伦汉姆庄园。这所新式的庄园属于弗里茨的叔叔，离曾达城堡不远。我们带了10个勇敢的年轻人。萨普特告诉他们说，国王的一个朋友被关在曾达的城堡里了，国王需要他们的帮助。

　　迈克尔当然知道我来了，可是他肯定不明白为什么我要来。他会以为我的计划是把他和国王都杀了。然后我自己和公主结婚。因此，我到庄园还不到一个小时，他就派了那六个人中的三个来见我。他们不是曾经追杀我的那三个人。这一次他派了三个卢里塔尼亚人——劳恩格兰姆，克拉夫斯坦，和年轻的亨佐鲁帕特。

　　“迈克尔公爵很抱歉他不能亲自来欢迎您。”鲁帕特解释说，“很遗憾，他现在病了。”

　　“我希望我亲爱的兄弟很快会好起来。”我微笑着回答。

　　鲁帕特一仰头，甩了甩他的黑头发也笑了。他长得很精神，据说他已经让很多女人心碎了。

　　“哈，我肯定他会好起来的！”他回答。

　　那天晚上，弗里茨和我没在庄园里吃饭，我们去了曾达城中我曾经住过的小旅店。

　　“你去要一个我们可以单独用餐的小房间，”我对弗里茨说，“还有，请那个漂亮的姑娘给我们上吃的。”

　　我挡住我的脸。那姑娘进来把酒瓶放在桌上，当她转身要走时，她看着我，我让她看见了我的脸。

　　“是国王！”她叫道，“你是国王！哦，我很抱歉，先生，对不起，我们说了那些话！”

　　“现在忘了那些。”我回答，“你能帮我的忙。给我们把晚餐拿来，不过别告诉任何人国王在这儿。”

　　几分钟后她回来了，看上去非常严肃。

　　“你的朋友约翰他好吗？”我问。

　　她看上去有点吃惊：“噢，我近来不常见到他。”她说，“他在城堡里很忙。”

　　“可你能叫约翰明天晚上跟你见面，对吗？大概晚上十点，在曾达城外的路上。”

　　“是的，先生，你们不会伤害他吧？”

　　“如果他照我说的做就不会。现在去吧。对这事一个字也别说出去。”

　　吃完晚饭，我们回到塔伦汉姆庄园。我们快到的时候，看见萨普特跑出来迎接我们。“你们看见他们了吗？”他问。

　　“谁？”

　　“迈克尔公爵的人。如果你身边没有六个人或更多的人，就别到外边去！”他说：“你知道伯南斯坦吧？他也是你的人。”

　　“当然啦。”我回答，“他人好，又强壮，差不多跟我一样高。”

　　“嗯，他们想杀了他。他现在在楼上，胳膊上中了一枪。他在树林散步的时候看见三个人，突然他们向他开枪，他就跑。他很幸运。他们不敢太靠近这所房子，所以他侥幸逃脱了。可是他们想杀的是你！”

　　“萨普特，”我说，“我保证在我离开卢里塔尼亚之前要做一件事。”

　　“什么？”萨普特问。