9 News of the prisoner

　　The next morning I was sitting in the garden in the sun when suddenly I saw young Rupert of Hentzau on horseback coming through the trees towards me．He was not afraid of my men，but asked to speak with me alone．He said he had a message for me from the Duke of Strelsau．I asked my friends to move away，and Rupert came and sat down near me．

　　'Rassendyll，'he began，'the Duke…．'

　　'Don't you know how to speak to the King？'I asked．

　　'Why pretend with me？'

　　'Because it isn't finished yet．'

　　'well，I'm here because I want to help you…'

　　'Then give me the message．What does the Duke want？'I asked．

　　'He wants you to leave．He'll take you safely out of the country and give you a hundred thousand pounds．'

　　'I refuse，'I replied immediately．

　　Rupert laughed．'I knew it！'he cried．'Duke Michael doesn't understand men like us！… You must die，then，'he added carelessly．

　　'Yes，'I answered．'But you won't be alive to see me die！'I laughed．'How's your prisoner？'I added．

　　'Alive，'he replied．'How's the pretty Princess？'

　　I took a step towards him．'Go now，before I kill you，'I shouted angrily．

　　Rupert turned， but suddenly he came back．He put out his right hand．'Shake hands！'he called．

　　Of course，he knew what I would do．I put my hands behind my back．Quickly，his left hand moved towards me．In it he held a dagger and it was coming straight at my heart！I jumped to one side，and the dagger went deep into my shoulder．Before my friends could do anything，Rupert of Hentzau was on his horse and galloping through the trees．I heard my men going after him with their guns and then everything went black．

　　When I awoke it was dark，and Fritz was at my bedside．He told me that I was not badly hurt，and that the plan to catch Johann had been successful．

　　'He seems pleased to be here，'Fritz said．'I think he's afraid of Duke Michael．'

　　Later Sapt brought Johann up to see me．At first Johann was afraid to speak，but then he began to talk．We asked him many questions，and finally Johann gave us the information we wanted．

　　In the Castle of Zenda，near the drawbridge and below the ground，there were two small rooms，cut out of the rock itself．In the first of these rooms there were always three of the Six．At the back of this room there was a door which led into the second room．The King was in the second room．

　　'If someone tries to get into the first room，two of the tnree men will fight，but Rupert of Hentzau or Detchard will run into the second room and kill the King，'Johann said．'There's a small window in the second room with a large pipe going down into the moat outside，'he went on．'You can get a man inside it，and they'll tie a heavy stone to the King's body and push it down the pipe．The body will go down and disappear under the water，and the murderers will then go down the pipe themselves，and swim across the moat．'

　　'And if I bring an army to the castle？'I asked．

　　'Duke Michael will still murder the King，'replied Johann．'He won't fight．He'll kill the King and push his body down the pipe．And he'll put one of the Six in the prison．He'll say the man had done something to make him angry．That will stop the stories about a prisoner in Zenda．'Johann stopped for a minute，but then he added，'If they know I've told you this，they'll kill me．They're all bad，but Rupert of Hentzau is the worst．Don't let them kill me…'

　　'All right，'I said．'But if anyone asks you who the prisoner of Zenda is，don't tell him． If you do，I'll kill you myself！'

　　Johann left the room and I looked at Sapt．

　　'It doesn't matter what plan we make，'I said．'The King will be dead before we can get to him！'

　　Sapt shook his grey head angrily．'You'll still be King of Ruritania in a year's time．'

　　'Perhaps one of the Duke's men will turn against him…'I began．

　　'Impossible，'replied Sapt．

　　'Then we need the help of God，'I said．

　　9 有关囚犯的消息

　　第二天早晨，我正坐在阳光下的花园里，突然看见鲁帕特骑着马穿过树林朝我走来。他并不怕我的人，但是请求和我单独谈谈。他说他有斯特莱索公爵给我的口信。

　　我请朋友们离开，然后鲁帕特过来在我旁边坐了下来。

　　“拉森狄尔，”他开始说，“公爵……”

　　“难道你不知道应该怎样对国王说话吗？”我问。

　　“干吗跟我装假？”

　　“因为事情还没完。”

　　“好吧，我来这儿是因为我想帮助你……”

　　“那就告诉我那个口信。公爵想要什么？”

　　“他要你离开。他会帮你安全地离开这个国家。而且会给你10万英镑。”

　　“我拒绝。”我立即回答。

　　鲁帕特笑了：“我知道，”他说：“迈克尔公爵不了解你我这样的人！……那么你就得死。”他漫不经心地加了一句。

　　“对。”我回答：“不过你也别想活着看到我死！”我笑着说：“你的犯人怎么样了？”

　　“还活着！”他回答：“美丽的公主怎么样了？”

　　我朝他跨了一步，“在我杀了你之前赶紧滚！”我生气地喊道。

　　鲁帕特转过身，但他突然又回来了。他伸出右手，叫道：“握握手吧！”

　　他当然知道我会怎么做。我把手放在背后。他的左手却一下子伸过来，手里的短剑直刺向我的心脏。我跳向一边，短剑深深地刺进我的肩膀。没等我的朋友反应过来，鲁帕特已经上马跑进了树林。我听见我的人开枪追赶他，然后一切都变黑了。

　　我醒来时天已经黑了。弗里茨坐在我的床边。他说我的伤不重，并且告诉我我们抓约翰的计划已经成功了。

　　“他看上去很高兴能呆在这儿。”弗里茨说，“我想他害怕迈克尔公爵。”

　　过了一会儿萨普特带约翰来见我。一开始约翰不敢说话，然后他开始说了。我们问了他许多问题，最后约翰终于把我们想知道的说了出来。

　　在城堡靠近吊桥的地方，有两个地下小屋，是从岩石中凿出来的。那六个人中的三个总是在第一间小屋里呆着，屋子的尽头安着一扇门通向第二间屋子，国王就在那里面。

　　“假如有人想进第一间屋子，那三个人中的两人就会应战，而鲁帕特或者戴查德就会冲进第二间屋子把国王杀掉。”约翰说：“第二间屋子里有一个小窗子，一根大排水管穿过窗户通往外面的护城河。”他接着说，“排水管能容纳下一个人。他们会在国王身上绑上一块很重的石头，然后把他推下排水管。尸体掉下去，消失在水下，然后杀人犯们也会顺着排水管下来，再游泳穿过护城河。”

　　“假如我带领一支军队去攻打城堡呢？”我问。

　　“迈克尔公爵仍然会杀了国王，”约翰说。“他不会跟你硬打的。他会把国王杀了，推下排水管，然后把那六个家伙中的一个关进监狱。他会说那个家伙做了让他生气的事儿。这样就可以制止人们关于曾达有个囚徒的传言。”约翰停了一会儿，又说：“如果他们知道我告诉了你们这个，他们会杀了我。他们都很坏，可是最坏的是鲁帕特。别让他们杀了我……”

　　“好吧！”我说，“但如果有人问你曾达的囚徒是谁，你别说出来，不然的话我会杀了你！”

　　约翰离开了房间。我望着萨普特。

　　“我们订什么计划都无关紧要了。”我说，“还没等我们到国王身边他就已经死了。”

　　萨普特愤怒地摇着他灰白的脑袋：“一年之内你照样还是卢里塔尼亚的国王。”

　　“也许公爵的人里面会有一个起来反叛他……”我说。

　　“不可能。”萨普特回答。