A Great Chance for a VillainIt was the custom that the Prefect of Police should send everyafternoon a report to me on the condition of the capital and the feeling ofthe people: the document included also an account of the movements ofany persons whom the police had received instructions to watch. Since Ihad been in Strelsau, Sapt had been in the habit of reading the report andtelling me any items of interest which it might contain. On the day aftermy adventure in the summer-house, he came in as I was playing a hand ofecarte with Fritz von Tarlenheim.
"The report is rather full of interest this afternoon," he observed,sitting down.
"Do you find," I asked, "any mention of a certain fracas1?"He shook his head with a smile.
"I find this first," he said: ""His Highness the Duke of Strelsau left thecity (so far as it appears, suddenly), accompanied by several of hishousehold. His destination is believed to be the Castle of Zenda, but theparty travelled by road and not by train. MM De Gautet, Bersonin, andDetchard followed an hour later, the last-named carrying his arm in a sling2.
The cause of his wound is not known, but it is suspected that he has foughta duel3, probably incidental to a love affair."""That is remotely true," I observed, very well pleased to find that I hadleft my mark on the fellow.
"Then we come to this," pursued Sapt: ""Madame de Mauban, whosemovements have been watched according to instructions, left by train atmidday. She took a ticket for Dresden--""It's an old habit of hers," said I.
""The Dresden train stops at Zenda." An acute fellow, this. And finallylisten to this: "The state of feeling in the city is not satisfactory. The Kingis much criticized" (you know, he's told to be quite frank) "for taking nosteps about his marriage. From enquiries among the entourage of thePrincess Flavia, her Royal Highness is believed to be deeply offended by the remissness4 of his Majesty5. The common people are coupling her namewith that of the Duke of Strelsau, and the duke gains much popularityfrom the suggestion. I have caused the announcement that the King gives aball tonight in honour of the princess to be widely diffused6, and the effectis good.""That is news to me," said I.
"Oh, the preparations are all made!" laughed Fritz. "I've seen to that."Sapt turned to me and said, in a sharp, decisive voice:
"You must make love to her tonight, you know.""I think it is very likely I shall, if I see her alone," said I. "Hang it, Sapt,you don't suppose I find it difficult?"Fritz whistled a bar or two; then he said: "You'll find it only too easy.
Look here, I hate telling you this, but I must. The Countess Helga told methat the princess had become most attached to the King. Since thecoronation, her feelings have undergone a marked development. It's quitetrue that she is deeply wounded by the King's apparent neglect.""Here's a kettle of fish!" I groaned7.
"Tut, tut!" said Sapt. "I suppose you've made pretty speeches to a girlbefore now? That's all she wants."Fritz, himself a lover, understood better my distress8. He laid his handon my shoulder, but said nothing.
"I think, though," pursued that cold-blooded old Sapt, "that you'dbetter make your offer tonight.""Good heavens!""Or, any rate, go near it: and I shall send a "semi-official" to thepapers.""I'll do nothing of the sort--no more will you!" said I. "I utterly9 refuseto take part in making a fool of the princess."Sapt looked at me with his small keen eyes. A slow cunning smilepassed over his face.
"All right, lad, all right," said he. "We mustn't press you too hard.
Soothe her down a bit, if you can, you know. Now for Michael!""Oh, damn Michael!" said I. "He'll do tomorrow. Here, Fritz, come fora stroll in the garden."Sapt at once yielded. His rough manner covered a wonderful tact-- andas I came to recognize more and more, a remarkable10 knowledge of humannature. Why did he urge me so little about the princess? Because he knewthat her beauty and my ardour would carry me further than all hisarguments--and that the less I thought about the thing, the more likely wasI to do it. He must have seen the unhappiness he might bring on theprincess; but that went for nothing with him. Can I say, confidently, that hewas wrong? If the King were restored, the princess must turn to him,either knowing or not knowing the change. And if the King were notrestored to us? It was a subject that we had never yet spoken of. But I hadan idea that, in such a case, Sapt meant to seat me on the throne ofRuritania for the term of my life. He would have set Satan himself theresooner than that pupil of his, Black Michael.
The ball was a sumptuous11 affair. I opened it by dancing a quadrillewith Flavia: then I waltzed with her. Curious eyes and eager whispersattended us. We went in to supper; and, half way through, I, half mad bythen, for her glance had answered mine, and her quick breathing met mystammered sentences-- I rose in my place before all the brilliant crowd,and taking the Red Rose that I wore, flung the ribbon with its jewelledbadge round her neck. In a tumult12 of applause I sat down: I saw Saptsmiling over his wine, and Fritz frowning. The rest of the meal passed insilence; neither Flavia nor I could speak. Fritz touched me on the shoulder,and I rose, gave her my arm, and walked down the hall into a littleroom,where coffee was served to us. The gentlemen and ladies inattendance withdrew,and we were alone.
The little room had French windows opening on the gardens. The nightwas fine, cool, and fragrant13. Flavia sat down, and I stood opposite her. Iwas struggling with myself: if she had not looked at me, I believe thateven then I should have won my fight. But suddenly, involuntarily, shegave me one brief glance --a glance of question, hurriedly turned aside; ablush that the question had ever come spread over her cheek, and shecaught her breath. Ah, if you had seen her! I forgot the King in Zenda. Iforgot the King in Strelsau. She was a princess-- and I an impostor. Doyou think I remembered that? I threw myself on my knee and seized her hands in mine. I said nothing. Why should I? The soft sounds of the nightset my wooing to a wordless melody, as I pressed my kisses on her lips.
She pushed me from her, crying suddenly:
"Ah! is it true? or is it only because you must?""It's true!" I said, in low smothered14 tones-- "true that I love you morethan life--or truth--or honour!"She set no meaning to my words, treating them as one of love's sweetextravagances. She came close to me, and whispered:
"Oh, if you were not the King! Then I could show you how I love you!
How is it that I love you now, Rudolf?""Now?""Yes--just lately. I--I never did before."Pure triumph filled me. It was I--Rudolf Rassendyll-- who had wonher! I caught her round the waist.
"You didn't love me before?" I asked.
She looked up into my face, smiling, as she whispered:
"It must have been your Crown. I felt it first on the Coronation Day.""Never before?" I asked eagerly.
She laughed low.
"You speak as if you would be pleased to hear me say "Yes" to that,"she said.
"Would "Yes" be true?""Yes," I just heard her breathe, and she went on in an instant: "Becareful, Rudolf; be careful, dear. He will be mad now.""What, Michael? If Michael were the worst--""What worse is there?"There was yet a chance for me. Controlling myself with a mightyeffort, I took my hands off her and stood a yard or two away. I remembernow the note of the wind in the elm trees outside.
"If I were not the King," I began, "if I were only a private gentleman-"Before I could finish, her hand was in mine.
"If you were a convict in the prison of Strelsau, you would be myKing," she said.
And under my breath I groaned, "God forgive me!" and, holding herhand in mine, I said again:
"If I were not the King--""Hush15, hush!" she whispered. "I don't deserve it--I don't deserve to bedoubted. Ah, Rudolf! does a woman who marries without love look on theman as I look on you?"And she hid her face from me.
For more than a minute we stood there together; and I, even with myarm about her, summoned up what honour and conscience her beauty andthe toils16 that I was in had left me.
"Flavia," I said, in a strange dry voice that seemed not my own, "I amnot--"As I spoke--as she raised her eyes to me--there was a heavy step on thegravel outside, and a man appeared at the window. A little cry burst fromFlavia, as she sprang back from me. My half-finished sentence died on mylips. Sapt stood there, bowing low, but with a stern frown on his face.
"A thousand pardons, sire," said he, "but his Eminence17 the Cardinalhas waited this quarter of an hour to offer his respectful adieu to yourMajesty."I met his eye full and square; and I read in it an angry warning. Howlong he had been a listener I knew not, but he had come in upon us in thenick of time.
"We must not keep his Eminence waiting," said I.
But Flavia, in whose love there lay no shame, with radiant eyes andblushing face, held out her hand to Sapt. She said nothing, but no mancould have missed her meaning, who had ever seen a woman in theexultation of love. A sour, yet sad, smile passed over the old soldier's face,and there was tenderness in his voice, as bending to kiss her hand, he said:
"In joy and sorrow, in good times and bad, God save your RoyalHighness!"He paused and added, glancing at me and drawing himself up tomilitary erectness18:
"But, before all comes the King--God save the King!"And Flavia caught at my hand and kissed it, murmuring:
"Amen! Good God, Amen!"We went into the ballroom19 again. Forced to receive adieus, I wasseparated from Flavia: everyone, when they left me, went to her. Sapt wasout and in of the throng20, and where he had been, glances, smiles, andwhispers were rife21. I doubted not that, true to his relentless22 purpose, hewas spreading the news that he had learnt. To uphold the Crown and beatBlack Michael--that was his one resolve. Flavia, myself--ay, and the realKing in Zenda, were pieces in his game; and pawns23 have no business withpassions. Not even at the walls of the Palace did he stop; for when at last Ihanded Flavia down the broad marble steps and into her carriage, therewas a great crowd awaiting us, and we were welcomed with deafeningcheers. What could I do? Had I spoken then, they would have refused tobelieve that I was not the King; they might have believed that the Kinghad run mad. By Sapt's devices and my own ungoverned passion I hadbeen forced on, and the way back had closed behind me; and the passionstill drove me in the same direction as the devices seduced24 me. I faced allStrelsau that night as the King and the accepted suitor of the PrincessFlavia.
At last, at three in the morning, when the cold light of dawning daybegan to steal in, I was in my dressing-room, and Sapt alone was with me.
I sat like a man dazed, staring into the fire; he puffed25 at his pipe; Fritz wasgone to bed, having almost refused to speak to me. On the table by me laya rose; it had been in Flavia's dress, and, as we parted, she had kissed itand given it to me.
Sapt advanced his hand towards the rose, but, with a quick movement,I shut mine down upon it.
"That's mine," I said, "not yours--nor the King's either.""We struck a good blow for the King tonight," said he.
I turned on him fiercely.
"What's to prevent me striking a blow for myself?" I said.
He nodded his head.
"I know what's in your mind," he said. "Yes, lad; but you're bound inhonour.""Have you left me any honour?""Oh, come, to play a little trick on a girl--""You can spare me that. Colonel Sapt, if you would not have meutterly a villain--if you would not have your King rot in Zenda, whileMichael and I play for the great stake outside-- You follow me?""Ay, I follow you.""We must act, and quickly! You saw tonight--you heard--tonight--""I did," said he.
"Your cursed acuteness told you what I should do. Well, leave me herea week--and there's another problem for you. Do you find the answer?""Yes, I find it," he answered, frowning heavily. "But if you did that,you'd have to fight me first--and kill me.""Well, and if I had--or a score of men? I tell you, I could raise allStrelsau on you in an hour, and choke you with your lies-- yes, your madlies--in your mouth.""It's gospel truth," he said--"thanks to my advice you could.""I could marry the princess, and send Michael and his brother togetherto--""I'm not denying it, lad," said he.
"Then, in God's name," I cried, stretching out my hands to him, "let usgo to Zenda and crush this Michael and bring the King back to his ownagain." The old fellow stood and looked at me for full a minute.
"And the princess?" he said.
I bowed my head to meet my hands, and crushed the rose between myfingers and my lips.
I felt his hand on my shoulder, and his voice sounded husky as hewhispered low in my ear:
"Before God, you're the finest Elphberg of them all. But I have eatenof the King's bread, and I am the King's servant. Come, we will go toZenda!"And I looked up and caught him by the hand. And the eyes of both ofus were wet.
收听单词发音 |
1
fracas
|
|
| n.打架；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sling
|
|
| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
duel
|
|
| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
remissness
|
|
| n.玩忽职守；马虎；怠慢；不小心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
5
majesty
|
|
| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
diffused
|
|
| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
sumptuous
|
|
| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
tumult
|
|
| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
fragrant
|
|
| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
smothered
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
toils
|
|
| 网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
eminence
|
|
| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
erectness
|
|
| n.直立 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
19
ballroom
|
|
| n.舞厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
throng
|
|
| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
rife
|
|
| adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
relentless
|
|
| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
pawns
|
|
| n.（国际象棋中的）兵( pawn的名词复数 )；卒；被人利用的人；小卒v.典当，抵押( pawn的第三人称单数 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
seduced
|
|
| 诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
puffed
|
|
| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |