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 Pearson Ed ucation Lim ited
E d in b u rg h G a te , H arlow ,
E ssex C M 2 0 2 JE , E ngland
and A sso ciated C o m p a n ie s th ro u g h o u t th e w orld.

IS B N : 9 7 8 - 1 - 4 0 5 8 - 6 5 2 0 - 3

F irst p u b lish ed in th e L o n g m a n S im p lified E n g lish S e r ie s 1 9 3 9

F irst p u b lish ed in th e L o n g m an F ic tio n S e r ie s 1 9 9 3
T h is ad ap tation first p ublish ed 1 9 9 6
F irst p u b lish ed by P en g u in B o o k s 1 9 9 9
T h is e d itio n p u b lish ed 2 0 0 8

3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

C o p y r ig h t by Jo h n H o p e -H a w k in s
T e x t c o p y rig h t © P en g u in B o o k s Ltd 1 9 9 9
T h is e d itio n c o p y rig h t © P earson E d u c a tio n Ltd 2 0 0 8

T y p e se t b y G rap h icraft Ltd , H o n g K o n g

S e t in 1 1 / 1 4p t B e m b o
P rin te d in C h in a
SW T C /02

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 Contents

page
Introduction V

C hapter 1 T h e Rassendylls 1

C hapter 2 A M erry Evening w ith a N ew R ela tio n 7

C hapter 3 T h e K ing Keeps His A ppointm ent 12

C hapter 4 T h e Secret o f a Cellar 18

C hapter 5 A Fair C ousin and a D ark B rother 24

C hapter 6 A N ew Use for a Tea Table 29

C hapter 7 A Q uestion o f H onour 35

C hapter 8 Setting a Trap 41

C hapter 9 T h e Path to Heaven 48

C hapter 10 A Dangerous Plan 54

C hapter 11 R u p e rt and M ichael 59

C hapter 12 Face to Face in the Forest 6 6

C hapter 13 I f Love W ere All! 73

Activities 79
 Introduction

M y secret was still kept, though I had some bad moments and made
some mistakes. I escaped discovery though, and I think the reason was the
daring o f the plan.

In the second h alf o f the nineteenth century, adventure stories

set in strange countries were very popular w ith British readers.
Anthony H ope was one o f a group o f w riters — w hich included
R o b e rt Louis Stevenson (best know n for his novel Treasure Island)
and Rudyard K ipling (Kim ) —w ho becam e well know n for stories
o f this kind, as Alexandre Dumas ( T he Count o f M onte Cristo) was
in France. T he Prisoner o f Z enda is one o f the very best adventure
novels from this period. It becam e an international success when
it appeared in 1894, and has remained popular since then. It has
been translated into many languages.
T h e bo o k opens w ith the adventure-loving, tw en ty-n in e-
year-old R u d o lf Rassendyll at hom e in late eighteenth century
England, thinking about how he will spend the next few months.
He has plenty o f money, loves to travel and speaks a num ber o f
European languages extrem ely well. H e com es from an old and
very respectable family, can use a sword and can ride any kind o f
horse. B u t he admits that he is lazy.
R u d o lf’s bro th er’s w ife wants him to be m ore responsible like
his brother, Lord Burlesdon. She asks him to consider taking
a jo b w ith Sir Ja co b Borrodaile, w ho is going to becom e an
ambassador in six m onths’ time. B u t six m onths is a long time
to wait for an adventure, so R u d o lf decides to go to the ancient
country o f R u ritan ia. H e has read in the papers that a new king
is going to be crow ned in the capital city o f Strelsau. It will be a
grand occasion o f great ceremony, and he has never been to this
im portant European country before.
 R u d o lf stops in Paris on his way to R u ritan ia and through a
friend meets M adam e A ntoinette de M au ban .T h is rich widow is
also on her way to R u ritan ia, w here she has booked a room in
Strelsau. A lthough she seems unim portant at the beginning o f the
story, she becom es involved in a secret plot and her help becom es
very im portant to R u d o lf.
W h en R u d o lf arrives in R uritania, he has to stay in another
tow n, Zenda, because there are no hotel room s left in Strelsau.
T h ere, while w alking in the forest, he m eets the man w ho will
be the next king, R u d o lf the Fifth o f the royal Elphberg family.
T h e two R ud olfs are very surprised to find that they look the
same; the only difference is that Rassendyll has a red beard. B o th
men have red hair, w hich is very u ncom m on in this country
but is a feature o f the Elphberg family. C ou ld these two m en be
brothers?
T h e future king finds the similarity betw een them amusing
and invites Rassendyll to have dinner w ith him in the castle
at Zenda. B u t after a night o f eating and drinking, their lives
b ecom e very com plicated.
R u d o lf Rassendyll soon finds him self playing a dangerous
game, and in need o f all the quick thinking and courage that he
was born with. W ill R u d o lf the Fifth be crow ned king and keep
his throne, or will he be defeated by his enemies? And as he helps
the king, will R u d o lf Rassendyll manage to keep his self-respect,
his honour — and his life?

R uritania, the setting for T he Prisoner o f Zenda, is a country

invented by H ope, som ew here in central Europe, w hich is similar
to small states — often headed by dukes — that did still exist
at the time. It is a place o f castles, ancient towns, woods and
mountains; a land o f lords and servants, w here hon ou r and loyalty
are im portant above all else. B o th British and A m erican readers
o f the time found this rom antic picture o f a faraway European

vi
country exciting and mysterious. T h e word ‘R u rita n ia ’ soon
entered the English language to mean any mysterious, rom antic
country w here adventures m ight happen. People still use this
name today.
T h e b o o k was w ritten in four weeks during 1893 and appeared
in 1894. It was an im m ediate success, earning high praise from
other writers. It was turned into a play and was equally popular
on the stage. T h e story was perfectly suited to the new film
industry, and the first film was made in 1913. W h ile the 1922
silent film o f T he Prisoner o f Z enda is a cinem a favourite, the
best know n was made in 1937, w ith the actor R o n ald C olm an
playing both Rassendyll and K ing R u d o lf; Douglas Fairbanks
J r played R u p e rt Hentzau. In 1979 Peter Sellers played the two
R udolfs. Film directors have also used the plot o f T he Prisoner o f
Zenda to create other, similar stories. D ave (1993), for example,
is set in the U nited States; the President is very ill, and Kevin
K lin e’s character is persuaded to take his place so that nobody
will know.
O n e reason for the popularity o f H o p e’s two novels about
R u ritania — the other bo o k was Rupert o f H entzau (1898) — was
that they were shorter and m ore exciting than many works o f
fiction o f the time. T h e story contains all the features o f a good
adventure: chance, surprise, danger, skill and love.There are sword
fights, secret plots, whispered conversations and difficult escapes,
as well as blood and murder. In the same way that the idea o f
R uritania entered popular culture as a result o f this novel, these
features o f H o p e’s plot, and the character types in the book, have
since been included in adventure stories in literature, theatre and
film.
T h e contrast betw een brothers — R u d o lf and Lord Burlesdon,
the D uke and the King, Joh an n and M ax H o lf — creates a tension
that was com m on ly used by Shakespeare. T h e contrast betw een
good and evil, deceit and honour, love and hate, jealousy and

V ll
selflessness com bine to make the unbelievable believable. At the
end, we are left w ondering w hat happened to these characters
after this story, w h ich is no doubt why H op e w rote Rupert o f
H entzau. This second story takes place three years after The
Prisoner o f Z enda ends. N o w in an unhappy marriage, Flavia
w rites to R u d o lf Rassendyll and asks for his help. R u d o lf returns
to R u ritan ia and is again successful — but at great cost. H ope
also w rote a co llectio n o f short stories set in eigtheenth century
R u ritan ia (more than a hundred years before R u d o lf Rassendyll s
adventures in the fictional country). T he H eart o f Princess Osra
(1896) is about the love life o f the younger sister o f a previous
king, R u d o lf III, and it provides some historical background to
the events in T he Prisoner o f Zenda.
Som e o f the characters in The Prisoner o f Z enda appear
unim portant w hen they are introduced, like the daughter o f a
hotel ow ner in Zenda, but reappear later and change the course o f
events. T h e story does leave us w ith a few unanswered questions,
but this lack o f perfection w ill lessen the enjoym en t only o f the
m ost critical o f H o p e’s readers.

A nthony H ope was the w riting name o f A nthony H ope Hawkins,

w ho was b o rn in London on 9 February 1863, the youngest
son o f a church m inister and headmaster. A fter leaving O xford
University w ith a first-degree, he started practising law in London
in 1877. Although he was a successful lawyer, he always wanted
to w rite. After producing a num ber o f short stories and paying
for his first bo o k to be printed (at great financial loss), he was
able to give up his w ork as a lawyer in 1 8 9 4 and turn to w riting
full time. D urin g this period he lived w ith his father, a widower,
and his first successful novel was M r W itt’s W idow (1 8 9 2 ). In all, he
w rote thirty-seven novels, two plays, four n o n -fictio n books and
som e serious works on society. H e felt that his best novel was The
K in g ’s Mirror (1899).
 H o p e’s plays were never as popular as his novels but he enjoyed
w orking on the theatrical productions o f them . Later he stopped
w riting fiction in order to w rite works o f social criticism . Towards
the end o f his life he w rote a book about him self called M emories
and Notes (1927).
H ope m arried Elizabeth Som m erville Sheldon from N ew
York C ity in 1 903, and had two sons and a daughter. D urin g
W orld W ar I, he w orked at the M inistry o f Inform ation, and he
was given a title in recognition o f his war w ork. H e died at his
hom e in Surrey, in the south o f England, in 1933.
 C haracters (in order o f appearance)

Rudolf Rassendyll: an upper-class English adventurer

Rose Rassendyll: the wife o f R udolf’s brother
Robert Rassendyll: Lord Burlesdon, R udolfs brother
Sir Jacob Borrodaile: soon to be an ambassador
R udolf the Fifth: soon to be the new King o f Ruritania
Antoinette de Mauban: a rich French widow
Duke Michael: ‘Black Michael’, the brother o f R udolf the
Fifth
hotel owner: an old woman with two daughters
young girl: one o f the hotel owner’s daughters
Johann: Duke Michael’s forest guard
Princess Flavia: soon to be married to the new King
Colonel Sapt: an old soldier in the service o f the new King
Fritz von Tarlenheim: a gentleman, assistant to Sapt
Josef: the new King’s loyal servant
fat woman: Johann’s mother
Marshal Strakencz: the head o f the Ruritanian army
Max Holf: Johann’s brother
Bersonin: a Belgian, one o f the Duke’s famous Six
de Gautet: a Frenchman, one o f the Duke’s famous Six
Detchard: an Englishman, one o f the Duke’s famous Six
Countess Helga: a friend o f Princess Flavia
Lauengram: a Ruritanian, one o f the Duke’s famous Six
Krafstein: a Ruritanian, one o f the Duke’s famous Six
Rupert Hentzau: a Ruritanian, one o f the Duke’s famous Six

x
 C hapter 1 T h e Rassendylls

‘W hen in the world are you going to do anything, R u d o lf? ’ asked

my brother’s w ife one m orning at breakfast.
‘M y dear R o se ,’ I answered, ‘why should I do anything? M y
position is a com fortable one. I have enough m oney — or nearly
enough — for my needs (110 one ever has quite enough you
know); 1 enjoy a good social position. I am brother to Lord
Burlesdon and, through him , to that lovely lady, his wife. Surely it
is enou gh!’
‘You are tw enty-nine,’ she rem arked,‘and you’ve done nothing
but—’
‘Travel? It is true. O u r family doesn’t need to do things.’
This remark o f m ine rather annoyed R o se , for everyone knows
that, pretty as she is herself, her family is hardly o f the same rank
as the Rassendylls. Besides her attractions she possessed a large
fortune, and my brother R o b e rt, Lord Burlesdon, was wise
enough n ot to m ind w hether her family were ancient or not.
Well, i f my life had been a useless one in R o s e ’s eyes, I had
enjoyed a good deal o f pleasure and picked up a good deal o f
knowledge. I had been to a G erm an school and a G erm an
university, and spoke G erm an as perfectly as I spoke English. I was
also quite good at French. I was, I believe, a fairly good
swordsman, and a good shot. I could ride any kind o f a horse, and
I was as calm and sensible as any man, in spite o f the flaming red
hair on my head.
‘T h e difference betw een you and R o b e rt,’ said R o s e ,‘is that he
recognizes the duties o f his position, and you only see the
opportunities o f yours.’
‘To a m an o f spirit, my dear R o se,’ I answered, ‘opportunities
are duties.’

1
 ‘N onsense!’ said she, throw ing her head back, and after a
m om ent she w ent o n :‘N ow here is Sir Ja co b B orrod aile offering
you exactly w hat you need.’
‘A thousand thanks!’ I put in.
‘H e ’s to be an ambassador in six m onths, and R o b e rt says that
h e’ll take you w ith him to w ork for him . D o take the position,
R u d o lf - to please me.’
Now, w hen R o se puts the m atter in that way, resting those
pretty little eyes on m e w ith such an anxious look, twisting her
little hands, all because o f a lazy person like myself, for w hom she
has no natural responsibility, the voice o f con scien ce wakes in me.
Besides, I thought it possible I could pass the tim e in the position
suggested with some amusement. Th erefore I said: ‘M y dear
R o se , i f in six m onths’ tim e nothing has happened to prevent me,
and Sir Jaco b invites me, well, then, I’ll go w ith him .’
‘O h , R u d o lf, how good o f you! I am glad!’
And so my promise was given; but six m onths is a long time,
and I wanted to find som ething interesting to do in that period.
It suddenly cam e to my m ind that I would visit R u ritan ia, as I
saw in the papers that R u d o lf the Fifth was to be crow ned at
Strelsau in the course o f the next three weeks, with great
ceremony.
For various reasons I had never been to that highly interesting
and im portant kingdom , w hich, though a small one, had played
no small part in European history, and m ight do the same again
under the pow er o f a young and strong ruler, such as the new
king was said to be. I made up my m ind to go, and began my
preparations.
It has never been my practice to tell my relations w here I am
going on my many jou rneys, and as I did not want to be opposed
in this case, I simply said I was going for a walking tour in the
Alps. R o se was n ot very pleased, but w hen I suggested I m ight
w rite a bo o k about the political and social problems o f the area,

2
she cried out w ith pleasure.
‘T h at would be lovely,’ she said, ‘w ouldn’t it, R o b e r t? ’
‘It is one o f the best ways o f introducing yourself to political
life these days,’ said R o b e rt, w ho had w ritten several books
himself.
‘N ow promise y ou ’ll do it,’ said R o s e earnestly.
‘N o, I w o n ’t promise, but i f I find enough material, I will.’
‘T h a t’s fair enough,’ said R o b e rt.
‘O h , material doesn’t matter,’ said R o se.
But she could n ot get m ore than a half-prom ise out o f me. To
tell the truth, I did not think for a m om en t that the story o f my
tour that sum m er would mark any paper or spoil any pen. And
that shows how little we know w hat the future holds. For here I
am, carrying out my half-promise, and w riting, as I never thought
to w rite, a b o o k - though it will hardly serve as an introduction
to political life, and it has nothing to do w ith the Alps. N o r would
it please R o se, I fear, i f I ever gave it her to read, but that is
som ething w hich I have no intention o f doing.

O n my way through Paris, a friend cam e to see m e at the station.

As we stood talking by the train, he suddenly left m e to speak to
a lady. Follow ing him w ith my eyes, I saw him raise his hat to a
graceful and fashionably dressed w om an, about thirty, tall and
dark. In a m om ent or two he returned to me.
‘Y ou ’ve got a lovely travelling com panion,’ my friend told me.
‘T h a t’s A n toin ette de M auban, and they say that the D uke o f
Strelsau - K in g R u d o lf’s brother you know - has paid her his
attentions. She is a widow, rich and hoping to improve her
situation. W h o knows what she is aim ing for?’
B u t the pretty w idow did not appear to want to know m e; I
saw no m ore o f her, although we were on the same train.
As soon as I reached the R u ritan ian border (where the official

3
 looked at m e as i f he had seen a ghost), I bought the papers, and
found in them news w hich would have an effect on my
movements. For som e unexplained reason the date o f the
coronation had been suddenly brought forward, and was to take
place in two days’ time. T h e w hole country was excited about it,
and I learnt that Strelsau was crowded. R o o m s were all booked
and hotels overflowing; there would be very little chance o f my
getting a room w ithou t paying a very high price.
So I decided to stop at Zenda, a small tow n fifty miles from the
capital and about ten from the border. M y train reached there in
the evening; I would spend the next day, Tuesday, walking over
the hills, and taking a look at the famous castle, and go by train
to Strelsau on the Wednesday m orning, returning at night to sleep
at Zenda.
I therefore got out at Zenda, and as the train passed w here 1
stood, I saw M ad am e* de M auban in her place; clearly she was
going through to Strelsau, having, w ith m ore thought than I,
booked a room there.
I was very kindly received at the small hotel, w hich was kept
by a rather large old lady and her two daughters.They were good,
quiet people. T h e old lady was fond o f the D uke, w ho was now
master o f the Zenda lands and o f the castle, w hich rose grandly
on a steep hill at the end o f the valley, a m ile or so from the hotel.
T h e old lady was in fact sorry that the D uke was n o t on the
throne, instead o f his brother.
‘W e know D uke M ichael,’ said she.‘H e has always lived am ong
us; every R u ritan ian knows D uke M ichael. B u t the K ing is
almost a stranger; he has been abroad, and not one person in ten
knows him even by sight.’
‘And now,’ said one of the young w om en, ‘they say he has
shaved o ff his beard, so that no one at all knows him .’

* Madam e: the French word for M rs or madam.

4
 ‘Shaved his beard!’ cried her m o th e r.‘W h o says so?’
‘Joh ann , the D u k e’s forest guard. H e has seen the King.’
‘Ah, yes. T h e K ing, sir, is now at the D u k e’s hunting lodge in
the forest here; from here he goes to Strelsau to be crow ned on
Wednesday m orning.’
I was interested to hear this, and made up my m ind next day
to walk in the direction o f the lodge, on the chance o f seeing the
King.
‘I wish he would stay at his hunting lodge,’ w ent on the old
woman, ‘and let our D uke be crow ned on Wednesday.’
‘As for m e,’ said the younger and prettier o f the two daughters,
'I hate B lack M ichael! A red Elphberg for me, m o th e r!T h e K in g ’s
hair, they say, is as red as — as — ’
She laughed as she looked across at me.
‘Many a m an has hated his red hair before now,’ said the old
lady.
‘But never a w om an !’ cried the girl.
I thought it tim e to prevent a qu arrel.‘W h y is the K ing here?’
I asked. ‘It is the D u k e’s land, you say.’
‘T h e D uke invited him , sir, to rest here until Wednesday. T h e
Duke h im self is at Strelsau, preparing to receive the K ing.’
‘T h e n they’re friends?’
T h e younger girl threw back her head, ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘they love
one another as m en do w ho want the same place and the same
w ife!’
T h e old w om an looked angry, so I said quickly: ‘T h e same
place?You m ean the throne, I suppose. B u t the same wife? H o w ’s
that, young lady?’
‘All the world knows that B lack M ichael — well, then, m other,
the D uke — w ould give his soul to m arry his cousin, the Princess
Flavia, w ho is to be the Q ueen.’
‘Well,’ I said,‘I begin to be sorry for your D uke. B u t a younger
son has to take w hat the older one leaves, and be as thankful to

5
G od as he can.’ I laughed, thinking o f M adam e de M auban and
her jo u rn e y to Strelsau.
A heavy step sounded at the door and a man cam e in.
‘W e have company, Joh an n ,’ said my hostess, and the man
pulled o ff his cap.
T h e m om ent he looked at me, to my surprise he to o k a step
back as though, like the border official, he had seen som ething
surprising.
‘W h at’s the matter, Joh an n ?’ asked the older girl. ‘This is a
gentlem an on his travels, com e to see the coronation.’
T h e man had calm ed himself, but he was looking at m e in a
strange, almost fierce, manner.
‘G ood evening to you,’ said I.
‘G ood evening, sir,’ he replied in a low voice, and the younger
girl began to laugh.
‘See,Johann,’ she said,‘it is the colour you love. H e was surprised
at your hair, sir. It’s n ot the colour we see m ost of, here in Zenda.’
‘1 beg your pardon, sir,’ said Johann.
I then said good night to them all and rose to my feet. T h e
young girl ran to light the way to my room . Joh an n still looked
at m e strangely as I passed. W h ile the girl was leading m e up the
stairs, she said: ‘M aster Johan n could never be pleased w ith one
o f your colouring, sir.’
‘Perhaps he prefers yours,’ I suggested.
i m eant, sir, in a man.’
‘W hat,’ I asked, ‘does hair colour m atter in a m an?’
‘I don’t know, sir, but I like yours — it’s the E lphberg red.’
‘C olo u r in a man,’ said I , ‘is a matter o f no m ore im portance
than that!’ — and I gave her som ething o f no value.
‘I hope the kitchen door is shut,’ she said.
‘L et’s hope so,’ I answered, and left her.
In fact, though, as I now know, hair co lo u r is som etim es o f
great im portance to a man.

6
 C hapter 2 A M erry Evening w ith a N ew R elation

T h e next day I discovered that by walking ten miles through the

forest, I could co m e to the railway again at a small station. So
having said goodbye to my kind friends, I set out to clim b the hill
that led to the castle, and from there to the forest o f Zenda. T h e
oldest part o f the castle was still in a good state o f preservation.
R o u n d it was a m oat, deep and broad, and on the other side a fine
m odern building put up by the last K ing. It was now the country
house o f the D uke o f Strelsau.
W hen I cam e nearer, I saw that the old and the new parts were
jo in e d by a drawbridge; in fact that was the only way into the old
castle. A broad driveway led to the new building. I thought how
convenient for D uke M ichael this was; i f he wanted to see no
one, he could cross the bridge, and have it pulled in after him (it
ran on rollers). N o th in g less than a com pany o f soldiers w ith
heavy guns could get him out.
Passing on, I soon entered the forest and walked for an hour
or m ore in its co o l shade. It was a lovely place, the great trees
touching each other over my head, the sunshine sliding through
here and there. A fter a tim e I sat down by a fallen tree trunk to
smoke my pipe and enjoy m yself in peace. W h en it was finished
I w ent o ff into a very pleasant sleep, in spite o f the fact that I was
on the private property o f D uke M ichael. I was w oken by a voice,
rough and loud.
'W h at the devil have we got here! Shave him , and h e’d be the
K in g!’
I opened my eyes, and found two m en lo okin g at m e w ith
m uch curiosity. B o th wore shooting dress and carried guns. O n e
was rather short and very strongly built, w ith a big square head, a
grey m oustache and small light blue eyes. T h e other was a thin
young man o f middle height, w ith dark hair, rather graceful. I
understood the first to be a soldier, the second a gentleman used

7
 to m oving in good society, but w ith som ething o f the army about
him too. It appeared afterwards that my guess was a good one.
T h e older one cam e up to me, followed by the other, w ho
politely raised his hat. I rose slowly to my feet.
‘H e’s the right height, too,’ said the older man, in a low voice,
looking at my six feet two inches. T h e n , with a careless touch o f
his hat, he said: ‘M ay I ask your nam e?’
‘As you have taken the first step, gentlem en,’ said I, with a
smile, ‘suppose you tell m e yours first.’
T h e young man smiled pleasantly. ‘This,’ said he, ‘is C olonel
Sapt, and I am called Fritz von Tarlenheim . W e are both in the
service o f the K in g o f R u ritan ia.’
I bow ed and, taking o ff my hat, answered: ‘1 am R u d o lf
R assendyll, a traveller from England. O n c e for tw o or three
years I was an o fficer in the army o f H er M ajesty Q u een
V icto ria.’
‘T h en we are all brothers o f the sword,’ answered Tarlenheim ,
holding out his hand, w hich I took immediately.
‘Well, M r Rassendyll,’ said Sapt in his deep v o ic e ,‘you may not
know it, but you lo o k exactly like our K ing.’
This made m e feel uncom fortable, and I rem em bered the
looks of the official and o f Johann the day before. I f I had know n
this, I would have given more thought to my visit to R uritania.
B u t it was too late now.
A t this m o m en t a ringing voice sounded from the w ood
behind us.
‘Fritz, Fritz! W h ere are you, man?’
Tarlenheim turned, and said quickly: ‘It’s the K in g !’
O ld Sapt laughed as a young man ju m p ed out from behind the
trunk o f a tree and stood beside us. As I looked at him , I gave a
cry o f surprise, and he, seeing me, stepped back in equal surprise.
E xcep t for the hair on my face and a consciousness o f rank w hich
his position gave him , the K ing o f R uritania m ight have been

8
R u d o lf Rassendyll, and I, R u d o lf Rassendyll, the King.
T h e K in g found his voice first.
‘C olo n el - Fritz — w ho is this gentlem an?’
‘It seems that you have a double, sire,’ said Sapt drily.
His surprise over, the K ing looked at m e again, and then burst
out laughing.
‘W ell m et, broth er!’ he cried, stepping up to m e and taking my
hand. ‘You must forgive my surprise. Tell m e w ho you are, and
w here you are going.’
I did so, but he seem ed to lo o k doubtful w hen I said I was
going to Strelsau the next day. T h e n he laughed again.
‘Fritz, Fritz,’ he cried. ‘I’d give a thousand pounds to see
B roth er M ich ael’s face w hen he sees a pair o f us!’
‘Seriously, sire,’ remarked F ritz,‘I do not think it would be wise
for M r Rassendyll to visit Strelsau ju st now.
T h e K in g lit a cigarette. ‘W ell, Sapt?’ he said.
‘H e m ustn’t go,’ said the old m an roughly.
‘You m ean, C olo n el, that I should be in M r Rassendylls
debt if—’
‘E nough, sire,’ said I. ‘I leave R u ritan ia tonight.’
‘N o, you certainly d o n ’t,’ replied the K ing. ‘And that is spoken
directly, as Sapt likes it. You will have dinner w ith m e tonight,
whatever happens afterwards. C om e, man, you d on ’t m eet a new
brother every day.’
Sapt and Fritz agreed, so we set o ff walking through the forest.
T h e K in g sm oked cigarette after cigarette and talked w ithout
pause. H e was a m erry and interesting com panion. C om in g out
o f the w ood after about h alf an hour, we found ourselves in front
o f a small, roughly built hunting lodge. It had a single floor, and
was made o f w ood. A servant cam e out to m eet us, and I also saw
a fat old w om an, w ho, I learned later, was the m other o f Johann,
the forest guard.
‘W ell, is dinner ready, Josef?’ asked the King.

9
 ‘Yes,Your Majesty,’ the servant answered, and soon we sat down
to a plentiful meal. T h e K ing called for wine.
‘R e m em b er tom orrow ,’ said Fritz. ‘W e have to make an early
start.’
‘Yes - tom orrow !’ laughed old Sapt.
T h e K ing drank my health, calling m e ‘his new brother’, and I
replied w ith ‘L ong life to the Elphbergs!’
T h e food was plain enough, but the w ine was beyond all price
or praise, and we did it ju stice. Fritz’s attempts to stop the King
were hopeless. In tact, he was soon easily persuaded to go on
drinking himself, and it wasn t very long before we were all m ore
full o f w ine than we ought to have b e e n .T h e K ing talked o f what
he would do in the future, O ld Sapt talked o f w hat he had done
in the past, and Fritz o f some beautiful girl or other, and I o f the
greatness o f R uritania. W e all talked at once, and — tom orrow was
forgotten.
At last the K ing sat back in his chair and said he had drunk
enough. Jo s e f then set in front o f us a grand old bottle.
‘T h e D uke o f Strelsau told m e to set this w ine in front o f the
K ing w hen the K in g was tired o f all other w ines,’ he said.
‘W ell done, brother M ich ael!’ cried the King. ‘O p en it, Jo se f!
It’s the very last one.’
T h e K ing lifted his glass and tasted the wine. T h e n he turned
to us.
‘G entlem en, my friends, R u d o lf, my brother, everything that I
have is yours too, and that includes h alf o f R u ritan ia. B u t don’t
ask m e for a single drop o f this m ost excellen t bottle. I drink to
the health o f that - that devil, B lack M ichael.’
And the K ing seized the bottle, turned it over his m outh, and
drank it to the last drop. T h en he threw the bottle against the
wall. T h e sound o f the breaking glass was the last thing I heard for
many, many hours. Wc all fell asleep w here we were.
I woke suddenly, w et from head to foot, to see O ld Sapt with

10
a bucket in his hand. B y him was Fritz, sitting on the table and
looking as pale as a ghost. I ju m p ed to my feet in anger.
‘Your jo k e goes too far,’ I cried, rubbing the water from my
eyes and hair.
‘T h e re ’s no tim e to quarrel,’ returned Sapt. ‘N othin g else
would wake you. It’s five o ’clock.’
‘And w hat’s that to m e?’ I demanded hotly.
‘Rassendyll,’ interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table
and taking my arm, ‘lo o k here.’
T h e K ing lay full length on the floor. His face was as red as his
hair, and he breathed heavily. Sapt disrespectfully kicked him
sharply, but he made no m ovem ent. I saw that his face and head
were wet w ith water, as were mine.
‘W e’ve spent half an hour on him,’ said Fritz.
I knelt down and felt his heartbeat; it seem ed terribly slow.
‘T h at last bottle must have been drugged,’ I suggested. ‘We
must get a doctor.’
‘T h e re ’s none w ithin ten miles, and a thousand doctors
w ouldn’t get him to Strelsau today,’ answered Sapt.
‘B u t the coronation ?’ I cried.
‘W e shall have to send word that h e’s ill,’ said Fritz.
O ld Sapt laughed scornfully. ‘If h e ’s not crow ned today, he
never will be.’
‘B u t w hy?’ I asked.
‘T h e w hole nation is there to m eet him ; h alf the army w ith
Black M ichael at its head. Shall we send word that the K in g ’s too
drunk to co m e?’
‘T h at h e ’s ill,’ I corrected.
‘111!’ repeated Sapt w ith another scornful laugh. ‘T h e people
know his illnesses too well. H e ’s been “ill” before.’
‘W e must take a risk on what they think,’ said Fritz.
‘You say,’ Sapt said to me, ‘you think the K ing was drugged?’
‘Certainly.’

11
 ‘T h en w ho drugged him? W hy, B lack M ichael, o f course. His
reason? To prevent him from com ing to be crowned. You know,’
he continued, turning to Fritz, ‘that half Strelsau would prefer
M ichael as king. I tell you, that i f R u d o lf the Fifth is n ot crow ned
today, M ichael the First will take his place.’
For a m om ent or two we were all silent; then Sapt turned to
m e and said, ‘As a m an grows old he believes m ore and m ore in
chance. C hance sent you here. C hance sends you now to
Strelsau.’
I ju m p ed up, sh o u tin g ,‘You don’t mean . . . G ood G o d !’
Fritz looked up, a sudden eager look on his face.
‘Im possible!’ I answered, i would be know n.’
‘It’s a risk,’ said Sapt, ‘but on the other side it’s a certainty. You
w on’t be know n i f you shave. Are you afraid?’
‘Certainly n o t!’
‘C om e, my boy, forgive me. B u t it w ill cost you your life, you
know, i f you’re discovered — and mine, and F ritz’s here. I f you
d on ’t go, I swear to you that B lack M ichael will sit tonight on the
throne, and the K ing will lie in prison or his grave.’
‘T h e K ing would never forgive us,’ I said.
‘Are we w om en? W h o cares for his forgiveness?’
T h e seconds passed — fifty, sixty, seventy . . . and then I suppose
a look cam e over my face, for O ld Sapt caught m e by the hand,
cry in g :‘Y ou ’ll go?’
‘Yes, I’ll go,’ I said, lo oking at the figure o f the K ing lying there
on the floor.

C hapter 3 T he K ing Keeps His A ppointm en t

T h e next two hours passed like a dream. It was fortunate that Sapt
was there to think for me, and for Fritz too. O ld Sapt thought o f
everything. H e called in Jo s e f and made him shave me. T h e K ing

12
was carried into the w ine cellar down below. As for the fat
woman, Jo h a n n ’s m other, Sapt thought she m ight have been
listening to our plans from the other side o f the door, so he tied
her up and put a cloth in her m outh, and locked her in another
o f the cellar rooms.
‘T h e guard!’ cried F ritz .‘W hat will happen? T h e y ’ll know.’
‘M ichael is sending a guard to go w ith the K ing,’ Sapt
explained to me. ‘W e’ll go w ithout them , take the train at H ofbau
instead o f Zenda, and w hen they com e, the bird will have flown.’
‘I f they know anything o f M ichael’s plans,’ said I , ‘they’ll only
think we too had an idea o f them .’
I then put on the K in g ’s w hite uniform , and Sapt and Fritz also
put on theirs. Jo s e f was left with strict orders to guard the cellar
until we returned. W e ju m p ed on our horses - the K in g ’s horses
— and rode o ff through the forest.
O n the way Sapt explained as m uch as he could o f the K in g ’s
past life, his family, his likes and dislikes, his friends, com panions
and servants. H e told m e the rules o f the R uritan ian C ou rt, and
promised to be at my side at every m om en t o f the day. Fritz spoke
little, riding like a man in a dream.
We were by now at the station. Fritz had calm ed down enough
to explain to the surprised stationmaster the K in g ’s change o f
plans. T h e train arrived; we were ju st in tim e. As soon as we were
safely in a first-class carriage, Sapt w ent on w ith his lessons. I
looked at my w atch - the K in g ’s w atch, o f course - and saw it
was ju st after eight.
‘Perhaps they’ve gone to look for us,’ I said, thinking anxiously
o f what m ight be happening at the lodge.
‘N o use thinking now,’ said Sapt.‘For today you’ve got to think
o f nothing but the fact that you’re the K ing.’
At h alf past nine, looking out o f the window, I saw the towers
and houses o f a great city.
‘Your capital, Your Majesty,’ laughed Sapt w ith a wave o f his

13
hand and, leaning forward he felt my heartbeat. ‘A little too
quick,’ he said.
‘I ’m not made o f ston e!’ I cried.
‘All right, you’ll do,’ he answered. ‘As for you, Fritz, we must
say you’ve caught a cold. You are shaking like a leaf.’
‘W e’re an hour earlier than they expected,’ said S a p t.‘I ’ll have
word sent o f your arrival. For now, though—’
‘For now,’ said I , ‘the K ing wants som e breakfast.’
O ld Sapt laughed. ‘Spoken like an Elphberg,’ he said.
T h e train stopped. Fritz and Sapt ju m p ed out, took o ff their
hats and held the door for me. I tried to swallow a lump that had
risen in my throat, put my hat firmly on my head, then stepped
out o f the train.
A m om ent later, all was hurry and confusion; m en running up,
and then away again; m en leading m e to the restaurant; men
getting on horses and riding at great speed in various directions.
W hile I was still swallowing the last drop o f my cup o f coffee, the
bells o f the city began ringing, and the sound o f a band and loud
shouting cam e to my ears.
King R u d o lf the Fifth was in his city o f Strelsau! And I heard
the people cry in g :‘G od save the K in g !’
Sapt smiled. ‘G od save them both,’ he whispered. ‘C ourage, my
friend.’
As I stepped out o f the restaurant, w ith Fritz and Sapt close
behind me, a group o f officers and people o f high rank stood
w aiting for me. A t their head was a tall old man in uniform .
‘Marshal Strakencz,’ whispered Sapt, and I knew that I was in
the presence o f the c h ie f o f the R uritanian Army.
Just behind him was a short figure in long flow ing clothes.
‘T h e C hancellor,’ whispered Sapt. So this was my ch ie f
minister.
T h e Marshal greeted me w ith a few loyal words, and gave a
short explanation o f the absence o f the D uke o f Strelsau. T h e

14
Duke, it seemed, had suddenly felt ill and could not com e to the
station. H e asked for permission to wait for m e at the church. I
replied that I was sorry to hear o f his illness. Several other people
then cam e forward and, as no one showed any doubts about me,
1 began to feel some confidence. Fritz, though, was still pale, and
his hand shook as he held it out to the Marshal.
T h en we form ed a procession and w ent to the station
entrance. H ere I clim bed on my horse and set out, the Marshal
on my right, Sapt on my left. T h e various officials went to their
carriages and followed.
T h e city o f Strelsau is partly old and partly new. W ide m odern
avenues and fine houses surround the narrow, tw isting streets o f
the old tow n. In the outer circles live the upper classes; in the
inner circles are the shops. B ehind their rich fronts lie dirty
narrow streets crowded w ith poor, disloyal, and often crim inal
classes. T h ese social and local divisions marked, as I knew from
Sapt s inform ation, another division m ore im portant to me. T h e
New Tow n was for the King; but the O ld Town preferred
M ichael o f Strelsau, and was not afraid to show it.
T h e scene was a grand one as we passed along the main street
to the square w here the royal palace stood. H ere I was in the
middle o f my ow n people, every house covered with flags. All
along the way, on both sides, the crowds cheered and waved. I
almost began to feel that I really was the K ing, until suddenly by
chance I raised my eye to a w indow and there saw A ntoinette de
M auban, the w om an w ho had travelled w ith me from Paris.
I saw her lean forward and look at me. I found m yself feeling
for my revolver. Suppose she had c r ie d ,‘T h a t’s not the K in g!’
Well, we rode on, and in a few minutes the Marshal gave an
order, and the guards on horseback closed round me. We were
entering the p oorer area loyal to D uke M ichael. This action
showed m ore clearly than the words o f Sapt the state o f feeling
in the town.

15
 ‘W hy this change in our order, M arshal?’ I asked.
T h e M arshal bit his w hite moustache. ‘It is safer, sire,’ he said
in a low voice.
I stopped my horse. ‘Let those in front ride on,’ said I, ‘until
they are fifty yards ahead.You, Marshal, and C olo n el Sapt and my
friends, wait here until I have ridden fifty yards. I will have the
people see that their K in g trusts them .’
Sapt laid his hand on my arm. I shook him off. T h e Marshal
looked uncertain.
‘Am I not understood?’ I said, and the Marshal, biting his
m oustache again, gave the orders. I saw O ld Sapt smiling into his
beard, and he shook his head at me. I f I had been killed in the
light o f day in the streets o f Strelsau, Sapt’s position would have
been a difficult one.
It was m ore interesting riding alone like that, because I heard
the remarks o f the crowds. A t first there was a low sound from
them , then a ch eer; I am not ashamed to say that in my white
uniform 1 was a goo d -lo o kin g figure. I heard several people say
pleasant things about me, but the greater part rem ained silent, and
my dear brother’s picture was to be seen in m ost o f the windows.
A t last we were at the church. It was then that the full sense o f
w hat I was doing becam e clear to me. I got o ff my horse as in a
dream, for it all seem ed unreal. I marched into the fine ancient
building w ith unseeing eyes, and noticed little o f the well-dressed
crowds w aiting for me. I saw only two faces clearly, one that o f a
girl, pale and lovely, w ith hair o f beautiful Elphberg red (for in a
woman it is beautiful), the other that o f a man w ith deep dark
eyes and black hair. I knew this was B lack M ichael. H e looked at
me as i f I was a ghost.
I rem em ber almost nothing o f the cerem ony, except where
taking the crow n from the priest and putting it on my head. T h en
a man cried o u t,‘T h e Princess Flavia!’ She bow ed low to m e and
kissed my hand. B efore I knew what to do, the priest was in front

16
o f me. T h en cam e B lack M ichael, and 1 saw Sapt smiling into his
beard again. M y loving brother was shaking uncontrollably. B u t
not in his face, nor in the Princess’s, nor in anyone’s, did I see the
least doubt that I was the King.
T h en back we w ent through the streets to the palace. I was in
a carriage now, side by side w ith the Princess Flavia, and a rough
man cried o u t:‘W h e n ’s the m arriage?’As he spoke another struck
him in the face, shou ting ,‘L ong live D uke M ich ael!’T h e Princess
reddened and looked straight in front o f her.
N ow 1 felt uncom fortable, because I had forgotten to ask Sapt
the state o f my feelings, and how far matters had gone betw een
the Princess and myself, or rather, the K ing. So I kept silent, but
after a m om ent or two the Princess turned to me.
‘D o you know, R u d o lf,’ said sh e,‘you lo o k som ehow different
today?’
T h e fact was n o t surprising, but I felt w orried.
‘You seem m uch m ore earnest,’ she w ent on, ‘and I believe
you’re thinner. Is it possible that you have begun to take life
seriously at last?’
I had to answer som ething, so I whispered softly, ‘W ould that
please you?’
‘O h , you know my opinions,’ she answered, looking away from
me.
‘W hatever pleases you I try to do,’ I said, and as I saw her smile,
and even turn red again, I thought I was playing the K in g ’s part
for him very well. So I continued, and w hat I said was perfectly
true: ‘M y dear cousin, nothing in my life has had m ore effect on
m e than the events o f today.'
She smiled again, then becam e serious as she whispered: ‘D id
you n otice M ich ael?’
‘Yes. H e wasn’t enjoying himself, was he?’
‘D o be careful!’ she w ent on. ‘You must keep a better watch on
him , you know.’

17
 ‘I know one thing,’ I said; ‘he wants w hat I ’ve got.’ T h en I
added, w ithou t any right to say such a thing for the King: ‘And
he also wants som ething w hich I haven’t got yet, but hope to win
som e day.’
I f I had been the K ing I would have thought her answer
encouraging. She w hispered,‘H aven’t you enough responsibilities
for one day, cousin?’
Bang! Bang! Bang!
W e were at the palace gate. Guns were firing a greeting. I
handed the Princess from the carriage, and we all w ent up the
wide steps. R o w s o f servants were waiting as we w ent into the
large dining room . I sat down w ith the Princess on my right, my
brother on my left. All the other im portant people also sat down.
Sapt stood behind my chair. At the other end o f the table I saw
Fritz drink a glass o f w ine to the bottom .
I asked m yself w hat the K ing o f R u ritan ia was doing.

C hapter 4 T h e Secret o f a Cellar

W e were in the K in g ’s dressing room — Fritz von Tarlenheim ,

C olo n el Sapt and I. I threw m yself into a com fortable chair. Sapt
lit his pipe. H e did n ot praise m e on my success, but his w hole
m anner showed how satisfied he was. Fritz was a new man.
‘W h at a day for you to rem em ber!’ he said. ‘I w ouldn’t mind
being K ing m yself for twelve hours. B u t didn’t B lack M ichael
lo o k blacker than ever w hen you and the Princess had so m uch
to say to each other?’
‘H ow beautiful she is!’ I cried.
‘Never mind the woman,’ said Sapt. ‘Are you ready to start?’
‘Yes,’ I answered w ith a deep breath.
It was five o ’clock, and at twelve I would be no m ore than
R u d o lf Rassendyll. I remarked on it in a jo k in g way.

18
 ‘Y ou’ll be lucky i f you are still R u d o lf Rassendyll,’ said Sapt. ‘I
leel my head shaking on my shoulders every m om en t you are in
the city. M ichael has had news from Zenda. H e went into another
room to read it, and cam e out looking angry.’
‘I ’m ready,’ I said, this news m aking m e all the m ore eager to
g°-
‘Now, Fritz,’ said Sapt, ‘the K ing goes to bed. H e is tired. N o
one is to see him until nine tom orrow m orning. You understand
- no one?’
'I understand, C olonel,’ said Fritz.
‘N ot even B lack M ichael,’ added Sapt. ‘I f the door o f this room
is opened while w e’re away, you’re n ot to be alive to tell us about
it.’
‘I do not need teaching what my duty is,’ said Fritz, a little
annoyed.
Sapt and I wrapped ourselves up, I dressing as his servant. W e
then went through a secret door, along a dark passage and cam e
out into a quiet road bordering on the palace garden. A man was
waiting w ith two fine horses. W ith o u t a word we got on the
horses and rode off.
T h ere were som e m om ents o f danger as we passed the old city
gate, but outside the city it was safe enough. It was a fine night
and we rode hard, speaking little. W e had done tw enty-five miles
when Sapt suddenly stopped.
‘Listen!’ he said.
Far behind us we heard the sound o f horses’ feet.T h e wind was
blow ing strongly towards us, and carried the sound easily.
‘C om e o n !’ said Sapt, and we made our horses go as fast as they
could. T h e n ex t tim e we stopped to listen, Sapt put his ear to the
ground.
‘T h ere are two o f them ,’ he said. ‘You see where the road
divides here? W e go to the right, the other way leads to the castle.
Each is about eight miles. G et down.’

19
 ‘B u t they’ll reach us,’ I objected .
‘G et dow n!’ he repeated, and I obeyed. W e had entered the
forest o f Zenda som e tim e before, and the trees grew very thick
here. We led our horses o ff the road, and waited in hiding.
‘You want to see w ho they are?’ I whispered.
‘Yes, and w here they are going.’
In a few m om ents the two riders were in sight. T h e m oon was
full, and we had a clear view.
‘It’s the Duke,’ I said.
It was, and w ith him was a big strong man, w hom I had reason
to know well afterwards. H e was M ax H olf, brother of Johann,
the forest guard. T h e two stopped at the fork in the road.
‘W h ich way?’ asked Black M ichael.
‘To the castle, sir.’
‘W hy shouldn’t we go to the lodge?’
‘I fear a trap. I f all is well, why go to the lodge? I f not, it’s a trap
to catch us.’
‘All right, to the castle, then,’ said the D uke, and in a m om ent
the two horses were o ff up the road to the left.
W e waited a few minutes.
‘You see,’ said Sap t,‘they’ve sent him a message that all is well.’
‘W hat does that m ean?’
‘G od knows,’ answered Sapt, ‘but it’s brought him at great
speed from Strelsau.’
T h e n we got on our horses and rode the last eight miles, our
minds full o f fear and surprise.‘All is well.’ W h a t did it mean?
At last the lodge cam e in sight. We rode up to the gate. All was
still and quiet. N o one cam e out to m eet us. T h e n Sapt caught
m e by the arm. ‘L o o k there,’ he said.
I looked. At my feet w ere several pieces o f to rn and cut
cloth .
‘T h ey ’re w hat I used to tie the old w om an up w ith,’ said Sapt.
W e tied up our horses and hurried inside. Even Sapt had lost

20
his usual calm. W e ran down the steps to the cellar. T h e door
stood wide open!
‘T h ey found the old woman,’ I said.
‘You m ight have know n that from the cloths,’ replied Sap t,‘but
what o f Jo se f? W hat o f the K ing?’
Sapt was unable to enter the room . Afraid for him self he was
not - no one could ever call him that - but he was afraid o f what
he m ight find in the dark cellar. I got a light and w ent in first.
C)ver in the co rn er I saw the body o f a m an lying on his back, a
red wound across his throat. All round him was blood that had
Mowed and was now dry.
I walked across and knelt down beside him . It was Josef. Sapt
stood behind m e, and he cried out in a strange voice: ‘T h e King?
My G od, w here is the K ing?’
I threw the lam p’s light over every inch o f the cellar.
‘T h e K ing is n o t here,’ I said.
It took Sapt ten minutes to calm himself. T h e clock in the
dining room , w here he had gone, struck one.
‘T h e y ’ve got the K in g !’ said Sapt in a hollow voice.
‘Yes,’ I answ ered.‘T h at explains M ich ael’s m essage,“A ll’s w ell” .
W hat a m om en t it was for him w hen he got it. It’s hardly
surprising he looked h alf crazy. I should like to know w hat he
thought.’
‘W hat does that matter? W hat does he think now ?’
I rose to my feet.
‘We must get back,’ I cried, ‘and co llect every soldier in
Strelsau. M ichael w ill have to be caught.’
O ld Sapt lit his pipe and made no move.
‘T h e K in g may be murdered w hile we sit here,’ I urged.
‘T h at evil old w om an,’ said Sap t.‘She must have attracted their
attention somehow. I see the game. T h ey cam e here to take the
King prisoner, thinking that he was drugged. I f you hadn’t gone
to Strelsau, you and I and Fritz would have been murdered.’

21
 ‘And the K ing?’
‘W h o knows w here he is now ?’
‘C om e, let us go,’ I cried, and was surprised to see a strange
smile light up the old m an’s face.
‘Yes, w e’ll go,’ he said. ‘T h e K ing will be in his capital
tomorrow.’
‘T h e K ing?’
‘T h e crow ned K in g !’
‘Y ou’re crazy!’ I said.
‘I f we go back and tell them the trick w e’ve played, what
would you give for our lives?’
‘Just what they’re w orth.’
‘And the K in g ’s throne?’ he w ent on. ‘D o you think the lords
and the people will enjoy being made fools o f as they have been?
D o you think they’ll have a K ing w ho was too drunk to be
crowned, and sent a servant to take his place?’
‘T h e K ing was drugged — and I’m no servant,’ Isaid, rather
annoyed.
‘I was giving you the story as B lack M ichael will tell it. M y
boy, i f you play the man, you may save the K in g yet. G o back and
keep his throne warm for him .’
‘B u t the D uke will know by now ; his servants will know.’
‘Yes, but they can’t speak!’ he cried. ‘H ow can they tell the
truth about you w ithout letting everyone know w hat they’ve
done? Can they say,“T his isn’t the King, because w e’ve taken the
K ing prisoner and killed his servant”?’
I understood immediately. W h eth er M ichael knew m e or not,
he could not speak. Unless he produced the K ing, w hat could he
do? And i f he did produce the King, w hat of his own hopes? B u t
I also saw the difficulties.
‘I will be discovered,’ I argued.
‘Perhaps, but every hour is som ething. Above all we must have
a king in Strelsau, or the city will be M ich ael’s in fou r-and-

22
twenty hours, and what would the K in g ’s life be w orth then, i f he
is still alive?’
‘Yes, they may be killing him now. Sapt, suppose they do?’
'T h e y w o n ’t, i f you go to Strelsau. D o you think they’ll kill
him until you are out o f the way? T h ey would gain nothing by
killing him to put you on the throne.’
It was a w ilder and even m ore hopeless plan than the one we
had carried out that day, but there seem ed nothing else for m e to
do. Besides, I was young, and the danger attracted me.
‘Sapt,’ I c r ie d ,‘I ’ll try it!’
‘G ood. N o w w e must get away immediately.’
‘We ought to bury poor Josef,’ I said.
‘N o tim e — oh, all right, as you like. I’ll get the horses; be
quick.’
I carried the honest Jo s e f up from the cellar, but m et Sapt at
the door. ‘Put him down,’ he said, ‘som eone is com in g to do that
for you.’
H e to o k m e to the window, and I saw 3 0 0 yards down the
road to Z end a a party o f eight h orsem en. S o m e w ere carrying
spades. N o doubt they had been sent by M ich ael to rem ove all
signs o f th e ir evil w ork. I pointed to the dead body on the
floor.
‘C olon el,’ I said,‘we ought to strike a blow for him.’
‘It’s risky, Your Majesty, but — well, i f we are killed, it’ll save us
a lot of thinking. I ’ll show you how we can attack them .’
We w ent through to the back door.
‘R ev olver ready?’ asked Sapt.
‘N o, it’s steel for me,’ said I.
‘L ooking for a fight, eh?’ said Sapt w ith a laugh. ‘All right.’
We got on our horses, drawing our swords, and as soon as we
heard the sound o f the m en at the front o f the lodge, Sapt
whispered, ‘N o w !’
We rushed as fast as we could round the house, and in a

23
m om ent were am ong them . Sapt told me later that he killed a
man, and 1 believe him , but I saw no m ore o f him. W ith a cut I
broke open the head o f som eone on a brow n horse, and he fell
to the ground. A large man was opposite me, and there was
another beside me. I rushed into the one in front and drove my
sword into his breast as he fired a revolver. T h e bullet whistled
past my ear. It was too dangerous to stay; I could n ot even pull
out my sword, but left it in the m an’s body and w ent o ff at full
speed after Sapt, w hom I now saw tw enty yards away. I waved my
hand happily, but the next second dropped it w ith a cry as a bullet
touched it and I felt the blood. In another m om ent or two we
were out o f sight.
Sapt laughed.‘W ell, little Jo s e f will have company,’ he said.‘D id
they notice you?’
‘T h e large man did. As I struck him , I heard him cry, “T h e
K in g !” ’
‘G o o d ’, said Sapt. B lack M ichael can expect m ore trouble from
us yet.’

C hapter 5 A Fair Cousin and a D ark B roth er

We reached the palace again w ithout danger. Although it was

after eight o ’clock in the m orning, we m et very few people, and
I was well wrapped up to hide my face. O n entering the dressing
room by the secret door, we saw Fritz lying fully dressed on a
chair. H e ju m p ed up.
‘T hank G od, sire! T han k G od you’re safe,’ he cried, and seized
my hand to kiss it. Sapt, the cruel old man, laughed.
‘T h a t’s good, my boy,’ he said. ‘W e’ll be all right.’
W hen Fritz understood, he fell back on the chair.
‘W h ere’s the K ing?’ he cried.
‘Q uiet, you fo o l!’ said Sapt. ‘N o t so loud! H ere’s the K ing.’

24
T h en he added in a fierce whisper: ‘B lack M ich ael’s got him —
alive, we think.’
A fter a pretence o f having been to bed, I got up and had
breakfast.Then Sapt gave me a th ree-h o u r lesson on my duties. It
seemed to m e that i f a real king’s life is a hard one, an acting king’s
is m uch harder. T h en cam e a visit from the C han cellor with all
kinds o f papers to sign; my wounded finger cam e in very useful,
as it removed all doubts about my w riting. I also had to m eet
som e o f the ambassadors. It was a tiring day.
At last I was alone w ith Sapt and Fritz, and we had to decide
what was to be done.
‘W e ought to go and catch B lack M ichael at once,’ said Fritz.
‘Gently, gently,’ urged Sapt. ‘W ould M ichael fall and leave the
King alive?’
‘Besides,’ I said,‘how can the K ing for no clear reason suddenly
attack his dear bro th er M ichael? T h e people w ould n ot accep t
it.’
‘Are we to do nothing, then?’ said Fritz.
‘W e’re to do nothing stupid,’ replied Sapt roughly.
‘It seems to me,’ I said, ‘that M ichael and I are in the position
o f two m en each covering the other w ith a revolver, but as he has
the m ost to gain by doing som ething quickly, I must wait for him
to move.’
‘T h ree o f M ich ael’s famous Six are in Strelsau,’ said Fritz.
‘O n ly three?’ asked Sapt eagerly. ‘T h e n the other three are at
Zenda, guarding the King. T h at means he is alive.’
Fritz’s face brightened. ‘O f course,’ he said. ‘I f the K ing was
dead, all the Six would be here w ith M ichael. H e is back, you
know.’
‘G entlem en, gentlem en, w ho are the famous Six?’ I asked.
‘You’ll soon m eet them ,’ said Sapt. ‘T h ey are six gentlem en o f
M ich ael’s, and would do anything for him. T h ere are three
Ruritanians, a Frenchm an, a Belgian and an Englishm an.’

25
 ‘Any one o f them would cut a throat i f M ichael ordered it,’
said Fritz.
‘Perhaps they’ll cut mine,’ I suggested.
‘N othin g m ore likely,’ said Sapt. ‘W h ich o f them are here,
Fritz?’
‘Bersonin, de G autet and D etchard.’
‘T h e foreigners! It’s clear enough. T h e R u m a n ia n s are
guarding the K ing, so that they will be able to say nothing about
M ich ael’s game, being in it themselves.’
It was part o f my plan to make m yself as popular as I could, so
I ordered my horse and w ent for a ride w ith Fritz in the fine
park, then through som e o f the streets and, having in this way
collected a crowd, I went to the house o f the Princess Flavia. This
caused m uch interest, and 1 heard shouts o f approval. D u rin g my
m eeting w ith the C hancellor, he had suggested that the nation
would be very happy to learn o f a proposal o f marriage, though
o f course he did n ot understand the difficulties in the way. T h e
Princess was very popular, and I did n ot see that any harm could
be done by paying her a visit, while it m ight help to improve the
K in g ’s position. Fritz was surprisingly eager for such a visit. I
discovered that he had a great desire to see the Princess’s friend,
the Countess Helga.
It was a difficult part for m e to play. I had to show liking, but
not feel it; keep the Princess attracted to me, but not be
interested. It was made no easier by the fact that she was the most
beautiful girl I had ever seen.
‘I ’m glad and proud, R u d o lf,’ she said, ‘to see the change that
has taken place in you.You are like the prince in Shakespeare w ho
becam e a different man w hen he was king. Even your face has
changed.’
This was a dangerous subject, so I chose another.
‘M y brother is back, I hear. H e made a jou rn ey, it seems.’
‘Y e s'h e is here,’ she said, n ot looking pleased.

26
 ‘W ell, we are all glad to see him . T h e nearer he is, the better.’
T h e Princess sm iled .‘You mean, cousin . . .?’
‘T h at we can see better what he is doing? Perhaps. And why
are you glad?’
‘I never said that 1 was glad. I d on ’t care in the least what D uke
M ichael is doing.’
I f I had been the King, I should have felt encouraged. Just then
there was a cheer from the street, and the Princess ran to the
window.
‘It is h e!’ she cried, i t is the D uke h im self!’
I smiled but said nothing. I heard the sound o f feet in the
outside ro o m . I began to talk o f general su bjects. T h is w ent
on for som e m inu tes. M ich ael did n o t appear, bu t it did n o t
seem to be fo r m e to ask w h ere he was. Suddenly, to my
surprise, Flavia asked m e in a troubled voice: ‘Are you wise to
make him angry?’
‘W hat? W h o ? H ow am I making him angry?’
‘By keeping him waiting, o f course.’
‘M y dear cousin, I d on’t want to keep him w aitin g -’
‘Well, then, he should com e in?’
‘O f course, i f you wish it.’
She looked at m e curiously.‘H ow funny you are,’ she said.‘You
know no one can com e in w ithout perm ission while you are
here.’
H ere was an interesting advantage in being a king! Inwardly I
swore at Fritz for not telling m e; I had nearly made a dangerous
mistake. I ju m p ed up, and w ent to the door, and brought M ichael

‘Brother,’ I said, ‘i f I had know n you were here, I would not

have kept you w aiting for a m om ent.’
H e thanked me, but coldly. T h e m an had many qualities, but
he could not hide his feelings. Anyone could see that he hated
me, and hated even m ore to see m e w ith Princess Flavia. He

27
 knew I was not the K ing, but I believe he tried to hide from m e
what he knew.
‘Your hand is hurt, sire,’ he said.
Yes, I answered carelessly. ‘I was playing a game w ith a dog,
and it tried to bite m e.’
H e understood what I meant, and smiled bitterly.
‘B u t there’s no danger from the bite, is there?’ asked Flavia
anxiously.
‘N o n e from this,’ I said, i f I gave him a chance to bite m ore
deeply, it would be different, cousin.’
‘B u t surely the dog has been destroyed?’ she continued.
‘N o t yet. W e’re w aiting to see i f his bite is harmful.’
‘And i f it is?’ asked M ichael.
‘H e’ll be knocked on the head, brother,’ I said. T h e n ,
rem em bering that 1 must seem to be friendly, I praised M ichael
for the arrangements he had made for the coronation, the state o f
the army and so on. M ichael could not bear it. He rose suddenly
to his feet.
‘T h ere are three friends o f m ine very anxious to be introduced
to Your Majesty,’ he said .‘T h ey are here in the outer room .’
‘Your friends are m ine too, I hope,’ I said politely, and walked
with him to the door. H e said goodbye to the Princess, and I took
his arm. T h e lo o k on his face gave m e secret pleasure. As we
entered the other room , M ichael called his men.
H e introduced them one by one, and they kissed my hand -
de Gautet, a tall thin man with a big m oustache; B erson in the
Belgian, rather fat, o f middle height and com pletely w ithout hair;
and last, the Englishm an, D etchard, a narrow -faced man, with
close-cu t fair hair and a sunburnt face. H e looked a good fighter,
but com pletely dishonest. I spoke to him in English, but as i f 1
were a foreigner, and I believe he smiled, though he hid it at
once.
‘So M r D etchard knows the secret,’ thought 1.

28
 W h en they had gone, I returned to the Princess to say
goodbye.
‘R u d o lf,’ she said, very low, ‘be careful, w on’t you?’
‘O f w hat?’
‘You know — I can’t say. B u t think w hat your life is to . . .’
‘Well, to . . .?’
‘To R uritania.’
Was I right to play the part, or w rong? I don ’t know, but I
whispered so ftly :‘O nly to R u ritan ia?’
She reddened. ‘To your friends, too,’ she said.
‘Friends?’
‘And to your cousin,’ she whispered.
I could not speak. I kissed her hand and w ent out. Fritz was
sitting n ext to the Countess Helga, careless o f what the servants
thought. H e ju m p ed up, and we left the house.

C h apter 6 A New Use for a Tea Table

Several days passed. M y secret was still kept, though I had some
bad m om ents and made some mistakes. I escaped discovery,
though, and 1 think the reason was the daring o f the plan. 1
believe it is easier to pretend to be a king successfully than to
pretend to be o n e’s n ex t-d o o r neighbour.
O n e day Sapt cam e into my room . He threw a letter on the
table, saying,‘T h a t’s for you — a w om an’s w riting, I think. B u t I’ve
som e news first. T h e K ing is in the Castle o f Zenda.’
‘H ow do you know ?’
‘Because the other h alf o f M ich ael’s Six are there. I’ve had
inquiries made. T h e y ’re all three there — Lauengram , Krafstein
and R u p e rt H entzau, three young devils, i f ever there were any.’
‘You think it’s certain the K in g ’s there?’
‘Y es.T h e drawbridge is kept pulled back, and no one is allowed

29
in or out w ithout an order from M ichael or young R u p ert.’
i shall have to go to Zenda,’ I said.
‘N o t yet, my boy. W e’ve got to be careful. An open attack
would mean the death o f the King. W h a t’s in the letter?’
I opened it and read it aloud:

i f the K ing desires to know som ething very im portant for him ,
let him com e alone to the house at the end o f N ew Street at
twelve o ’clock tonight. T h e house is in a large garden, and there
is a small gate in the wall at the back. I f he opens the gate, turns
to the right and walks twenty yards, he will find a summerhouse
w ith six steps. Inside will be som eone w ho will tell him
som ething extrem ely im portant for his life and throne. This is
w ritten by a loyal friend. I f he refuses this invitation, his life will
be in danger, but he must co m e alone. L et him show this to no
one, or he will ruin a w om an w ho loves him ; B lack M ichael does
n ot forgive.’

‘N o,’ remarked Sapt, as I en d ed ,‘but he can w rite a very pretty

letter.’
I thought the same, and was about to throw the letter away,
w hen I saw there was som e w riting on the oth er side.

i f you are uncertain,’ the w riter continued, ‘speak to C olon el

S a p t-’

‘E h !’ cried Sapt, in surprise.‘D oes he take m e for a greater fool

than you?’
I continued:

‘Ask him w hich woman would do m ost to prevent the D uke

from m arrying his cousin, and therefore m ost to prevent him
from becom ing King? H er name begins w ith A.’

30
 I ju m p ed to my feet, and Sapt laid down his pipe.
‘A ntoinette de M auban!’ I cried.
‘H ow do you know ?’ he asked.
I told him w hat I knew o f the lady. ‘Yes,’ he said thoughtfully,
‘it’s true that she’s had a quarrel with M ichael.’
‘She could be useful to us, i f she wished,’ I remarked.
‘I believe, though, that M ichael w rote that letter.’
‘So do I, but I intend to know for certain. I shall go, Sapt.’
‘N o, I shall go,’ he replied.
‘You may go as far as the gate,’ I said,
i shall go to the summerhouse.’
‘Sapt,’ I said, leaning back in my chair,‘I believe in that wom an,
and I shall go.’
‘And I d on’t believe in any woman,’ he replied ,‘and you shan’t
g°-’
i either go to the summerhouse or back to England.’
Sapt had begun to learn how far he could lead or drive me,
and w hen he must follow.
‘AH right,’ he agreed.
To cut a long story short, at half past eleven that night Sapt and
1 got on our horses. Fritz was again left on guard. It was a dark
night, and I carried a lamp, a knife and a revolver. W e arrived
outside the gate. I got o ff my horse.
‘I shall wait here, then,’ said Sapt. i f I hear a shot I ’ll—’
‘Stay w here you are; it’s the K in g ’s only chance.You mustn’t be
killed too.’
‘Y o u ’re right, my boy. G ood lu ck !’
I went quietly through the gate into the garden.Turning to the
right as the letter told me, I w ent slowly up the path, my lamp
unlit, my revolver in my other hand. So o n I cam e to a large dark
ob ject - it was the summerhouse. I w ent silently up the steps,
pushed open the door and walked in. A woman flew to me and
seized my hand.

31
 ‘Shut the d o or!’ she whispered.
I did so, and turned the light o f my lamp on her. It was
A ntoinette de M auban, looking very beautiful, and dressed in fine
clothes. T h e only furniture in the room was a chair or two and a
small iron table such as one sees in coffee shops.
‘D o n ’t talk,’ she said, ‘there’s no time. Listen! I know you, M r
Rassendyll. I w rote that letter at the D u k e’s orders.’
‘So I thought,’ said I.
i n tw enty m inutes three men will be here to kill you.’
‘T h ree — the T h re e?’
‘Yes. You must be gone by then. I f not, you'll be killed.’
‘O r they will.’
‘Listen! W hen you’re killed, your body will be taken to a low
part o f the tow n. It will be found there. M ichael will im mediately
seize all your friends — C olo n el Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim
first. H e will put the city under control o f the army, and send a
message to Zenda for the other T h ree to kill the K ing in the
Castle. T h e n h e ’ll make him self K ing and m arry the Princess.’
i t ’s a pretty plan. B u t why, madam, do you—?’
‘Give any reason you like —jealousy, i f you wish. N ow go; but
rem em ber, by night and day you are never safe. You have secret
guards follow ing you?’
‘Yes,’ I said, i t ’s Sapt’s idea.’
‘W ell, three m en follow them . M ic h a e l’s T h re e are never
m ore than 2 0 0 yards from you. N ow go — n o t by the gate; there
will be a guard on it by now. T h e re is a ladder against the wall
on this side o f the sum m erhouse. C lim b over it, and fly for
your life.’
‘Madam,’ said I , ‘you have served the K ing well tonight, though
it will mean danger for yourself. W here is he in the castle?’
She lowered her voice to a fearful whisper.
‘Across the drawbridge you com e to a heavy door; behind that
lies — Listen! W h a t’s that?’

32
 T h ere were steps outside.
‘T h e y ’re com ing! T h e y ’re too soon! P ut out your lam p!’
I did as she said, and then looked through a crack in the door.
I could ju st see three figures. I pulled out my revolver. A ntoinette
quickly put her hand on my arm.
‘You may kill one,’ said she. ‘B u t what then?’
A voice cam e from outside - speaking perfect English.
‘M r Rassendyll,’ it said.
I made no answer.
‘W e want to talk to you. W ill you promise not to shoot until
w e’ve done?'
‘Have I the pleasure o f speaking to M r D etchard?’
‘N ever m ind names.’
‘T h e n let m ine alone.’
‘All right, sire. I’ve an offer for you.’
I still had my eye to the crack. T h e three had com e up two
more steps; their revolvers pointed full at the door.
‘W ill you let us in? O n our honour, we shall not shoot.’
‘D o n ’t trust them ,’ whispered A ntoinette.
'W e can speak through the door,’ I said.
‘W ill you promise not to open it and shoot?’
i ’ll promise n ot to shoot before you do,’ I answ ered,‘but I’ll
not let you in. Stand outside and talk.’
‘T h a t’s sensible,’ said Detchard.
Still looking through the crack, I saw they were now on the
top step ju st outside the door.
‘D o n ’t trust them ,’ said A ntoinette again, but I did not need her
warning. I knew they meant to rush m e as soon as I began to talk.
‘W ell, gentlem en,’ I said, ‘w hat’s the offer?’
‘A safe jo u rn e y to the border, and fifty thousand English
pounds.’
‘T h at seems generous,’ I replied. ‘Give m e a minute to
consider.’

33
 I turned to A ntoinette, and whispered: ‘Stand close up against
the wall, out o f the line o f fire from the door.’
‘W hat are you going to do?’ she asked in fear.
‘Y ou ’ll see,’ said I.
I picked up the iron tea table. It was not heavy for a man o f
my strength, and I held it by the legs. T h e top gave acom plete
protection to my head and body. I tied my lamp to my belt, and
put my revolver in my pocket. T h e n I w ent to the back o f the
room and, holding the table in front o f me, called out: ‘All right,
gentlem en, I accept your offer, depending on your honour. I f you
will open the d o o r -’
‘O pen it yourself,’ said Detchard.
i t opens outwards,’ I said.‘Stand back a little, gentlem en.'
I pretended to try to open it, then slipped back to my place.
i t w on’t open properly,’ I said. ‘Pull it from that side.’
i ’ll open it,’ cried D etch ard .‘W hat, Berson in, are you afraid o f
one man?’
I smiled to myself. A m om ent later the door was thrown back,
and the three stood there, their revolvers pointing straight at me.
W ith a shout I charged them as hard as I could. T h ree shots rang
out, but the table protected me. T h e next m om en t I was into
them , or rather the table was, and all four o f us were rolling
together in a confused group down the steps. A ntoinette de
Mauban cried out, but I rose to my feet, laughing aloud.
D e G autet and Bersonin lay still. D etchard was under the table,
but as I rose, he pushed it from him and fired again. I pulled out
my revolver and fired back at him; I heard him swear. T h e n I ran
like the wind past the summerhouse along the w all.T h e wall was
high.
‘Please G od,’ said I to myself, ‘she told m e the truth about the
ladder!’
Yes, there it was. I was up and over in a m inute. R u n n in g along
the outside, I saw the horses, then Sapt. H e was struggling w ith

34
the lo ck o f the now barred gate, and firing at it wildly. H e had
quite forgotten that he was not to take part in the fight.
‘C o m e along,’ I cried to him , laughing.
‘Y ou’re safe? W h at are you laughing at?’
‘Four gentlem en round a tea table,’ I answered. It had certainly
been uncom m only funny to see the famous and dangerous T h ree
defeated by a weapon no more terrible than an ordinary tea table.
Besides, as you see, I had honourably kept my word, and I had
not fired until they did.

C hapter 7 A Q uestion o f H on ou r

From secret police reports I learned the n ext day that M ichael
had left Strelsau, and the T h ree w ith him . D etchard, it appeared,
had a w ounded arm . I was glad to hear I had left my mark on the
man. A ntoinette de M auban had also left. T h ey could only be
going to Zenda. W h at was m ore im portant to m e was the
follow ing statem ent in one o f the reports:

T h e K ing is m uch criticized for taking no steps about his

marriage; it is believed that the Princess Flavia is also sad. M any
people are m entioning her name together w ith that o f the D uke
o f Strelsau.

T h e c h ie f o f police is told to speak quite openly,’ said Sapt,

w hen I made an angry sound.
i t is quite true about the Princess,’ said Fritz. ‘T h e Countess
Helga told m e that Flavia was already m uch in love with the
K in g -’
‘E n o u g h !’ I cried.
i have ordered a grand dance to be held tonight at the royal
palace in the Princess’s honour,’ said Sapt.

35
 ‘T h a t’s news to me,’ I said, not feeling at all pleased.
‘T h e arrangem ents are all made,’ said Fritz.
Sapt cam e up to me, and said in a sharp voice: ‘You must offer
her marriage w hen you speak to her tonight.’
‘G ood heavens!’
‘I suppose,’ said Sapt, ‘you’ve made pretty speeches to a girl
before now. T h a t’s all she wants.’
‘I refuse,’ 1 said. ‘I w o n ’t share in any plan to make a fool o f the
Princess.’
Sapt looked at m e w ith his small, clever eyes, and smiled.
‘All right, my boy. W e m ustn’t press you too far,’ he said, ‘but
talk nicely to her. W e can’t allow her to get annoyed with the
King.’
I went for a short walk in the garden w ith Fritz. 1 knew why
Sapt gave up urging m e to speak words o f love. H e knew him self
that her beauty and my own feeling would carry m e farther than
all his arguments. H e must have seen the unhappiness he was
causing her, but that m eant nothing to him . I f the K ing was saved,
she would have to marry him , either know ing or n ot know ing
the change. I f not — well, we had never spoken o f it, but I believe
that Sapt intended to keep m e on the throne rather than let Black
M ichael get it.
T h e dance was a great affair. H ow could I remain cold and
unfeeling beside such a beautiful w om an, especially w hen her
eyes m et m i n e . . . In sight o f all, I took from around my neck a
chain from w hich the R e d R o se o f R u ritan ia hung, and I placed
the chain over her head. Everyone cheered. I saw Sapt smiling,
and Fritz lo okin g annoyed.
W hen it was all over, I was alone with her in a little room
looking over the garden. She was sitting, and I stood before her.
I was struggling w ith myself, and i f she had n ot looked at me, I
believe even then I should have won my fight. B u t she gave me
ju st one sudden l o o k . . . and I was lost! I forgot the K ing in

36
 Zenda. I forgot the K ing in Strelsau. She was a Princess - and I a
deceiver. D o you think I rem em bered that? I threw m yself on my
knee before her and took her hands in m ine. 1 said nothing. W hy
should I?
T h en she pushed m e away, crying suddenly, ‘A h, is it true? O r
is it because you must?’
i t ’s tru e!’ I said, i t ’s true that I love you m ore than life - or
truth — or h o n o u r!’
She understood no special m eaning from my words, thinking
them the wild sweet m anner o f love.
‘H ow is it that 1 love you now, R u d o lf?’
‘N ow ?’
‘Yes, ju st lately. I - I never did before.’
How jo y filled me! It was I, R u d o lf Rassendyll, that she loved.
H ow sweet it tasted!
‘You didn’t love m e before?’
She looked up into my face, and said smiling, i t must have
been your crow n. I felt it first 011 C oron ation Day.’
‘O h , Flavia, i f I were not the K in g - ’
W h a te v er you were, I should love you ju st the same,’ she said.
T h ere was still a chance for m e to save my honour.
‘Flavia,’ I began, in a strange dry voice that seemed n ot my
own. ‘I am n ot—’
T h ere was a heavy step outside the window, and Sapt
appeared. M y half-finished sentence died on my lips. H e looked
at me disapprovingly and bowed.
‘Sire, a thousand pardons, but a group o f Lords have been
w aiting for a quarter o f an hour to say goodbye.’
I m et his eye directly; and I read in it an angry warning. H ow
long he had been a listener, I don’t know, but he had broken into
the conversation ju st in time.
‘I must not keep them waiting,’ I said.
‘O h , C o lo n el Sapt,’ cried Flavia,‘I am so happy!’

37
 T h ere was no m istaking her m eaning, and I really believe some
gentleness cam e into Sapt’s voice as he kissed her hand and said,
‘G od save you, m adam !’ T h en he stood up straight and added,
‘B u t before all, com es the K in g !’
‘Yes,’ said Flavia. ‘G od save the K in g !’
I w ent into the dance room again to receive goodbyes. I saw
Sapt going in and out o f the crowd, and w here he had been were
smiles and whispers. I knew w hat he was doing, the old devil. H e
was spreading the news that he had learned. To save the C row n
and beat B lack M ichael — that was his one aim. Such news spreads
fast, and w hen I w ent out to the front gate to hand Princess Flavia
into her carriage, there was a large crowd w aiting for us. T h ey
w elcom ed us w ith thundering cheers. W hat could 1 do? B y Sapt’s
tricks and my own uncontrolled feelings I had been forced on,
and the way back was closed behind me.
Later — it was nearly daylight — I was alone w ith Sapt and Fritz.
‘Sapt,’ I said,‘you have left m e no honour. Unless you want m e
to b ecom e a crim inal as well, let us go to Zenda and crush B lack
M ichael, and bring the K ing back.’
i f you tried—’ he began.
i f I tried,’ I interrupted, ‘I could m arry the Princess, and
nothing you could do would be able to stop me. D o you think
anyone would believe your story, i f you told the truth?’
‘I know,’ he said quietly.
‘T h en are we going to Zenda?’
H e took m e by the hand. ‘B y G od, you’re the finest Elphberg
o f them all!’ he cried ‘B u t 1 am the K in g ’s servant. G od save the
King! C om e, w e’ll go to Zenda.’
Plans were quickly made. I gave M arshal Strakencz orders as to
w hat to do if the K ing was killed - he thought I m eant m yself o f
course, and was full o f trouble at my words.
‘M ay G od preserve Your Majesty,’ he said ,‘for I think you are
going on a dangerous journey.’

38
 i hope that no life more im portant than m ine may be
demanded,’ 1 replied.
It was m ore difficult to tell Flavia that I was leaving her. B efore
I w ent to see her, she had already heard o f the hunting trip on
w hich, it was said everywhere, I was going.
‘I am sorry that we cannot amuse Your M ajesty here in
Strelsau,’ she said, a little coldly, i would have offered you m ore
entertainm ent, but I was foolish enough to think — that for a few
days — after last night—’
‘Yes?’
‘T h at you m ight be happy w ithout m any amusements. I am
told you are going to hunt wild pigs. I hope you’ll find them
interesting.’
I saw a tear fall, and I was angry w ith myself .
‘M y dear,’ I said. ‘D o you dream I should leave you to go
hunting?’
‘T h en — what— ?’
‘Well, it is hunting. B u t M ichael is the wild pig.’ She turned
pale.
‘O h , R u d o lf! W h en will you co m e back?’
‘1 — I d on ’t know w hen I shall com e back,’ I answered in pain.
‘C o m e soon, R u d o lf! C om e so o n !’
‘Yes, by G od, I will com e again to see you — before I die.’
‘W h at do you m ean?’
But I could not tell her the truth then. It was too late.
‘Should n ot a man co m e back to the loveliest lady in all the
world?’ said I. ‘A thousand M ichaels would not keep m e from
you!’
This com forted her a little.
‘You w o n ’t let anyone keep you from m e?’ she asked.
‘N o, sweetheart.’
B u t there was one person — not M ichael — who, i f he lived,
would keep m e from her, and I was leaving her to risk my own

39
life for his. I could n o t bear it any longer, and rushed out into the
street. I got on my horse and rode o ff at full speed to my own
palace.
T h e next day 1 was in the train w ith Sapt and Fritz and ten
gentlem en, specially chosen for the present affair. T h ey had been
told som ething o f the story o f the attack in the summerhouse,
and that M ichael was trying to get the throne. T h ey were also
inform ed that a friend o f the K in g ’s was a prisoner in the Castle
o f Zenda, and that one o f the purposes o f the jo u rn e y was to save
him. Young, w ell-educated, brave and loyal, they asked no more.
It was enough that their K ing needed them , and they were ready
to serve him to the death.
W e were going to the Castle o f Tarlenheim , w h ich belonged
to Fritz’s uncle. It was a m odern building about five miles from
Zenda —on the opposite side from that on w hich M ich ael’s castle
lay. It stood on top o f a hill w ith woods all round, in w hich wild
pigs were know n to be com m on. O f course, the real reason we
chose it was because it brought us w ithin a short distance o f
B lack M ichael.
M ichael him self would not be deceived by the story o f the
hunt. H e knew well enough why we had com e, and would
naturally take steps to prevent us from doing w hat w e wanted.
This was not the only difficulty, for every m ovem ent we made
was, and had to be, quite public. This was one o f the sides o f being
a king that I found extrem ely annoying.
O u r purpose was to get the K in g out o f the Castle o f Zenda
alive. Force was useless. O u r only chance lay in some trick. We
thought, rightly as it appeared, that M ichael would not kill the
K ing until he had killed me first. H e also probably thought that
I was not acting for honour, but for myself. H e could not
understand a man in my position doing all he could to lose it and
put another in his place. M y aim in com in g to Zenda, in his view,
was to get the K ing killed so that I could have the throne and the

40
Princess. T his gave me courage, because he would keep the King
alive as long as he possibly could. And G od knows I needed some
com fort.
So the jo u rn e y cam e to an end, and o n ce m ore 1 found m yself
at Zenda.

C h apter 8 Setting a Trap

M ichael knew o f my com ing, sure enough. I had not been in the
Castle o fT a rle n h eim for an hour w hen he sent three m en to
w elcom e me. H e had enough respect for m e not to send the m en
who had tried to murder me, but he sent the other three o f his
famous Six — the three R uritanian gentlem en, Lauengram,
Krafstein, and R u p e rt Hentzau. A fin e-loo k in g group they made,
too, as young R u p e rt — he could not have been m ore than
tw enty-three — to o k the lead and made m e a polite little speech.
He said that my dear brother was sorry he could n ot com e
himself, but he was ill.
i am sorry to hear it, sir,’ I answered,‘and I trust that no others
o f his party are sick. I was told that M r D etchard had been hurt.
Is he better?’
R u p e rt laughed, though his two com panions did not.
‘He hopes soon to find a m edicine for it, sire,’ said R u p ert.
Then I laughed too. I knew w hat D etch ard ’s m edicine
w ould be.
T h ey then excused themselves, and turned to leave. R u p ert,
throw ing back his black hair, a smile on his g ood -lookin g face,
walked past Sapt w ith a scornful look. T h e old man looked as
black as night at him , and lowered his hand to touch his revolver
as i f by accident.
Instead o f dining in the house, I to o k Fritz out with me to the
town to visit the small hotel that I knew of. T h ere was not m uch

41
danger, since the evening was light and the road along the side o f
the tow n was not lonely. I covered my face to prevent the curious
from seeing w ho I was.
‘Fritz,’ I said as we rode along, ‘you will order a private room
for two gentlem en o f the King. O n e has a bad toothache. T h ere
is a pretty girl at the hotel.You must make sure only she serves us
at dinner.’
As we w ent into the hotel, nothing o f my face could be seen
except my eyes. Fritz got the room , and w ent out to see about the
girl. A m inute later he returned.
‘Sh e’s com ing,’ he said.
She cam e in. 1 gave her time to put the w ine down - I didn’t
want it dropped. Fritz poured out a glass and gave it to me.
i s the gentlem an in great pain?’ the girl asked sympathetically.
‘T h e gentlem an is no worse than w hen he saw you last,’ said I,
throw ing the cover from my face. She gave a little cry; then she
said: i t was the King, then! I told m other so the m om ent I saw
his picture. O h , sire, forgive m e!’
‘You did nothing wrong,’ said I.
‘B u t the things we said!’
i forgive them — i f you wish to serve the King.’
‘O h , thank you, sire. I must go and tell m other.’
‘Stop,’ said 1, looking serious. ‘We are not here tonight for
amusement. G o and bring dinner, and not a word to anyone
about the K in g being here.’
She cam e back in a few minutes, and was naturally very
curious.
‘H ow is Jo h an n ?’ I asked, beginning my dinner.
‘O h , that man, sire - Y o u r Majesty, 1 m ean?’
‘ “Sire” will do. H ow is he?’
‘W e d on’t see him m uch now, sire,’ she said.
‘And why not?’
‘I told him he cam e too often, sire.’ She threw back her head.

42
 i see. B u t you could bring him back, i f you w anted?’
‘Perhaps I could, sire. B u t then h e’s very busy now at the castle.’
‘B u t there’s no shooting or hunting going on ju st now.’
‘N o, sire; but h e ’s in charge o f the house.’
i s there no female servant there, then?’ I laughed.
‘T h ey haven’t a woman in the place, sire — not as a servant.
T h ey do say — it may be false, sire — that there’s a lady there.’
‘B u t Johan n would have time to m eet you i f you asked him ?’
‘It depends on the tim e and the place, sire.’
‘You d on’t love him ?’
‘N o t I, sire. B u t I want to serve Your — the K ing, sire.’
‘All right. T h e n tell him to m eet you two miles outside Zenda
tom orrow evening at ten o ’clock.’
‘You d o n ’t mean him any harm , sire?’ she asked anxiously.
‘N o t i f he will do as I tell him . N ow be o ff w ith you, and see
that no one knows that the K ing has been here.’
I spoke severely, but also gave her some money.W e finished our
dinner, and rode hom e again.
‘You want to catch this man Jo h an n ?’ said Fritz, w hen we were
outside the tow n.
‘Yes, and I think the trap is going to get him all right.’
As we reached the driveway leading up to the Castle o f
Tarlenheim , Sapt cam e rushing to m eet us.
‘T h ank G od you ’re safe,’ he said. ‘Have you seen anything o f
them ?’
‘O f w hom ?’ I asked, getting o ff my horse.
‘M y boy,’ he said seriously, ‘you must n ot ride around here
unless at least six m en are with you. You rem em ber a tall young
man, one o f your guards, called B ern en stein?’
I rem em bered him all right, about my ow n height, a fine brave
man.
‘He is lying upstairs w ith a bullet through his arm.’
‘W h a t!’

43
 ‘After dinner,’ w ent on Sapt, ‘he w ent out for a walk a m ile or
so in the w ood; he thought he saw three m en am ong the trees
and one pointed a gun at him . H e was not arm ed, so he started
to run back towards the house. B u t the man fired at him and hit
him. B ernenstein was lucky to get here before he fainted. T h ey
were afraid to co m e nearer the house.’ H e paused, and added: M y
boy, that bullet was m eant for you.’
‘Very likely,’ I answ ered.‘Sapt, before I leave R u ritan ia I should
like to do one thing to repay the many kindnesses 1 have
received.’
‘W hat is that?’
‘Kill every one o f those Six. T h e country will be a cleaner
place.’

N ext m orning I was sitting in the garden in front o f the house,

feeling m ore relaxed than I had been for some tim e. I was at least
doing som ething; and w ork, though it cannot cure love, is still a
sort o f treatm ent for it. Suddenly through the trees cam e young
R u p e rt H entzau, riding as i f he was in a public park, careless o f
any danger there m ight be from my m en. H e asked for private
speech w ith me to give m e a message from the D uke o f Strelsau.
I made my friends move away a little.
‘Rassendyll,’ he said. ‘T h e D uke—’
I sat up. ‘Shall I call one o f my gentlem en to bring you your
horse, my lord?’
‘W hy keep up the pretence?’
‘Because it is n ot yet finished; and for now I will choose my
own name.’
‘O h , all right, sire. B u t I spoke because o f my liking for you. I
admire you, you know. You are rather like me.’
‘T han k you,’ I replied. ‘E xcep t that I am honest, loyal to m en,
and honourable w ith w om en, perhaps I am, my lord.’

44
 H e looked angrily at me.
‘T h e message?’ I asked.
‘T h e D uke offers you m ore than I would. A safe jo u rn e y across
the border and a hundred thousand pounds.’
‘I refuse, o f course.’
H e smiled at th at.‘I told M ichael you would,’ he said.‘T h e fact
is, betw een ourselves, M ichael doesn’t understand a gentlem an.’
I laughed. ‘And you?’ I asked.
‘I do,’ he answered. ‘W ell, you prefer death, and you’ll have it.’
i ’m sorry you w o n ’t live to see it,’ said I politely.‘H ow is your
prisoner?’
‘T h e K - ? ’
‘Your prisoner?’
‘O h , I forgot your wishes, sire. H e ’s alive.’
I rose to my feet; he did the same.
‘And the pretty princess?’ he said, laughingly. ‘H o w ’s the love
affair?’
‘G o — w hile your skin’s w h o le!’ I answered angrily, taking a
threatening step towards him.
T h e n cam e the m ost daring thing I have seen in my life. M y
friends were only thirty yards away. R u p e rt called a servant to
bring up his horse. As he was about to get on, he turned to me,
putting out his right hand; the left was resting on his belt.
‘Shake hands,’ he said.
I bow ed and did as he knew I would do — put my hands
behind me. Q u ick er than thought, his left hand cam e out at me,
and a small knife flashed in the air. It struck m e in the left
shoulder; i f I had not made a sudden m ovem ent, it would have
reached my heart. W ith a cry I took a few steps back and sank
into my chair, bleeding deeply. R u p e rt ju m p ed onto his horse
and rode away, follow ed by cries and revolver shots, the last as
useless as the first. T h e n I fainted.
It was dark w hen I awoke and found Fritz beside me. I was

45
weak but cheerful, and m ore so w hen Fritz told m e the wound
was not dangerous and would soon be all right. T h en he told me
that Joh ann had fallen into our trap, had been caught and was at
that m om ent in the house.
‘W hat seems strange,’ Fritz said,‘is that he is n ot sorry at being
here. H e has an idea that w hen B lack M ich ael has carried out his
plan, he will try to get rid o f all his helpers, except the Six.’
This showed that our prisoner was n ot a fool, and I thought
his help, i f we could get it, would be valuable. I ordered him to
be brought up to m e at once. Sapt led him in. Joh an n looked
afraid, but after a long talk, during w hich he seem ed to be a weak
man rather than a bad one, he agreed to tell us what we wanted
to know. O f course we made him generous promises (all o f w hich
were kept, so that now he lives in com fort, though I must not tell
the place). It also appeared that he had acted as he had m ore from
fear o f the D uke and o f his ow n brother M ax than for any wish
to harm the King. His master, though, believed in him , and
Joh ann knew a good deal o f the D u k e’s plans.
H e told us that the K ing was locked in a small room in the old
castle. N ext to it was another room , in w hich there were always
three o f the Six on guard. If there was an attack on the first room
(from w hich the K in g ’s opened), two o f the guards would defend
it while the other, R u p e rt or D etchard — for one o f these two was
always there — would run in and kill the King, w ho was unarm ed
and had his hands tied with light steel chains to prevent much
movem ent. So before the outer room was taken by an attacking
party, the K ing would be dead.
‘B u t w hat about his body?’ I asked. For o f all things that
M ichael would n ot wish anyone to see, the K in g ’s body was the
most im portant.
‘T h e D uke has thought o f that,’ replied Joh an n . ‘Across the
w indow o f the K in g ’s room , and preventing any light from
entering, is the m outh o f a large pipe. T his is large enough for a

46
 m an’s body to pass down. T h e pipe curves down to the surface o f
the moat. W hen the K ing is killed, his body will be put down the
pipe, weighted so that it will sink at once to the bottom . T h e
guards will then escape, i f they can, by sliding down the pipe into
the water. T h ey will rise again and swim away, but the K ing will
be at the bottom for ever.’
Johann took a great deal m ore tim e to tell the story, and was
much less clear, but we got it by asking questions.
‘Supposing,’ I suggested, ‘there is n ot an arm ed attack by a few
m en, but by a w hole army that could not be defeated?’
‘T h ere would be no defence,’ answered Joh an n . ‘T h e K ing
would be quietly murdered at once, his body put down the pipe,
and one o f the Six would take his place in the prison, pretending
that M ichael had put him there. M ichael would admit the ‘truth’
— that the man had angered him , but i f he was now sorry, he
would set him free.’
Sapt, Fritz and 1 looked round at one another in shocked
surprise at this cruel and clever plan. W h eth er I went openly w ith
an army, or secretly w ith a few m en, the K ing would be dead
before I could get near him . M ichael seemed to have made his
success possible and ruin impossible.
‘D oes the K in g know ?’ I asked.
‘Yes, sir. W h en I and my brother were putting up the pipe at
the D u k e’s orders, the K ing asked R u p e rt Hentzau what it was,
and he said it was his Path to Heaven. It was n ot suitable for the
King to go to Heaven by the com m on road, he said. Ah, sir, it is
not easy to rest peacefully in the Castle o f Zenda; all o f them
would cut a throat as soon as play a game o f cards.’
‘All right, Joh an n ,’ I said, i f anyone asks you i f there is a
prisoner in the Castle o f Zenda, you may say “Yes” . B u t if they
ask you w ho it is, d o n ’t answer. I’ll kill you like a dog i f the truth
about the prisoner becom es know n.’
W hen he was gone I looked at Sapt.

47
 ‘T h ere seem to be only two ways for the K ing to be saved,’ I
said. ‘O n e is by disloyalty in the castle, the other by an act o f
G o d !’

C h apter 9 T h e Path to Heaven

It would have surprised the good people o f R u ritan ia to know o f

our conversation. A ccording to the official reports, I had been
wounded by an accidental blow w hile hunting. I caused the
notices to sound very serious, w hich resulted in m uch public
excitem ent. T h e purpose o f this was to make M ichael think I was
really dangerously w ounded and unable to act against him . I
learned from Joh an n that he did believe this. Two other results
were that I offended the leading doctors o f Strelsau, because I
refused to let anyone care for m e except a young friend o f F ritz’s,
and I received word from Marshal Strakencz that the Princess
Flavia would no longer obey his orders or m ine to remain in
Strelsau, but was leaving at once for Zenda.
Flavia’s arrival, and her jo y to find m e up and well, instead o f
on my back fighting w ith death, is a picture that even now dances
before my eyes until they becom e too full o f tears to see it. In
truth, to have her w ith me once m ore was like a taste o f heaven
to a crim inal w ho has to die. I was glad to be able to waste two
w hole days in her company.
It was then that Sapt and I decided that we must risk putting
our plan into action, because we heard from Joh an n that the K ing
was growing thin and ill in his prison. N ow a man, w hether king
or no king, may as well die quickly from a bullet or a knife, as let
his life waste away in a prison. T h at thought made action
necessary in the interests o f the King. From my own point o f
view, it grew m ore necessary still. T h e M arshal urged m e to make
arrangements for my marriage. H ow this affected m e may be

48
im agined, since the longer I rem ained near the princess the more
I loved her — and she, it was clear, loved me.
Sapt told me long after that my behaviour at this tim e was like
that o f the m ost powerful ruler; I would allow no criticism , and
listen to no advice that did not lead to action. I could see nothing
that made life sweet, so I took my life in my hand and carried it
as carelessly as a man m ight carry an old stick.
T h e next night after our decision, Sapt and I, with Fritz and
six m en w ith horses, set out secretly for the Castle o f Zenda. Sapt
carried a rope, and 1 to o k a short heavy stick and a knife. Passing
round the tow n, we w ent on until we were a quarter o f a mile
from the old castle. It was a dark storm y night, very suitable for
the plan I had in mind.
T h e six men hid w ith the horses in the shelter o f some trees.
Sapt had a w histle to call them i f necessary. W e had m et no one,
M ichael no doubt thinking I was still really ill in bed. T h e three
o f us were now at the edge o f the m oat, and Sapt tied the rope
to a tree. I pulled o ff my boots, put my stick betw een my teeth,
the knife in my belt, and after a soft ‘goodbye’, I dropped into the
water. I was going to have a lo o k at the Path to Heaven.
Slowly and carefully I swam along by the high dark walls.
T h ere were lights in the new part o f the castle on the other side,
and I heard laughter and m erry shouts. N o doubt R u p e rt
Hentzau was enjoying him self over his wine.
A dark shape appeared in front o f me. It was the pipe. I was
near to it w hen I noticed som ething else w hich made my heart
stand still. T h e nose o f a boat could be seen on the other side o f
the pipe. W h o was this guarding M ich ael’s invention? Was he
awake or asleep? C lose by the wall I found there was a narrow
shelf o f stone under the water. It was part o f the base o f the castle.
1 was able to stand on it w ith my head and shoulders out o f the
water. Carefully I moved along until I reached the pipe, and then
looked round it, where there was a space betw een it and the wall.

49
 T here was a man in the boat. A gun rested beside him . He did
not move, and I listened to his breathing. It was heavy and regular.
B y heaven, he slept! I continued to move along, betw een the pipe
and the wall, until I was w ithin two feet o f his face. H e was a big
man — M ax H olf, the brother o fjo h a n n . I quietly took the knife
from my belt, got as close as I could and prepared to strike.
O f all the things I have done in my life I always hate to think
o f this. B u t I said to myself, i t is war - and the K in g ’s life is in
danger.’ T h en I raised the knife and brought it down in his heart.
H e ju st had tim e to open his eyes in fear, but fortunately for me,
no tim e to cry out. H e sank back into the boat.
Leaving him w here he was, I turned back to the pipe. M y time
was short, for another guard would probably com e soon to take
M a x ’s place. I exam ined the pipe from every side, but could find
no crack or opening. B u t ju st where the underside w ent into the
wall, covering the window, there was a small ray o f light and I
heard voices! D etchard was speaking to the King.
‘Have you anything to ask, sire, before I leave you for the
night?’
T h e K in g ’s voice followed. It was his, though it was faint,
nothing like the m erry one I had heard in the forest and at the
lodge.
‘Ask my brother,’ said the K in g ,‘to kill me. I am dying here day
by day.’
‘T h e D uke does not desire your death, sire - yet,’ replied
D etchard scornfully.‘W h en he does, this is your Path to H eaven!’
T h e light disappeared, and I heard the sound o f the door being
locked. It was too dangerous to try to speak to the King. He
m ight give a shout o f surprise. So I clim bed into the boat to
remove M a x ’s body. T h e storm was blow ing m ore loudly now, so
I was able to row fast.
I came to the tree, and as I did so, a whistle sounded over the
moat behind me.

50
 'H ullo, M a x !’ som eone shouted.
‘Q u ick , Sapt,’ I said. I tied the rope round the body, and w hen
1 had clim bed up m yself we pulled up M ax.
‘W histle for our m en,’ I said. ‘N o talk now.’
Sapt did so, but ju st then three m en on horseback cam e along
the road from the castle. W e saw them but, being on foot, we
could not be seen. W e heard our ow n m en com ing up from the
other direction w ith a shout.
i t ’s as dark as the devil,’ said som eone, and 1 recognized
R u p e rt’s voice. T h e n ext m om ent shots rang out. O u r m en had
m et them and we ran forward to jo in in the fight. Shouts and
cries o f pain showed that som eone at least was hit. Suddenly a
horse cam e towards me, and I ran to its head. It was R u p e rt
Hentzau.
‘At last!’ I cried.
We seem ed to have him . H e had only his sword in his hand.
M y m en were close behind him. Sapt and Fritz were n ot far away,
but I had run faster than they.
‘At last!' I cried again.
i t ’s the play-actor!' cried he, using his sword against my stick,
w hich he cut into two. 1 thought he would have me then, so
jum p ed out o f reach o f his blows. T h e devil was in R u p ert; for
urging his horse forward, he w ent straight for the m oat and
jum p ed in, the shots o f our party falling all round him . W ith one
ray o f m oonlight we could have shot him , but it was as black as
ink, and in the darkness he swam w ith his horse to the corn er o f
the castle wall and escaped.
‘W h a t’s happened?’ I asked.
‘Lauengram and Krafstein both killed, sire,’ said one o f my
men.
‘And M ax,’ said I. ‘T h a t’s three o f them .’
As it was impossible to hide w hat had taken place, we threw
the bodies into the moat. T h e n we found that three o f my

51
gentlem en had also been killed. We carried their bodies hom e
with us. We were heavy at heart for the death o f our friends,
troubled about the King, and annoyed at the second success
young R u p e rt had gained over us.
As for me, 1 was also ashamed that I had killed no man in open
fight, nor was I pleased to hear R u p e rt call me a play-actor.

It was impossible to keep secret the deaths o f so many gentlem en,

so I gave out a strict order that no private fighting would be
allowed in future. 1 also sent a note to M ichael saying how sorry
1 was, and he sent me one; our one point o f union was that
neither o f us could tell the truth about the other. Unfortunately
for me, secrecy m eant delay. T h e King m ight die in prison, or
even be carried o ff som ew here else.
O n e of the strange results o f the necessity o f being friendly to
M ichael in public was that the town o f Zenda becam e, in the
daytime, a place w here both sides could m eet safely. By night it
was doubtless a different manner. R id in g down one day with
Flavia and Sapt, we had a m eeting w hich in one way was rather
amusing, but in another rather difficult for me. An im portant-
looking person in a carriage got out and cam e towards me. It was
the C h ie f o f the Strelsau Police.
‘Your Majesty's orders about fighting are being carefully
attended to,' he said.
i s that w hat brings you to Zenda?’ I asked, determ ined that he
would have to go back to Strelsau at once. His presence m ight
prove annoying.
‘W hy no, sire. I am here at the request o f the British
ambassador.’
‘W hatever does he want?’ I asked carelessly, but secretly
anxious.
‘A young countrym an of his, sire, a man o f som e rank, is

52
missing. His friends have not heard from him for two m onths, and
there is reason to believe that he was last seen in Zenda.’
Flavia was not paying attention. I dared not look at Sapt.
‘W hat reason?’
‘A friend o f his in Paris has told us that it is possible he cam e
here, and the railway officials here rem em ber his name on his
luggage.’
‘W hat was his nam e?’
‘Rassendyll, sire.’ W ith a quick look at Flavia he lowered his
voice, i t is thought he followed a lady here. Has Your M ajesty
heard o f M adame de M auban?’
‘Why, yes,’ said I, my eye travelling to the castle.
‘She arrived in R u ritania about the same time as this
Rassendyll.’
‘You are suggesting?’
‘Supposing he were in love w ith the lady?' he whispered.
‘N othing has been heard of him for tw o m onths.’This tim e it was
his eye that travelled towards the castle.
‘Yes, the lady is there," I said quietly. ‘B u t 1 d on’t suppose this
gentleman — Rassendyll, did you say his name was? — is there too.’
‘T h e Duke does not like com p etition, sire.’
‘You are suggesting som ething very serious,’ I said. ‘You had
better go straight back to Strelsau.’
"To Strelsau? B ut it is here, sire, that—’
‘G o back to Strelsau,’ 1 repeated.‘Tell the ambassador that you
have inform ation, and will tell him in a w eek ’s tim e of the result
o f your inquiries.’
‘T h e ambassador is pressing for action, sire.'
‘You must quiet him . At the same tim e 1 will look into the
m atter here myself.’
H e promised to obey me, and to leave that night. At all costs
inquiries after m e must be stopped for a week or two, and this
clever official had co m e surprisingly near the truth.

53
 C h apter 10 A D angerous Plan

Just as we were turning to ride back to Tarlenheim , we saw a

procession co m in g from the Castle o f Zenda. First cam e two
servants on horseback, then a funeral carriage and, behind it, a
man in plain black clothes,
i t ’s R u p ert,’ whispered Sapt.
R u p e rt it was and, seeing us, he left his party and rode towards
us, bow ing respectfully.
‘W h o is the dead man, my lord?’ I asked.
‘M y friend Lauengram ,’ he replied sadly, but a quick smile shot
for a m om ent across his face as he saw Sapt’s hand in his pocket.
H e guessed — and rightly — that Sapt held a revolver.
‘Was the p oor man killed in the fight?’ asked Flavia.
‘Sir,’ I said ,‘no one is sorrier about the affair than I.’
‘Your M ajesty’s words are kind,’ he replied, i am sorry for my
friend. B u t, sire, others may soon lie as he lies now.’
‘True,’ said I . ‘W e should all rem em ber it.’
‘Even kings, sire,’ added R u p e rt daringly. H e moved off. W ith
a sudden thought I rode after him . H e turned quickly, fearing
that, even in the presence o f the dead, and in front o f a lady’s eyes,
I would harm him.
‘You fought as a brave man the other night,’ I said. ‘C om e, you
are young, sir. I f you will give up your prisoner alive to me, you
shall com e to no hurt, I swear to you.’
H e looked at m e with a scornful smile.
‘Look here,’ he said, ‘you refused an offer from B lack M ichael.
Hear one from me.’ H e lowered his voice. ‘Attack the castle
openly. Let Sapt and Tarlenheim lead.’
‘G o on,’ said I.
‘Arrange the tim e with me.’
i have such confidence in you, my lord !’
‘Listen to me! I ’m talking business now. Sapt and Fritz will fall;

54
 Black M ichael will fall—’
‘W h a t!’
‘B lack M ichael will fall, like the dog he is.T h e prisoner, as you
call him , will go down the Path to Heaven - ah, you know that!
- and only two m en will be left, I, R u p e rt o f Hentzau, and you,
the K in g o f R uritan ia.’
H e paused and then, in a voice shaking w ith eagerness, w ent
on, i s n o t that a plan to try? For you a throne and a princess! For
me, a high position and Your M ajesty’s thanks.’
‘Surely,’ I cried, ‘w hile y ou ’re still alive, the devil has no
master.’
‘W ell, think it over,’ he said. ‘It would take m ore than any
feeling o f hon ou r to keep m e from that girl—’
‘G et out o f my reach!’ I said; though in a m om ent I began to
laugh at the daring o f the man. B u t R u p e rt did not move. H e ju st
smiled nastily.
‘W ould you turn against your master?’ I asked.
He swore at M ichael, and said, ‘H e gets in my way, you know.
H e’s a jealou s fool! I nearly stuck a knife in him last night.’
I was learning som ething now, so I asked carelessly, ‘A lady?’
‘Yes, and a beautiful one; but you’ve seen her.’
‘Ah! Was it at a tea party w hen some o f your friends got on
the w rong side o f the table?’
‘T h at fool D etchard. I f only I had been there!’
‘And the D uke is interested?’
‘W ell,’ said R u p ert, laughing, i ’m the one w ho is interested.
M ichael doesn’t like it. She prefers him , the foolish creature. W ell,
think over my proposal.’
H e w ent ofF to rejoin his procession, and I rode hom e with
Flavia, thinking about m en’s evil ways. O f all the m en I had ever
m et, R u p e rt was certainly the m ost evil!
As we reached the Castle o f Tarlenheim , a boy handed m e a
note. I tore it open and read:

55
I warned you once. In the name o f G od, and i f you are a man,
save me from this house o f murderers!
A. DE M.

I handed it to Sapt, but all he said was: ‘W h ose fault brought

her there?’
Although I felt sorry for her, I seemed as powerless to help her
as I had been to help the King. M atters soon becam e worse, as, in
addition to the danger o f the police inquiries about my
disappearance, there was a more urgent problem. People at
Strelsau were already talking about my absence from the city, and
Marshal Strakencz cam e w ith the C hancellor to ask m e to fix a
day for my engagem ent, w hich in R u ritan ia was as final as the
marriage cerem ony itself.
Flavia was sitting by me, and so I was forced to choose a day
two weeks ahead. T his caused great happiness all through the
kingdom , so that only two men in the country were annoyed — I
mean B lack M ichael and m yself — and only one did not know
o f it — the King.
W e heard from Joh ann how the news was received at the
Castle o f Zenda, but we heard som ething m ore im portant. T h e
K ing was very sick; in fact, he was too weak to move. T h ey had
sent for a doctor, w ho was terribly frightened at w hat he saw, but
the D uke kept him a prisoner in the same room as the King.
A ntoinette de M auban had also been helping to nurse the sick
man, since it was quite clear that his life was in danger. And here
was I, strong, healthy — and free.
‘And how do they guard the K ing now ?’ I asked Johann.
‘D etchard and B ersonin watch by night, R u p e rt Hentzau and
de Gautet by day, sir, except that the D uke will never allow
R u p e rt Hentzau to be there w hen M adam e de M auban is w ith
the King, sir.’
Johann begged us to keep him at Tarlenheim , but we gave him

56
 m ore m oney and persuaded him to return to tell A ntoinette that
we were doing all we could, and i f possible she should speak som e
words o f co m fo rt to the King, for nothing is worse for the sick
than hopelessness.
W e got an exact statement from Jo h an n about w here the
different people in the castle slept. T h e two o f the Six (now only
Four) w ho were not guarding the K in g lay in a room ju st above.
It was reached by some steps from ju st inside the main door.
M ichael him self had a room in the new castle on the first floor,
and M adam e de M auban had one to o .T h e D uke locked her door
after she had gone in — I understood why after my conversation
with R u p ert. T h e drawbridge was pulled back at night, and only
M ichael had the key.
‘And w here do you sleep?’ I asked Joh ann .
i n the entrance hall o f the new castle, sir, w ith the other
servants.’
‘Listen,’ I said. ‘I have promised you tw enty thousand silver
pieces. You shall have fifty thousand i f you will do what I ask o f
you tom orrow night. A t two o ’clo ck in the m orning exactly, you
must open the front door. Say you want some fresh air, or
anything you like. D o not fail by a m om ent.’
‘W ill you be there, sir?’
‘Ask no questions. T h at is all I want you to do.’
‘M ay 1 escape w hen I open the door?’
‘Yes, as quickly as your legs will carry you. O n e thing m ore -
carry this note to M adam e de M auban, and tell her that all our
lives depend on her doing exactly w hat it says.’
T h e man was shaking, but I had to trust to what he had o f
courage and to w hat he had o f honesty. I dared n ot wait, and as I
had failed at the Path to Heaven, I must try the other side.
I then called Sapt and Fritz and explained my plan. Sapt shook
his head.
‘W hy can’t you w ait?’ he asked.

57
 ‘T h e K ing may die.’
‘M ichael will have to act before that happens; is he going to
leave you on the throne?’
i t ’s not only that. Supposing the K ing does live — for two
weeks m ore?’
Sapt bit his m oustache. Fritz put his hand on my shoulder.
‘You are right, R u d o lf,’ he said. ‘Let us go and make the
attempt.’
‘Fritz and I will go,’ said Sapt.‘T h e n i f we fail, and M ichael kills
the K ing — us too — you will still be alive to rule.’
‘N o,’ I said. ‘I have been a deceiver for another. I will not be
one for my ow n profit. I f the K ing is n o t alive on the engagem ent
day, I will tell the world the truth, whatever happens.’
‘You shall go too, my boy,’ said Sapt.
This was my plan:
A strong party under Sapt’s com m and would move quietly up
to the door o f the new castle. I f they m et anyone on the way, they
must kill them , with swords i f possible to avoid noise. W h en
Joh ann opened the door, they would rush in and seize the
servants. At the same m om ent —and the w hole plan depended on
this — a w om an’s cry would ring ou t loud and clear from
A ntoinette de M auban’s room . Again and again she would cry,
‘Help! Help! M ichael, help! It’s R u p e rt H entzaui’ T h en M ichael,
we hoped, would rush out o f his room near by, and fall into the
hands o f Sapt and his m en. Still the cries would go on. M y m en,
getting the key from M ichael, would send the drawbridge across.
It would be strange i f R u p ert, hearing his nam e being used
falsely, did not run down from his room and cross the bridge to
see what the m atter was. D e G autet m ight or m ight n ot com e
w ith him; we had to leave that to chance.
And w hen R u p e rt was on the bridge? T h at was my part. I was
going to swim in the moat again and hide by the bridge. R u p e rt
— and de G autet, i f he cam e too — would be killed by m e in the

58
 dark. T h ere would be only two men left, and we would have the
keys. W e must rush into the room w here D etchard and B ersonin
were, and trust, in the general confusion, that they would defend
themselves instead o f obeying their orders to kill the K ing first.
T h ere was a further chance that, hearing what he im agined to be
a quarrel betw een M ichael and R u p e rt, D etchard would leave
only Bersonin to guard the King, and cross the drawbridge
him self to help M ichael.
T h at was the plan — and only a lack o f any other ideas drove
us to it. To hide our preparations a little, I had the w hole o f the
Castle o f Tarlenheim brightly lit, as i f we were dancing and
enjoying ourselves.
I ordered M arshal Strakencz, i f we did not return by m orning,
to march openly to the Castle o f Zenda, demand to see the King,
and i f he did not see him , to take Flavia with him to Strelsau at
once and announce that she was Q u een , telling the country that
Black M ichael had killed the King.
To tell the truth, that was w hat I thought most likely to
happen, since I did not think that M ichael, the K ing or I had
m ore than another day to live.
It was late w hen we had finished m aking our arrangements, so
I went to say good night to Flavia. 1 to o k o ff a ring I had - a
family ring — and gave it to her.
‘W ear that ring even though you will wear another w hen you
are Q u een ,’ I said.
‘W hatever else I wear, I will wear this until I die,’ said she, as
she kissed the ring. And there were tears in her eyes and in mine.

C h apter 11 R u p ert and M ichael

T h e night was fine and clear. I had wished for bad weather like I
had on my first trip, but it was not to be. I thought, though, that

59
by keeping close under the wall o f the old castle I should not be
seen from the windows o f the new building across the m oat.T h ey
m ight search the m oat, but it was unlikely. Johan n had told m e
that the big pipe had been strengthened, and could n ot be moved.
Even i f Joh an n was n ot loyal to us, he did not know my plan and
would expect to see m e w ith my friends at the front door w hen
he opened it at two o ’clock.
At m idnight Sapt’s party left, going secretly through the woods
to the Castle o f Zenda. If all w ent well, they would be at the front
door at a quarter to two. I f the door was n ot opened, Fritz would
go round the oth er side o f the castle and m eet me, if I was still
alive. I f I failed to m eet him , they were to return to Tarlenheim ,
collect as m uch force as possible, and attack the castle. For if I was
n ot there to m eet Fritz, 1 would be dead. And that would mean
that the King, too, would be killed a few seconds after me.
I m yself set ou t alone. I was w arm ly dressed, for there was no
need to beco m e so cold in the w ater o f the m oat that I m ight
be unable to do my part properly. I carried a light rope and a
small silk ladder to help m e to get out o f the m oat. I w ent a
shorter way than the others; at about h a lf past twelve I got o ff
my horse and tied it to a tree out o f sight, and then w ent down
to the moat.
I tied the rope to a tree trunk, and let myself into the water. As
I began to swim slowly along, I heard the castle clo ck strike a
quarter to one. A fter a few minutes I cam e to the Path to Heaven,
in the shadow o f w hich I waited. Ten yards away I could see the
drawbridge; it was still in its place. I could see, on the other side
o f the m oat, the windows o f the D u k e’s and M adam e de
M auban’s rooms, i f Johan n had explained correctly.
Suddenly the D u k e’s w indow becam e bright. It was open, and
A ntoinette herself looked out. I wanted to cry ,‘R e m e m b e r!’ but
I dared not. A m om ent later a man cam e up and stood beside her;
she ju m p ed away from him , and then I heard a low laugh. It was

60
 R u p ert! A m om ent afterwards I saw him . H e was w hispering to
Antoinette.
‘Gently, gently!’ I said quietly.‘Y o u ’re too soon, my boy!’
R u p e rt cam e and looked out. ‘H ang Black M ich ael!’ I heard
him say. i s n ’t the Princess enough for him? Is he to have
everything? W h at the devil do you see in B lack M ichael?’
i f I told him w hat you say—’ she began.
‘Well, tell him ,’ said R u p e rt carelessly. T h e n he suddenly
moved forward and kissed her. H e laughed, and cried, ‘T h e re ’s
som ething to tell h im !’
T h e unhappy woman raised her hands above her head, in
prayer or in hopelessness.
‘D o you know w hat h e ’s promised me, i f I cut the play-actor’s
throat?’ R u p e rt w ent on. ‘H e’ll take the Princess, and I - but I
don’t want to wait, that’s all.’
I heard the noise o f a door opening, and then Black M ich ael’s
voice: ‘W h at are you doing here, sir?’
H e cam e to the window, and to o k R u p e rt by the arm.
‘T h e m oat can hold m ore than the K ing,’ said Black M ichael
angrily.
‘D o you threaten me, my lord?’ asked R u p e rt daringly.
‘A threat is m ore w arning than m ost m en get from m e,’
answered M ichael.
‘But R u d o lf Rassendyll has been m uch threatened, and still
lives.’
‘A m I at fault because my servants make stupid mistakes?’
‘ You have not yet run any risk o f m aking mistakes,’ said R u p e rt
scornfully.
T h e message was as plain as it could possibly be. Black M ichael
had self-control, though. His voice was quite calm as he
answered: ‘Enough, enough! We m ustn’t quarrel, R u p ert. Are
D etchard and B erso n in at their posts?’
‘T h ey are, sir.’

61
 ‘I need you no m ore.’
‘O h , I ’m n ot tired,’ said R u p ert.
‘Sir, please leave us. In ten minutes the drawbridge will be
pulled back and I suppose you don’t want to swim to your bed.’
R u p e rt’s figure disappeared. I heard the door open and shut.
M ichael and A ntoinette were no longer to be see n .T h e n I heard
R u p e rt’s voice from the end o f the bridge.
‘D e G autet, unless you want a bath before your bed, com e
along!’
A m om ent later the two m en crossed the drawbridge, and as
soon as they were over, it was pulled back. T h e clo ck struck a
quarter past one.
I think som e ten minutes had passed w hen I heard a slight
noise near me, beyond the pipe. I was surprised to see that it was
R u p e rt in the doorway o f the old castle. H e cam e towards me,
then clim bed down some steps cut in the wall that I had not
noticed before. H e had a sword betw een his teeth. I f it had been
a m atter o f my life only, I would have swum to m eet him , for I
would have loved to fight it out with him then and there! B u t I
kept m yself back, since it was the K in g ’s life that I was there to
save.
H e swam quietly and easily across the m oat, and clim bed up
by the gate to the new castle. I heard him u nlock the door, and
then he disappeared inside. Clearly there were other plans as well
as m ine being acted on in the castle that night.
It im m ediately cam e to my m ind that whatever evil act
R u p e rt was busy w ith, the fact that he was out o f the old castle
was a great advantage to me. It left only three m en for m e to deal
with. Ah! I f I only had the keys!
T here was still a light in A ntoinette’s window, but M ich ael’s
was dark. H e was no doubt fast asleep in bed by now. T h e n , from
across the m oat, I heard the sound o f a door being unlocked —
slowly and quietly. I was ju st asking m yself w hat on earth it was

62
 w hen I got the answer. B efore my friends could be near the main
door o f the new castle, before Joh an n would have thought to go
near to open it, there was a sudden crash from A n toin ette’s room .
It sounded as though som eone had thrown down a lamp; at the
same m om ent the room went dark. T h en a cry rang out loud
through the n ig h t:‘Help! Help! M ichael, help!’
Angry that I could do nothing, I clim bed up the stone steps
and stood in the gateway o f the old castle. At least, no one could
com e in or out w ithout m eeting me.
T h ere was another cry from A ntoinette. T h e n M ich ael’s door
was thrown open, and I heard the D u k e’s voice shouting: ‘O pen
the door! In G o d ’s name, w hat’s the matterP’T h ere was the sound
o l a door handle being twisted fiercely. H e was answered in the
very words I had w ritten in my letter: ‘Help, M ichael! It’s R u p e rt
H entzau!’
I heard the door broken open, then the ringing sound o f
crossed swords. At the same tim e, a w indow above my head
opened, and D e G autet’s voice cried out, ‘W h a t’s the m atter?’ It
all happened so quickly that it is impossible to tell it clearly.
Everything seemed to happen at the same time. A n toin ette’s
window was throw n open, and I heard the cry o f a wounded
man. T h e n R u p e rt appeared in sight, his back to the window, and
he was fighting hard.
‘Ah, Joh an n , th ere’s one for you! C o m e on, M ich ael!’
Joh ann was there, then, com e to save the Duke! H ow would
he open the front door?
‘H elp !’ cried the D u k e’s voice, weak and faint.
T h ere were footsteps on the stairs behind me, but before
anyone cam e out, I saw R u p e rt w ith five or six men round him.
Suddenly he ju m p ed onto the window, and remained there for a
second, laughing like a man, drunk w ith blood. T h en he threw
him self straight into the moat.
At the same m om ent, de G autet’s face appeared in the door

63
beside me. I struck at him w ith all my strength, and he fell dead
in the doorway. Q u ick ly I searched him for the keys. At last I had
them . T h ere were only three. I tried one in the door leading to
the K in g ’s room . It was the right one! I unlocked the door as
quietly as I could, passed through, and relocked it behind me.
T h ere were some steps in front o f m e as I saw from an oil-lam p
on the wall. I to o k down the lamp and listened.
‘W hatever is it?’ I heard a voice say from behind a door that
faced m e at the bo tto m o f the stairs. A nother answ ered:‘Shall we
kill him ?’
T h ere was a pause — terrible enough for m e — then D etchard
said:‘W ait a bit. T h e re ’ll be trouble i f we do it too soon.’
A m om ent later I heard the door being unlocked, and I put
out the lamp, replacing it on the wall.
i t ’s dark,’ B ersonin said. ‘T h e lam p’s out. Give m e that one.’
T h e m om en t for action had arrived.
I rushed down the steps and threw m yself at the door, w hich
swung open. B erson in stood there, sword in hand. D etchard was
sitting on a chair. In his surprise at seeing me, B erson in fell back
a step or two. D etchard jum p ed to his sword. I rushed at the
Belgian, and drove him against the wall. H e was a brave man, but
no swordsman, and in a m om ent he lay on the floor before me. I
turned. D etchard was not there. Follow ing orders, he had n ot
risked a fight w ith me, but had run straight into the inner room
and locked the door behind him. Even now he was at his work
inside.
And surely he would have killed the K ing, and perhaps m e too,
if it had not been for one loyal man w ho gave his life for the
King. W h en I broke the door in, the sight I saw was this. T h e
K ing stood in the co rn er o f the room . Weak from his sickness, he
could do nothing but move his tied hands uselessly up and down;
he was even laughing like a man going crazy. D etchard and the
doctor were in the middle o f the room , and the d octor had

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 thrown h im self on the murderer. H e held D etchard ’s arms to his
sides for a m om ent. T h en D etchard forced him self free and, as I
entered, he drove his sword through the unfortunate man.
T h en he turned on me, crying: ‘At last!’
W e were sword to sword. B y a happy chance neither he nor
B ersonin had been wearing their revolvers. I found them
afterwards on a shelf near the door; my sudden rush had
prevented them from reaching them . Yes, we were man to man;
and we began to fight silently and hard. H e was a better
swordsman than I, and slowly he forced m e back against the wall.
I saw a smile on his face, and he w ounded m e in the left arm.
I deserve no praise for w inning the fight, since he was the best
swordsman I have ever m et and he would certainly have killed me
and then done his m urderer’s w ork i f we had been alone. B u t ju st
then, the K ing, weak as he was, began ju m p in g up and down,
crying: i t ’s B ro th er R u d o lf! I’ll help you, B roth er R u d o lf!’ H e
picked up a chair and cam e towards us.
‘C o m e o n !’ I c r ie d .‘C o m e on! D rive it against his legs.’
T h e K ing laughed and came forward, holding the chair in
front o f him.
W ith an angry cry, D etchard ju m p ed back, and before I knew
what he was doing, had turned his sword against the King. He
made one fierce cut, and the K ing, w ith a cry, dropped to the
floor. T h e n D etchard was at m e again, but his ow n hand had
prepared his destruction; as he turned he stepped in the blood
flowing from the dead doctor.
H e slipped and fell. B efore he could stand again I was on him ,
and I drove my point through his neck. H e fell heavily across the
body o f the loyal doctor.
Was the K in g dead? It was my first thought. I rushed to w here
he lay, and tried to listen to his heart, but ju st then I heard a sound
that brought m e to my feet in a second. It was the drawbridge
being pulled across. I would be caught like a rat in a trap, and the

65
K ing w ith me, i f he was still alive. H e must take his chance now.
As I passed into the other room , I saw the revolvers, and took
one. At the door o f the outer room I paused to listen. W h o was
pushing the drawbridge across? M y friends? I would have given
the world to hear Sapt’s voice, as I stood there trying to get my
breath and tying up my w ound w ith a piece torn from my shirt.
T hinking that I could defend the narrow door at the top o f
the steps better than this one, I dragged m yself up there and
paused again.
T h en cam e a strange sound — strange for the tim e and place.
It was an easy, scornful laugh — the laugh o f young R u p e rt
Hentzau! I could hardly believe that any man could laugh, but it
told m e that my m en had not com e, for they would have shot
R u p e rt before this. T h e clock struck half past two! M y God! T h e
door had n ot been opened! T h ey had gone to the place w here I
had to m eet Fritz and n ot found me! B y now I supposed they
were back at Tarlenheim w ith the news o f the K in g ’s death — and
mine.

C hapter 12 Face to Face in the Forest

For a m om ent or two I sank discouraged against the door. T h en

I ju m p ed up again, as R u p ert cried: ‘Well, the bridge is there!
C om e over it! L e t’s see B lack M ichael. K eep back, you dogs!
M ichael, com e and fight for h er!’
If there was to be a fight, I m ight still do som ething, so I
turned the key in the main door and looked out.
It was a strange scene. At the far end o f the bridge was a group
o f the D u k e’s servants, some holding lights, others armed with
old-fashioned steel w eapons.They were pale and frightened; all in
fact, afraid at the sight o f R u p e rt standing in the middle o f the
bridge, his sword in his hand. At the back I saw Joh an n holding a

66
cloth to a w ound in his face. T h ey dared not move forward.
B y a lucky chance I was master. T h e frightened servants would
not oppose m e any more than they dared attack R u p ert. I had
only to raise my revolver to shoot him dead, since he had no idea
that I was there. B u t I did nothing — why, I hardly know to this
day. I had killed one man from behind that night, and another by
luck rather than skill - perhaps it was that. Also, evil as the man
was, I did not like being one o f a crowd against him - perhaps it
was that. B u t stronger than either o f these feelings was one o f
curiosity. I ju st wanted to see what would happen.
"M ichael, you dog! I f you can stand, com e o n !’ cried R u p ert.
T h e answer to this cam e in the wild cry o f a w o m an :‘H e’s dead!
M y G od, h e’s dead!’
‘D ead !’ shouted R u p ert, i struck better than I knew.’ And he
laughed victoriously. T h en he w ent on: ‘D ow n with your
weapons there! I ’m your master now. D ow n w ith them , I say!’
I believe they would have obeyed, but as he spoke distant
shouts and knockings cam e from the other side o f the new castle.
My heart ju m p ed w ith joy. It must be my m en, com e by a
fortunate disobedience to find me. T h e noise continued, but no
one seemed to pay attention, for ju st then A ntoinette herself
pushed through the servants and cam e on to the bridge. She was
in a loose w hite nightdress, her dark hair streamed over her
shoulders, h er face was deathly pale and her eyes shone wildly. In
her shaking hands she held a revolver, w hich she raised and fired
at R u p ert. T h e shot missed him and struck the w ooden door
above my head.
‘W ell, madam,’ laughed R u p e rt,‘i f your eyes had been no m ore
dangerous than your shooting, I should n o t be in this position -
nor Black M ichael dead — tonight!’
She tried to calm herself, and aimed at him steadily. He would
be crazy to risk it. T h in k in g he would run towards me, I aimed
my own revolver at him .

67
 B u t crying, ‘I cannot kill w here I ’ve kissed,’ R u p e rt jum p ed
over the bridge into the m oat. At the same m om en t I heard a rush
o f feet, and a voice I knew — it was Sapt’s — shout: ‘God! It’s the
D uke — dead!’
T h en I knew that the K in g needed m e no m ore and, throw ing
away my revolver, I ju m p ed onto the bridge. T h ere was a cry o f
surprise from the group o f servants — ‘T h e K in g !’ — and then I,
like R u p ert, ju m p ed into the moat.
I saw him fifteen yards ahead. H e swam easily and well. I was
tired out and w ounded. I could not go so fast. As we reached the
corn er o f the castle wall, I called out to h im :‘Stop, R u p ert, stop!’
I saw him lo o k over his shoulder, but he didn’t stop, nor did he
recognize m e in the dark. T h ere was no way to clim b out ot the
m oat except by the rope that I had tied to the tree. R u p e rt m ight
find it, or he m ight not.
I soon knew. I heard him say:‘H ow the devil did this get here?’
T h en he took hold o f the rope and pulled him self out. At the
same m om ent I arrived, and he saw me.
‘H ullo! W h o ’s here?’ he cried in surprise. ‘W hy, it’s the play­
actor! H ow did you arrive here, m an?’
I took hold o f the rope, but 1 paused. H e stood on the bank,
sword in hand, and he could cut my head open as 1 cam e up.
‘Never mind,’ said I , ‘but as I am here, I think I’ll stay.’
H e smiled down at me. ‘T hese w om en —’ he began; w hen
suddenly the great bell o f the castle started to ring, and a loud
shout reached us. R u p e rt waved his hand to me.
i would like a fight w ith you, but it’s a little to o dangerous,’
said he, and o ff he went.
In a second I was clim bing the rope. I was up. I saw him thirty
yards away, running like a deer towards the shelter o f the forest.
For once R u p e rt preferred wisdom to daring. I rushed after him ,
calling him to stand and fight. H e w ould not. U nw ounded and
strong, he got farther and farther from m e at every step; but

68
forgetting everything in the world except him and my thirst for
his blood, I continued, and soon the deep shades o f the forest o f
Zenda swallowed us both.
It was three o ’clock now, and day was breaking. I was on a long
straight grass path, and a hundred yards in front ran young
R u p ert. H e looked over his shoulder and waved scornfully, since
he saw that I could not catch him. A m om ent later he disappeared
from my sight, and I thought it was all over.
I was ju st sinking to the ground from tiredness w hen I heard
a cry ring through the forest —a w om an’s cry. W ith the last o f my
strength, I ran on, and saw him again. H e was in the act o f lifting
a girl down from her horse. It was her cry I had heard. She was a
farm er’s daughter, I thought, on the way to Zenda market. He
treated her gently, gave her a kiss and som e money, but did not
leave immediately. H e waited for me.
‘W h at did you do in the castle?’ he asked as I cam e near,
i killed three o f your friends,’ said I.
‘W hat! You got to the K in g ’s room ?’
‘Yes, and I pray that he still lives. I killed D etchard.’
‘You fo o l!’ he said pleasantly.
‘O n e thing m ore I did, I did not kill you w hen I could have.
I was behind you on the bridge w ith a revolver in my hand.’
‘T h en I was betw een two fires?’
‘G et o ff your horse,’ I said, ‘and fight like a man.’
‘W hat? In front o f a lady?’ he laughed.
T h e n , in my anger, hardly know ing w hat I did, I rushed at
him. H e froze for a m om ent, and I struck at him w ith my sword.
I reached his face, and he was surprised by my fierceness. B u t
before he could ride at m e and finish m e off, there was a shout
from behind me, and I saw a man on a horse. It was Fritz von
Tarlenheim , and he was riding hard. R u p e rt knew that the game
was over. H e cried: ‘Goodbye, R assendyll!’
And w ith his face streaming blood, he bowed to me and rode

69
o ff at full speed. Fritz fired a shot at him , and struck his sword,
w hich fell to the ground. Away he rode, and I watched him go;
he was laughing, and once he turned to wave his hand. So he
disappeared — careless but careful, graceful but w ithout honour,
g ood -looking but evil, evil but unbeaten.
I threw my sword on the ground and cried to Fritz to go after
him. B u t Fritz stopped his horse, ju m p ed down and ran to me.
And it was tim e, because the wound D etchard had given m e was
bleeding again.
‘T h en give m e the horse,’ I cried and, trying to get to my feet,
I fell full length on the ground. Fritz knelt beside me.
‘F ritz!’ I said.
‘Yes, friend,’ he answered, as gently as a woman.
i s the K ing alive?’
He wiped my lip s.‘Thanks to the bravest gentlem an that lives,’
said he softly, ‘the K in g is alive.’
The little farm girl stood by us, crying from fear and
confusion, and I tried to cheer but could not. T ired and cold, I
ju st laid my head back in Fritz’s arm and fell asleep.

I learned afterwards the full story o f what happened on that night

in the Castle o f Zenda. A ntoinette told how there had been
quarrels betw een R u p ert and M ichael about her before, and this
last one was only one o f many. R u p e rt, com in g to her room
when he knew that M ichael had gone, made her cry out for help
before the planned time. At first this seem ed to have ruined our
hopes, but as it happened it helped them . R u p e rt and M ichael
had fought, but R u p e rt had ju m p ed from the w indow w ithout
know ing that he had killed his master. As for Sapt and Fritz, they
had arrived at the castle door as arranged, and had waited until
half past two. T h e n , according to my orders, Sapt had sent Fritz
to search the banks o f the moat. I was not there. H urrying back,

70
Fritz told Sapt, w ho wanted to ride back at full speed to
Tarlenheim , as I had said. Fritz, though, would not hear o f it,
orders or no orders. So they sent a party back to Tarlenheim to
fetch the Marshal, while the rest attacked the door o f the new
castle. T h ey broke in ju st as A ntoinette was firing at R u p ert. T h e
first door they cam e to was that of M ich ael’s room , and there was
the D uke lying dead.
Sapt and Fritz then crossed the bridge, not know ing w hat had
happened to m e or the King, since A ntoinette could tell them
nothing except that she had seen m e on the bridge. At last they
reached the outer room and found the Belgian, Bersonin, lying
dead, and Sapt said: ‘T hank G od, he has been here.’ W h en they
found D etchard and the doctor, and the K ing also seemingly
dead, at first they thought it was all over. B u t Sapt, w ho knew
more o f wounds and the signs o f death than I, recognized that the
King was not badly hurt and would soon be well again.
T h e n Fritz was sent to lo o k for m e — Sapt dared send no one
else, and how he found m e you have heard. Fritz was guided by
the shout w hich I made, calling on R u p e rt to stop. And I think a
man has never been m ore glad to find his own brother alive than
was Fritz to find me.
It now only remained to make sure that the secret was kept.
A ntoinette and Joh an n swore to say nothing. Fritz, it was said, had
ridden o ff to find the K in g ’s friend, held by the D uke in the
Castle o f Zenda. T h e King, having saved his friend, had been
wounded almost to death, and lay at Zenda. T h e Princess was
ordered to rem ain at Tarlenheim until the K ing could com e to
her. So ran Sapt’s story, and it was believed every where. T h e only
thing to upset it was a force that often defeats the cleverest o f
plans — I m ean the pleasure o f a woman.
For whatever the K ing m ight com m and (or Sapt for him ), the
Princess Flavia refused to remain at Tarlenheim while her lover
was w ounded at Zenda. So she drove in her carriage behind

71
 Marshal Strakencz, w ho tried w ithout success to make her stay at
hom e. In this way she cam e to the edge o f the forest, w here I still
lay. Ju st as I awoke from my faint, I saw her and, understanding
what I ought to do, I tried to hide behind a bush. W e had
forgotten the farm girl, though. She ran to the Princess, crying:
‘M adam, the K ing is here — in the bushes!’
‘N onsense, child,’ said old Marshal Strakencz, ‘T h e K ing lies
w ounded at the castle over there.’
‘Yes, sir, I know h e ’s wounded,’ said the g irl,‘but h e ’s here w ith
C ou n t Fritz von Tarlenheim , n ot at the castle.’
T h e girl told w hat she had seen, and Flavia, sm iling at her,
clim bed down from her carriage to see w ho the gentlem an was
that looked like the K ing. At that m om ent Sapt appeared, riding
from the castle, and tried to persuade the Princess to continue her
journey.
‘Every fine gentlem an is a king to girls like this,’ he said.
‘Why, h e ’s as like the K in g as one bean to another!’ cried the
girl in surprise.
T h e M arshal’s face asked unspoken questions. Flavia, too,
looked round at them . D ou b t spread quickly.
i ’ll see this man,’ said Flavia.
‘T h en com e alone,’ whispered Sapt.
She was obedient to the strangeness o f his voice, and told the
Marshal and the others to wait. She and Sapt cam e forward on
foot towards w here we lay. Sapt waved the farm girl away. I could
n ot lo o k at her, and buried my face in my hands. Fritz knelt by
me, his hand on my shoulder.
i t is he! Are you hurt?’ was Flavia’s cry, h alf o f joy, h alf o f fear.
She sat on the ground by me, and gently pulled my hands
away.
i t is the K in g !’ she said. ‘W hy did you try to deceive me ju st
now, C o lo n el?’
N o one answered her, and I kept my eyes on the ground. T h e n

72
she put her arm on m in e .‘R u d o lf—’ she began.
i t is n o t the King,’ said Sapt. His voice was almost gentle.
F ritz’s pale face told her that it was true.
‘B u t it is R u d o lf, m y love,’ she cried.
i t is your love, madam, but n ot the King. T h e K ing lies there
in the Castle o f Zenda.’
‘L o o k at me, R u d o lf,’ she cried. ‘W h y do you let them say such
things?’
T h e n I spoke, lo okin g into h er eyes.
‘G od forgive me, madam,’ I said. ‘I am n o t the King.’
H er face w ent even whiter. She looked at Sapt, at Fritz, then
again at m e .T h e n she fell forward and fainted. I laid her softly on
the ground, deeply unhappy that R u p e rt’s sword had left m e alive
to bear this.

C hapter 13 I f Love Were All!

It was night, and I was in the little room w hich had been the
K ing’s prison. Fritz had brought m e here secretly. Joh an n had ju st
com e in w ith som e supper and he told m e w hat was going on in
the castle. W h en I was tired o f Jo h a n n ’s talk, I sent him away, and
Fritz cam e to visit me. H e said the K in g wanted to see me, so we
crossed the drawbridge and entered the room that had been
Black M ich ael’s.
T h e K in g was lying there in bed. T h e d octor (Fritz’s friend
from Tarlenheim ) said the visit must be a short one. T h e K ing
held out his hand and shook m ine. Fritz and the d octor w ent to
the window. I to o k the K in g ’s ring from my finger and placed it
on his.
‘I have tried not to dishonour it, sire,’ said I.
‘I can ’t talk m uch,’ he said in a weak voice. ‘I wanted to keep
you here w ith me, but Sapt and the M arshal say it is impossible,

73
and that the secret must be kept.’
‘T hey are right, sire. Let m e go. M y w ork here is done.’
‘Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it. W h en
they see m e again, I shall have my beard on; I shall be changed
w ith sickness. But I shall try to let them find m e changed in
nothing but appearance. You have shown m e how to be a king.’
His eyelids closed. H e was tired. I kissed his hand, and Fritz
cam e to lead m e away. I have never seen the K ing since.
Outside, Fritz did not turn the way we had com e, but went
another way.
‘W here are we going?’ I asked.
‘She has sent for you. W hen it is over, com e back to the bridge.
I'll wait there.’
‘W hat does she want?’ I asked breathlessly. H e shook his head.
‘D oes she know everything?’
‘Yes, everything.’
H e opened a door, gently pushed m e in, and left me. It was a
room filled w ith beautiful furniture, and in the middle o f it stood
the Princess. I walked up to her and fell on one knee and kissed
her hand. T h e n , before I knew what I was saying, the word cam e
out: ‘Flavia!’
She shook a little as I rose to my feet and faced her.
‘D o n ’t stand, don’t stand!’ she cried. ‘You m ustn’t! Y ou ’re hurt.
Sit down here — on this chair.’
She gently made m e sit, and put her hand on my forehead.
‘H ow hot your head is!’ she said.
I had com e to beg for her forgiveness, but som ehow love gives
to even a dull man the know ledge o f his lover’s heart. So all I said
was: ‘I love you w ith all my heart and soul!’
For what troubled and shamed her? N o t her love for me, but
the fear that I had pretended to love her as I had pretended to be
the King.
i love you,’ I repeated.‘T here will never be another woman in

74
the world for me. B u t G od forgive m e the w rong I ’ve d on e!’
‘T h ey made you do it,’ she said q u ic k ly .it m ight have made no
difference i f I ’d know n. It was always you that I loved, never the
King.’
‘I tried to tell you — you rem em ber w hen Sapt interrupted us
on the night o f the dance at Strelsau?’
i know,’ she answered softly.‘T h ey have told m e all.’
i am going away tonight,’ I said.
‘N o, no, no! N o t tonight!’
i must, before m ore people have seen me. And how could I
stay—’
i f I could co m e w ith you!’ she whispered.
‘D o n ’t,’ I cried, almost roughly, and moved away from her.
‘You are right, R u d o lf, dear,’ she said, i f love were all, I would
follow you to the w orld’s end. B u t is love the only thing? If it
were, you would have left the K ing to die in his prison.’
‘I nearly did it, Flavia,’ I whispered.
‘B u t honou r did not let you. W om en too must behave
honourably, R u d o lf. M y honour lies in being loyal to my country.
I shall always wear your ring.’
‘And I yours,’ I answered. T h e n I said goodbye and left her. I
heard h er saying my nam e over and over again . . .
R apidly I walked down to the bridge. Sapt and Fritz were
both there. I rode o ff w ith them through the forest. We cam e to
a little station on the other side o f the border, and had to wait for
a train. W e talked in low voices o f this and that, then suddenly
Fritz to o k o ff his hat, seized my hand and kissed it before I could
prevent him.
‘Heaven doesn’t always make the right m en kings,’ he said,
trying to laugh.
O ld Sapt’s m outh twisted as he shook my hand.
‘T h e devil,’ said he, ‘has his share in most things.’
T h e train cam e, and I got in .T h ere were a few people around.

75
and they looked curiously at us, as Sapt and Fritz, their hats in
their hands, said goodbye. Perhaps they thought it was some great
man travelling privately. T h ey would have been disappointed if
they had know n that it was only I, R u d o lf Rassendyll, a younger
son o f an English family. Yet, whatever I was now, I had been
for three m onths a king. Perhaps I did n ot think so m uch o f the
experien ce because as the train moved away from R u ritan ia, I
seemed to hear com ing through the air into my ears and into my
heart the cry o f a w om an’s love - ‘R u d o lf! R u d o lf! R u d o lf !’
I can hear it now.

T h e details o f my return hom e can be o f little interest. I went

straight to the Alps, and spent a quiet ten days there. I sent a
postcard to my brother R o b e rt, telling him that I was soon
com ing back. I let my beard grow again.
W h en I got hom e, R o se was very annoyed that I had w ritten
no b o o k , nor even collected any notes.
‘W e’ve wasted a lot o f tim e trying to find you,’ she said,
i know,’ I said. ‘B u t why? I can take care o f myself.’
i t wasn’t that,’ she answered. ‘B u t I wanted to tell you about
Sir Ja co b Borrodaile. H e’s to be an ambassador, and is ready to
take you w ith him .’
‘W h ere is he going to ?’
‘To Strelsau. I believe it’s a very nice place,’ said R o se,
i d on’t think I want to go,’ I said with som e determ ination.
‘You m ight even b ecom e an ambassador yourself,’ she urged.
‘I d on’t want to b eco m e an ambassador.’
i t ’s m ore than you will ever be,’ she said, annoyed at my
refusal.
T h at is very likely true, but the idea o f being an ambassador
could hardly attract me. I had been a king!
R o se went away, and my brother R o b e r t to o k out a magazine.

76
It had in it a photograph o f the coronation at Strelsau. I sat
silently lo okin g at it.
i t ’s a strange likeness,’ said my brother, looking at m e
curiously, and then looking at the picture o f the King.
I said nothing, because though R o b e r t is one o f the best men
in the world, and I would tell him any secret, this secret was n ot
mine, so I could not tell it.
I have lived quietly since then. O n ce a year, though, I go to a
small tow n this side o f the R uritan ian border. T h ere I m eet Fritz,
now happily m arried to the C ountess Helga, and we spend a
w eek together. I hear all the news o f Strelsau, and often we talk
o f Sapt, the K ing, and o f young R u p e rt. W h en the evenings
com e, we talk at last o f Flavia, because every year Fritz brings me
a red rose, and round it is a piece o f paper with these words
w ritten on it:
‘R u d o lf — Flavia — always.’
I also send the same to her, the w om an w ho is now the Q u een
o f R u ritan ia and will always be the queen o f my heart.
I still exercise m yself w ith a sword, as som ehow I have a feeling
that I w ill m eet young R u p e rt again and we w ill end the fight
that was interrupted in the co o l dark forest o f Zenda.
W h o knows?
 ACTIVITIES

Chapters 1-2

Before you read

1 Look at the Word List at the back o f the book. Answer these
questions.
a W hich o f these w ords are used to talk about kings?
cellar coronation crow n inch m ajesty throne
b W hich of these people are in the army? Which ones w ork for
the governm ent?
am bassador chancellor colonel marshal
c In or around what kind of building w ould you expect to find
these?
cellar draw bridge m oat

While you read

2 Read C hapter 1. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a Rose thinks that Rudolf is wasting his tim e
travelling and should try to do som ething more
useful with his life,
b Ruritania has played only a small part in European
history.
c Rudolf tells his fam ily that he is going to the Alps
because they m ight oppose his plan to visit
Ruritania.
d A ntoinette de Mauban, wife o f the Duke of Strelsau,
is on the same train as Rudolf from Paris to Ruritania.
e In Zenda, Rudolf learns that few Ruritanians know
the new King, and many people prefer his brother.
3 W hat do you know about the King? Tick ( / ) the correct answers,
a He looks very similar to Rudolf, but w ithout the beard.
b He enjoys R udolf’s company.
c He suspects that his brother has poisoned the bottle of
w ine sent as a gift.
d The wine sent by his brother puts him into a deep sleep............
e In the morning he goes to Strelsau to be crowned.

79
A fter you read
4 How do these change?
a the date of the coronation
b R udolf’s plans
c Rudolf the Fifth’s plans
d Black M ichael’s plans
5 W hat is the relationship between:
a M adam e de Mauban and the Duke of Strelsau?
b the Duke o f Strelsau and Rudolf the Fifth?
c Colonel Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim?
d Princess Flavia and Rudolf the Fifth?

Chapters 3 - 4

Before you read

6 Discuss these questions.
a How will Sapt and Fritz prepare Rudolf fo r ‘his coronation’, do
you think?
b How will Black Michael feel when he sees Rudolf take the
throne? W hat do you think he will do?

While you read

7 In w hat order do these events happen in Chapter 3? Number
them, 1-8.
a Sapt ties up Johann’s fat m other and puts a cloth
in her mouth.
b Black Michael comes up to welcom e the new King
but he is shaking uncontrollably,
c Sapt points out tw o im portant men to Rudolf:
Marshal Strakencz, head of the Ruritanian army
and the Chancellor, the King’s chief minister,
d Josef shaves R udolf’s beard off.
e Rudolf, Sapt and Fritz take the train from Hofbau to
Strelsau.

80
 f Rudolf tells Princess Flavia that nothing in his life
has had more effect on him than the events of that
day.
g Rudolf sees Madame de Mauban at a w indow and
reaches fo r his revolver,
h The King is carried into the wine cellar.
8 Who:
a gets bad news from Zenda? ...........................
b leaves the palace dressed as a servant? ...........................
c do Rudolf and Sapt see on the road? ...........................
d is found dead in the cellar with his throat
cut? ...........................
e do Rudolf and Sapt kill? ...........................

A fter you read

9 Who is speaking, and to whom? W hat are they talking about?
a ‘We’ll go w ithout them, take the train at Hofbau instead of
Zenda, and when they come, the bird will have flow n.’
b ‘I know one thing, he w ants w hat I’ve got. And he also wants
som ething w hich I haven’t got yet, but hope to win some
day.’
c ‘How can they tell the truth about you w ithout letting everyone
know w hat th e y’ve done?’
d ‘Well, little Josef will have com pany.’
10 Discuss w hat Sapt thinks will happen if Rudolf does not go back
to Strelsau and sit on the throne. How does Rudolf feel about
S apt’s plan?

Chapters 5 - 6

Before you read

11 Discuss these questions.
a W hat will happen between the Duke and Rudolf when Rudolf
arrives back in Strelsau?
b W hat will happen between the Princess and Rudolf?
c Will the real King escape, be saved or be killed?

81
While you read
12 Circle the correct ending to each sentence,
a Fritz kisses R udolf’s hand,
- knowing who he is.
- thinking that he is the King.
b The Chancellor doesn’t question R udolf’s handwriting because
- he is in a hurry.
- Rudolf has a w ounded finger.
c Sapt and Fritz realise that the King is
- dead.
- being guarded by three of Duke M ichael’s men.
d The Duke knows that Rudolf is not the real King, and so does
- Mr Detchard, the Englishman.
- Princess Flavia.
e M adam e de Mauban sends a letter to Rudolf because, she
says,
- she does not w ant the King to marry Flavia.
- she does not w ant the Duke to becom e King,
f To defeat the Duke’s men, Rudolf first uses
- a tea table.
- a revolver.

A fte r you read

13 What is the Duke’s plan for Rudolf and the King? Why does
Madame de Mauban try to ruin the D uke’s plans?
14 Work w ith another student and have this conversation.
Student A: You are Mr Detchard and you have com e to the
sum m erhouse to kill Rudolf, but you pretend to
w ant to offer him a safe escape across the border.
Introduce yourself and ta lk to him.
Student B: You are Rudolf and you are standing with Madame
de Mauban, looking through the crack in the door at
M r Detchard. You do not trust him. Talk to him.

82
Chapters 7 -9

Before you read

15 Read the titles o f Chapters 7, 8 and 9 on the Contents page and
answer these questions.
a W hose honour m ust be proved, do you think?
b W ho do you think the trap is for?
c What do you think ‘the Path to Heaven’ m ight be?

While you read

16 Answer these questions. Write YES or NO.
a Does Rudolf believe that the Duke and A ntoinette de
Mauban are in Zenda?
b Does Rudolf tell Flavia that he is not the King?
c Does Rudolf go to the Castle of Tarlenheim to hunt pigs?
d Does Michael think that Rudolf w ants to be King and
to marry Flavia?
e Is Michael unable to visit the castle because he is ill?
f Does the girl at the hotel w ant to help the King?
g Does Rupert Hentzau manage to w ound Rudolf?
h Does Johann give Rudolf useful inform ation?
i Does Rudolf kill Johann’s brother?
j Does he kill Rupert Hentzau?
k Is the British am bassador worried about Rudolf?

A fter you read

17 Discuss these questions.
a Is Rudolf really a man of honour? Give reasons fo r your
opinion.
b W hat is the Path to Heaven and how will it be used?
c Why does Rudolf exaggerate the seriousness of his injury?
W hat results from this?
d W hat does the Chief of the Strelsau Police think has happened
to Rudolf? How does Rudolf try to stop further inquiries about
him?

83
Chapters 10-11

Before you read

18 Discuss w hether Rudolf will save the King. If so, how will he do it?
If not, w hat will stop him?

While you read

19 Match the tw o parts of the sentences.
a Rupert suggests that he and R u d o lf...
b Rupert desires the woman who, he thinks, ...
c Rudolf prom ises Johann 50,000 silver pieces f o r ...
d Rudolf thinks that his plan to save the King ...
e Rudolf, thinking that he may die, ...
1) opening the door o f the castle.
2) gives Flavia a ring.
3) should kill both Black Michael and the King.
4) will fail and Flavia will become Queen.
5) w ants to marry Black Michael.
20 Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
a Saft and his men leave at midnight.
b At half past twelve Rudolf arrives at the moat alone,
c Detchard w ounds the King,
d Rudolf kills Detchard.
e Johann has opened the door fo r Sapt and his men.

A fter you read

21 Work with another and have this conversation.
S tudent A: You are Rudolf and you have ju st learned from Johann
that the King is very ill. You cannot w ait any longer;
you must rescue the King. Tell Sapt your plan.
S tudent B: You are Sapt. Ask Rudolf w hy he cannot wait. As you
hear his plan, keep checking to make sure you have
understood correctly.
22 Discuss w hy R udolf’s plan has not worked.

84
Chapters 12-13

Before you read

23 Work with another student and discuss the last tw o chapter
headings. What do you think is going to happen in these
chapters?
C hapter 12 Face to Face in the Forest
Chapter 13 If Love Were All!
24 How do you think the story will end for:
Rudolf? the King? Flavia? Rupert? Antoinette?

While you read

25 Write in the missing words.
a Rupert k ills ............................
b A ntoinette attem pts to k i ll ............................
c Rupert is wounded b y ...........................
d Sapt and Fritz have fo u n d .........................alive.
e ............................ and th e n ............................ tell Flavia that Rudolf
is not the King.
26 Who is speaking? What are they talking about?
a ‘I have tried not to dishonour it, sire.’
b T h e secret m ust be kept.’
c T here will never be another wom an in the world for m e.’
d ‘Women too must behave honourably.’
e ‘Heaven doesn’t always make the right men kings.’
f ‘I believe it’s a very nice place.’
g ‘I d o n ’t w ant to become an am bassador.’
h ‘It’s a strange likeness.’

A fte r yo u read
27 Discuss:
a w hat Rudolf will do in his new, quiet life, and whether he will be
happy w ith it.
b how successful Rudolf the Fifth will be as King of Ruritania,
and w ho will help him govern the country,
c how happy Flavia will be as the King’s wife,
d w hat Rupert Hentzau m ight be doing and planning.

85
28 Compare Rudolf with a popular fictional hero from an adventure
story that you have enjoyed recently. Think about:
- their backgrounds;
- their lifestyles;
- the kind o f adventures they have;
- the women that they fall in love with;
- their weapons and their fights;
- their sense of right and wrong.
29 Imagine that you were making a film of The Prisoner o f Zenda.
Which of to d a y’s actors would you choose to play the main
characters in the story? Where w ould you film the story, and
why?

Writing
30 Write a new spaper report describing the coronation at Strelsau.
Give inform ation about who was there, w hat people wore, the new
King’s ride into the poorer part of the tow n, the people’s reaction
and the ceremony.
31 Write a short information sheet about the fictional country
of Ruritania at the tim e of the story. Include ‘fa c ts ’ about the
cities, the countryside, the governm ent and the lifestyles of the
people.
32 Discuss the idea of the im portance of honour in the book. How
does it affect the events in the story?
33 A t the last meeting between the King and Rudolf, the King says,
‘You have shown me how to be a king.’ Do you think he will be as
good a king as Rudolf was? Why (not)?
34 In Chapter 10, Johann delivers a note from Rudolf to A ntoinette
de Mauban, telling her w hat to do at tw o o ’clock in the morning.
Write this note.
35 Choose one scene from the story and rewrite it, making changes
to the events. How w ould your changes affect the ending of the
novel?
36 Imagine that when Rupert Hentzau dies, Rudolf Rassendyll is
asked to w rite a notice of his death fo r an English newspaper.
Write about Rupert from R udolf’s point of view.

86
37 Write a letter from Princess Flavia to her favourite cousin in
another country, describing her feelings fo r Rudolf, the King and
her country, and begging the cousin to keep Flavia’s secret.
38 Tell the story, in a few paragraphs, from the point o f view of the
King.
39 Write a com parison of Colonel S apt and Fritz von Tarlenheim.
Why do you think Fritz, not Sapt, continues to meet Rudolf every
year?

A nsw ers fo r th e A c tiv itie s in this b o o k are available fro m th e P e n g u in R e a d e rs w ebsite.

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 WORD LIST

ambassador (n) an im p o rta n t o ffic ia l th at a g o v e r n m e n t sends to

a n o th e r c o u n tr y to m a n a g e its rela tio n s w ith th a t c o u n try
approval (n) a g re e m e n t th at s o m e o n e o r s o m e th in g is a cce p ta b le
bow (v) to b e n d th e to p p art o f y o u r b o d y fo rw ard as a sign o f resp ect
carriage (n) a v e h ic le p u lled by ho rses
cellar (n) a ro o m u n d e r a h o u se
chancellor (n) th e h ead o f th e g o v e r n m e n t in so m e c o u n trie s
colonel (n) an o ffic e r w ith a h ig h p o s itio n in th e a rm y
companion (n) s o m e o n e w h o y o u sp en d a lo t o f tim e w ith
conscience (n) th e feelin g s th at tell y o u w h e th e r y o u r a ctio n s are
m o ra lly rig h t o r w ro n g
coronation (n) a c e r e m o n y at w h ic h s o m e o n e o ffic ia lly b e c o m e s k in g
o r queen

countess (n) a w o m a n w ith a h ig h so cial p o s itio n b e ca u se o f h e r

fa th e rs o r h e r h u sb an d s title
crown (n/v) a c irc le o f g o ld and je w e ls w o r n b y k in g s and q u e e n s o n
th e ir head s; w h e n s o m e o n e is cro w n e d , th e y b e c o m e th e n e w k in g
o r qu een
determined (adj) w a n tin g to do s o m e th in g v e ry m u c h , so y ou w ill n o t
le t a n y o n e o r a n y th in g sto p y ou
disobedience (n) refusal to o b e y a p e rso n , law o r ru le
drawbridge (n) a b r id g e th at can b e p u lled up to sto p p e o p le e n te r in g
a castle
duke (n) a m a n w ith th e h ig h est so cial p o s itio n b e lo w a p rin c e
earnest (adj) v e ry serio u s, and b e lie v in g in th e im p o r ta n c e o f w h a t you
say
fierce (adj) a p p e a rin g v io le n t o r a n g ry and read y to attack
inch (n) a m ea su re o f le n g th eq u al to 2 .5 4 c e n tim e tr e s
lodge (n) a sm all h o u se at th e e n tra n c e to a b ig g e r b u ild in g
majesty (n) a w o rd used to talk to o r a b o u t a k in g o r q u e e n (y o u r/
h is /h e r m ajesty); sire is a n o th e r fo r m o f address fo r a k in g o r
qu een

marshal (n) an a rm y o ffic e r o f th e h ig h e st lev el

merry (adj) happy and cheerful
moat (n) a deep, wide hole, usually filled with water, dug around a
castle to protect it
procession (n) a line o f people or vehicles moving slowly as part o f a
ceremony
rank (n) the level o f social class
revolver (n) a type o f small gun
scorn (n) an opinion that someone or something is stupid or worthless
silk (n) soft, fine cloth made from a substance produced by a kind o f
small animal
throne (n) the chair that a king or queen sits on; the position and
power o f being king or queen
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This collection brings together some of the best examples of short

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These include several suspicious deaths, the mystery of the
engineer with the missing thumb, and the strange case of the two
men who share a very unusual name.

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film adaptations, modern-day crime and adventure, short stories,
biographies, American classics, non-fiction, plays ...
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Longman Dictionaries
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 The Prisoner of Zenda

Rudolf Rassendyll, a daring young Englishman looking for

adventure, arrives in Ruritania for the new king's coronation. The
two men meet by chance the day before and are shocked to find
that they look exactly the samel A trick leaves Rudolf in the king's
place while the king becomes the Prisoner of Zenda.

Pengurn Reoders ore simplified texts which provide o step by step

opprooch to the joys of reading for pleosure.

LH
M
fpr
Series Editors: Andy Hopkins and Jocelyn Potter

Easystarts
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200 headwords
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Beginner
Elementory
Pre-lntermediote
Level 4 1700 headwords lntermediote
Level 5 2300 headwords Upper-lntermediote
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C/ossic British English

Number of words (excluding octivities): 25,056

Cover illustratron by @ lames Taylor / www.debutart.com

@, OrO,o CD pock olso ovoiloble