VI + 

The Secret of a Cellar + 

We were in the kingтАЩs dressing roomтБатАФFritz von Tarlenheim, Sapt, and I. I flung myself exhausted into an armchair. Sapt lit his pipe. He uttered no congratulations on the marvellous success of our wild risk, but his whole bearing was eloquent of satisfaction. The triumph, aided perhaps by good wine, had made a new man of Fritz. + 

тАЬWhat a day for you to remember!тАЭ he cried. тАЬGad, IтАЩd like to be king for twelve hours myself! But, Rassendyll, you mustnтАЩt throw your heart too much into the part. I donтАЩt wonder Black Michael looked blacker than everтБатАФyou and the princess had so much to say to one another.тАЭ + 

тАЬHow beautiful she is!тАЭ I exclaimed. + 

тАЬNever mind the woman,тАЭ growled Sapt. тАЬAre you ready to start?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ said I, with a sigh. + 

It was five oтАЩclock, and at twelve I should be no more than Rudolf Rassendyll. I remarked on it in a joking tone. + 

тАЬYouтАЩll be lucky,тАЭ observed Sapt grimly, тАЬif youтАЩre not the late Rudolf Rassendyll. By Heaven! I feel my head wobbling on my shoulders every minute youтАЩre in the city. Do you know, friend, that Michael has had news from Zenda? He went into a room alone to read itтБатАФand he came out looking like a man dazed.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm ready,тАЭ said I, this news making me none the more eager to linger. + 

Sapt sat down. + 

тАЬI must write us an order to leave the city. MichaelтАЩs governor, you know, and we must be prepared for hindrances. You must sign the order.тАЭ + 

тАЬMy dear colonel, IтАЩve not been bred a forger!тАЭ + 

Out of his pocket Sapt produced a piece of paper. + 

тАЬThereтАЩs the kingтАЩs signature,тАЭ he said, тАЬand here,тАЭ he went on, after another search in his pocket, тАЬis some tracing paper. If you canтАЩt manage a тАШRudolfтАЩ in ten minutes, whyтБатАФI can.тАЭ + 

тАЬYour education has been more comprehensive than mine,тАЭ said I. тАЬYou write it.тАЭ + 

And a very tolerable forgery did this versatile hero produce. + 

тАЬNow, Fritz,тАЭ said he, тАЬthe king goes to bed. He is upset. No one is to see him till nine oтАЩclock tomorrow. You understandтБатАФno one?тАЭ + 

тАЬI understand,тАЭ answered Fritz. + 

тАЬMichael may come, and claim immediate audience. YouтАЩll answer that only princes of the blood are entitled to it.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩll annoy Michael,тАЭ laughed Fritz. + 

тАЬYou quite understand?тАЭ asked Sapt again. тАЬIf the door of this room is opened while weтАЩre away, youтАЩre not to be alive to tell us about it.тАЭ + 

тАЬI need no schooling, colonel,тАЭ said Fritz, a trifle haughtily. + 

тАЬHere, wrap yourself in this big cloak,тАЭ Sapt continued to me, тАЬand put on this flat cap. My orderly rides with me to the hunting lodge tonight.тАЭ + 

тАЬThereтАЩs an obstacle,тАЭ I observed. тАЬThe horse doesnтАЩt live that can carry me forty miles.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, yes, he doesтБатАФtwo of him: one hereтБатАФone at the lodge. Now, are you ready?тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm ready,тАЭ said I. + 

Fritz held out his hand. + 

тАЬIn case,тАЭ said he; and we shook hands heartily. + 

тАЬDamn your sentiment!тАЭ growled Sapt. тАЬCome along.тАЭ + 

He went, not to the door, but to a panel in the wall. + 

тАЬIn the old kingтАЩs time,тАЭ said he, тАЬI knew this way well.тАЭ + 

I followed him, and we walked, as I should estimate, near two hundred yards along a narrow passage. Then we came to a stout oak door. Sapt unlocked it. We passed through, and found ourselves in a quiet street that ran along the back of the palace gardens. A man was waiting for us with two horses. One was a magnificent bay, up to any weight; the other a sturdy brown. Sapt signed to me to mount the bay. Without a word to the man, we mounted and rode away. The town was full of noise and merriment, but we took secluded ways. My cloak was wrapped over half my face; the capacious flat cap hid every lock of my telltale hair. By SaptтАЩs directions, I crouched on my saddle, and rode with such a round back as I hope never to exhibit on a horse again. Down a long narrow lane we went, meeting some wanderers and some roisterers; and, as we rode, we heard the cathedral bells still clanging out their welcome to the king. It was half-past six, and still light. At last we came to the city wall and to a gate. + 

тАЬHave your weapon ready,тАЭ whispered Sapt. тАЬWe must stop his mouth, if he talks.тАЭ + 

I put my hand on my revolver. Sapt hailed the doorkeeper. The stars fought for us! A little girl of fourteen tripped out. + 

тАЬPlease, sir, fatherтАЩs gone to see the king.тАЭ + 

тАЬHeтАЩd better have stayed here,тАЭ said Sapt to me, grinning. + 

тАЬBut he said I wasnтАЩt to open the gate, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬDid he, my dear?тАЭ said Sapt, dismounting. тАЬThen give me the key.тАЭ + 

The key was in the childтАЩs hand. Sapt gave her a crown. + 

тАЬHereтАЩs an order from the king. Show it to your father. Orderly, open the gate!тАЭ + 

I leapt down. Between us we rolled back the great gate, led our horses out, and closed it again. + 

тАЬI shall be sorry for the doorkeeper if Michael finds out that he wasnтАЩt there. Now then, lad, for a canter. We mustnтАЩt go too fast while weтАЩre near the town.тАЭ + 

Once, however, outside the city, we ran little danger, for everybody else was inside, merrymaking; and as the evening fell we quickened our pace, my splendid horse bounding along under me as though I had been a feather. It was a fine night, and presently the moon appeared. We talked little on the way, and chiefly about the progress we were making. + 

тАЬI wonder what the dukeтАЩs despatches told him,тАЭ said I, once. + 

тАЬAye, I wonder!тАЭ responded Sapt. + 

We stopped for a draught of wine and to bait our horses, losing half an hour thus. I dared not go into the inn, and stayed with the horses in the stable. Then we went ahead again, and had covered some five-and-twenty miles, when Sapt abruptly stopped. + 

тАЬHark!тАЭ he cried. + 

I listened. Away, far behind us, in the still of the eveningтБатАФit was just half-past nineтБатАФwe heard the beat of horsesтАЩ hoofs. The wind blowing strong behind us, carried the sound. I glanced at Sapt. + 

тАЬCome on!тАЭ he cried, and spurred his horse into a gallop. When we next paused to listen, the hoof-beats were not audible, and we relaxed our pace. Then we heard them again. Sapt jumped down and laid his ear to the ground. + 

тАЬThere are two,тАЭ he said. тАЬTheyтАЩre only a mile behind. Thank God the road curves in and out, and the windтАЩs our way.тАЭ + 

We galloped on. We seemed to be holding our own. We had entered the outskirts of the forest of Zenda, and the trees, closing in behind us as the track zigged and zagged, prevented us seeing our pursuers, and them from seeing us. + 

Another half-hour brought us to a divide of the road. Sapt drew rein. + 

тАЬTo the right is our road,тАЭ he said. тАЬTo the left, to the castle. Each about eight miles. Get down.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut theyтАЩll be on us!тАЭ I cried. + 

тАЬGet down!тАЭ he repeated brusquely; and I obeyed. The wood was dense up to the very edge of the road. We led our horses into the covert, bound handkerchiefs over their eyes, and stood beside them. + 

тАЬYou want to see who they are?тАЭ I whispered. + 

тАЬAye, and where theyтАЩre going,тАЭ he answered. + 

I saw that his revolver was in his hand. + 

Nearer and nearer came the hoofs. The moon shone out now clear and full, so that the road was white with it. The ground was hard, and we had left no traces. + 

тАЬHere they come!тАЭ whispered Sapt. + 

тАЬItтАЩs the duke!тАЭ + 

тАЬI thought so,тАЭ he answered. + 

It was the duke; and with him a burly fellow whom I knew well, and who had cause to know me afterwardsтБатАФMax Holf, brother to Johann the keeper, and body-servant to his Highness. They were up to us; the duke reined up. I saw SaptтАЩs finger curl lovingly towards the trigger. I believe he would have given ten years of his life for a shot; and he could have picked off Black Michael as easily as I could a barn-door fowl in a farmyard. I laid my hand on his arm. He nodded reassuringly; he was always ready to sacrifice inclination to duty. + 

тАЬWhich way?тАЭ asked Black Michael. + 

тАЬTo the castle, your Highness,тАЭ urged his companion. тАЬThere we shall learn the truth.тАЭ + 

For an instant the duke hesitated. + 

тАЬI thought I heard hoofs,тАЭ said he. + 

тАЬI think not, your Highness.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy shouldnтАЩt we go to the lodge?тАЭ + 

тАЬI fear a trap. If all is well, why go to the lodge? If not, itтАЩs a snare to trap us.тАЭ + 

Suddenly the dukeтАЩs horse neighed. In an instant we folded our cloaks close round our horsesтАЩ heads, and, holding them thus, covered the duke and his attendant with our revolvers. If they had found us, they had been dead men, or our prisoners. + 

Michael waited a moment longer. Then he cried: + 

тАЬTo Zenda, then!тАЭ and setting spurs to his horse, galloped on. + 

Sapt raised his weapon after him, and there was such an expression of wistful regret on his face that I had much ado not to burst out laughing. + 

For ten minutes we stayed where we were. + 

тАЬYou see,тАЭ said Sapt, тАЬtheyтАЩve sent him news that all is well.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat does that mean?тАЭ I asked. + 

тАЬGod knows,тАЭ said Sapt, frowning heavily. тАЬBut itтАЩs brought him from Strelsau in a rare puzzle.тАЭ + 

Then we mounted, and rode as fast as our weary horses could lay their feet to the ground. For those last eight miles we spoke no more. Our minds were full of apprehension. тАЬAll is well.тАЭ What did it mean? Was all well with the king? + 

At last the lodge came in sight. Spurring our horses to a last gallop, we rode up to the gate. All was still and quiet. Not a soul came to meet us. We dismounted in haste. Suddenly Sapt caught me by the arm. + 

тАЬLook there!тАЭ he said, pointing to the ground. + 

I looked down. At my feet lay five or six silk handkerchiefs, torn and slashed and rent. I turned to him questioningly. + 

тАЬTheyтАЩre what I tied the old woman up with,тАЭ said he. тАЬFasten the horses, and come along.тАЭ + 

The handle of the door turned without resistance. We passed into the room which had been the scene of last nightтАЩs bout. It was still strewn with the remnants of our meal and with empty bottles. + 

тАЬCome on,тАЭ cried Sapt, whose marvellous composure had at last almost given way. + 

We rushed down the passage towards the cellars. The door of the coal cellar stood wide open. + 

тАЬThey found the old woman,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬYou might have known that from the handkerchiefs,тАЭ he said. + 

Then we came opposite the door of the wine cellar. It was shut. It looked in all respects as it had looked when we left it that morning. + 

тАЬCome, itтАЩs all right,тАЭ said I. + 

A loud oath from Sapt rang out. His face turned pale, and he pointed again at the floor. From under the door a red stain had spread over the floor of the passage and dried there. Sapt sank against the opposite wall. I tried the door. It was locked. + 

тАЬWhereтАЩs Josef?тАЭ muttered Sapt. + 

тАЬWhereтАЩs the king?тАЭ I responded. + 

Sapt took out a flask and put it to his lips. I ran back to the dining room, and seized a heavy poker from the fireplace. In my terror and excitement I rained blows on the lock of the door, and I fired a cartridge into it. It gave way, and the door swung open. + 

тАЬGive me a light,тАЭ said I; but Sapt still leant against the wall. + 

He was, of course, more moved than I, for he loved his master. Afraid for himself he was notтБатАФno man ever saw him that; but to think what might lie in that dark cellar was enough to turn any manтАЩs face pale. I went myself, and took a silver candlestick from the dining table and struck a light, and, as I returned, I felt the hot wax drip on my naked hand as the candle swayed to and fro; so that I cannot afford to despise Colonel Sapt for his agitation. + 

I came to the door of the cellar. The red stain turning more and more to a dull brown, stretched inside. I walked two yards into the cellar, and held the candle high above my head. I saw the full bins of wine; I saw spiders crawling on the walls; I saw, too, a couple of empty bottles lying on the floor; and then, away in the corner, I saw the body of a man, lying flat on his back, with his arms stretched wide, and a crimson gash across his throat. I walked to him and knelt down beside him, and commended to God the soul of a faithful man. For it was the body of Josef, the little servant, slain in guarding the king. + 

I felt a hand on my shoulders, and, turning, saw Sapt, eyes glaring and terror-struck, beside me. + 

тАЬThe king? My God! the king?тАЭ he whispered hoarsely. + 

I threw the candleтАЩs gleam over every inch of the cellar. + 

тАЬThe king is not here,тАЭ said I. + 