X + 

A Great Chance for a Villain + 

It was the custom that the Prefect of Police should send every afternoon a report to me on the condition of the capital and the feeling of the people: the document included also an account of the movements of any persons whom the police had received instructions to watch. Since I had been in Strelsau, Sapt had been in the habit of reading the report and telling me any items of interest which it might contain. On the day after my adventure in the summerhouse, he came in as I was playing a hand of ├йcart├й with Fritz von Tarlenheim. + 

тАЬThe report is rather full of interest this afternoon,тАЭ he observed, sitting down. + 

тАЬDo you find,тАЭ I asked, тАЬany mention of a certain fracas?тАЭ + 

He shook his head with a smile. + 

тАЬI find this first,тАЭ he said: тАЬтАКтАШHis Highness the Duke of Strelsau left the city (so far as it appears, suddenly), accompanied by several of his household. His destination is believed to be the Castle of Zenda, but the party travelled by road and not by train. MM.┬аDe Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard followed an hour later, the last-named carrying his arm in a sling. The cause of his wound is not known, but it is suspected that he has fought a duel, probably incidental to a love affair.тАЩтАКтАЭ + 

тАЬThat is remotely true,тАЭ I observed, very well pleased to find that I had left my mark on the fellow. + 

тАЬThen we come to this,тАЭ pursued Sapt: тАЬтАКтАШMme.┬аde Mauban, whose movements have been watched according to instructions, left by train at midday. She took a ticket for DresdenтБатАФтАЩтАКтАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs an old habit of hers,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬтАКтАШThe Dresden train stops at Zenda.тАЩ An acute fellow, this. And finally listen to this: тАШThe state of feeling in the city is not satisfactory. The king is much criticizedтАЩ (you know, heтАЩs told to be quite frank) тАШfor taking no steps about his marriage. From enquiries among the entourage of the Princess Flavia, her Royal Highness is believed to be deeply offended by the remissness of his Majesty. The common people are coupling her name with that of the Duke of Strelsau, and the duke gains much popularity from the suggestion.тАЩ I have caused the announcement that the king gives a ball tonight in honour of the princess to be widely diffused, and the effect is good.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat is news to me,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬOh, the preparations are all made!тАЭ laughed Fritz. тАЬIтАЩve seen to that.тАЭ + 

Sapt turned to me and said, in a sharp, decisive voice: + 

тАЬYou must make love to her tonight, you know.тАЭ + 

тАЬI think it is very likely I shall, if I see her alone,тАЭ said I. тАЬHang it, Sapt, you donтАЩt suppose I find it difficult?тАЭ + 

Fritz whistled a bar or two; then he said: тАЬYouтАЩll find it only too easy. Look here, I hate telling you this, but I must. The Countess Helga told me that the princess had become most attached to the king. Since the coronation, her feelings have undergone a marked development. ItтАЩs quite true that she is deeply wounded by the kingтАЩs apparent neglect.тАЭ + 

тАЬHereтАЩs a kettle of fish!тАЭ I groaned. + 

тАЬTut, tut!тАЭ said Sapt. тАЬI suppose youтАЩve made pretty speeches to a girl before now? ThatтАЩs all she wants.тАЭ + 

Fritz, himself a lover, understood better my distress. He laid his hand on my shoulder, but said nothing. + 

тАЬI think, though,тАЭ pursued that cold-blooded old Sapt, тАЬthat youтАЩd better make your offer tonight.тАЭ + 

тАЬGood heavens!тАЭ + 

тАЬOr, any rate, go near it; and I shall send a тАШsemiofficialтАЩ to the papers.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩll do nothing of the sortтБатАФno more will you!тАЭ said I. тАЬI utterly refuse to take part in making a fool of the princess.тАЭ + 

Sapt looked at me with his small keen eyes. A slow cunning smile passed over his face. + 

тАЬAll right, lad, all right,тАЭ said he. тАЬWe mustnтАЩt press you too hard. Soothe her down a bit, if you can, you know. Now for Michael!тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, damn Michael!тАЭ said I. тАЬHeтАЩll do tomorrow. Here, Fritz, come for a stroll in the garden.тАЭ + 

Sapt at once yielded. His rough manner covered a wonderful tactтБатАФand as I came to recognize more and more, a remarkable knowledge of human nature. Why did he urge me so little about the princess? Because he knew that her beauty and my ardour would carry me further than all his argumentsтБатАФand that the less I thought about the thing, the more likely was I to do it. He must have seen the unhappiness he might bring on the princess; but that went for nothing with him. Can I say, confidently, that he was wrong? If the king were restored, the princess must turn to him, either knowing or not knowing the change. And if the king were not restored to us? It was a subject that we had never yet spoken of. But I had an idea that, in such a case, Sapt meant to seat me on the throne of Ruritania for the term of my life. He would have set Satan himself there sooner than that pupil of his, Black Michael. + 

The ball was a sumptuous affair. I opened it by dancing a quadrille with Flavia; then I waltzed with her. Curious eyes and eager whispers attended us. We went in to supper; and, halfway through, I, half mad by then, for her glance had answered mine, and her quick breathing met my stammered sentencesтБатАФI rose in my place before all the brilliant crowd, and taking the Red Rose that I wore, flung the ribbon with its jewelled badge round her neck. In a tumult of applause I sat down; I saw Sapt smiling over his wine, and Fritz frowning. The rest of the meal passed in silence; neither Flavia nor I could speak. Fritz touched me on the shoulder, and I rose, gave her my arm, and walked down the hall into a little room, where coffee was served to us. The gentlemen and ladies in attendance withdrew, and we were alone. + 

The little room had French windows opening on the gardens. The night was fine, cool, and fragrant. Flavia sat down, and I stood opposite her. I was struggling with myself; if she had not looked at me, I believe that even then I should have won my fight. But suddenly, involuntarily, she gave me one brief glanceтБатАФa glance of question, hurriedly turned aside; a blush that the question had ever come spread over her cheek, and she caught her breath. Ah, if you had seen her! I forgot the king in Zenda. I forgot the king in Strelsau. She was a princessтБатАФand I an impostor. Do you think I remembered that? I threw myself on my knee and seized her hands in mine. I said nothing. Why should I? The soft sounds of the night set my wooing to a wordless melody, as I pressed my kisses on her lips. + 

She pushed me from her, crying suddenly: + 

тАЬAh! is it true? or is it only because you must?тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs true!тАЭ I said, in low smothered tonesтБатАФтАЬtrue that I love you more than lifeтБатАФor truthтБатАФor honour!тАЭ + 

She set no meaning to my words, treating them as one of loveтАЩs sweet extravagances. She came close to me, and whispered: + 

тАЬOh, if you were not the king! Then I could show you how I love you! How is it that I love you now, Rudolf?тАЭ + 

тАЬNow?тАЭ + 

тАЬYesтБатАФjust lately. IтБатАФI never did before.тАЭ + 

Pure triumph filled me. It was IтБатАФRudolf RassendyllтБатАФwho had won her! I caught her round the waist. + 

тАЬYou didnтАЩt love me before?тАЭ I asked. + 

She looked up into my face, smiling, as she whispered: + 

тАЬIt must have been your Crown. I felt it first on the Coronation Day.тАЭ + 

тАЬNever before?тАЭ I asked eagerly. + 

She laughed low. + 

тАЬYou speak as if you would be pleased to hear me say тАШYesтАЩ to that,тАЭ she said. + 

тАЬWould тАШYesтАЩ be true?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes,тАЭ I just heard her breathe, and she went on in an instant: тАЬBe careful, Rudolf; be careful, dear. He will be mad now.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat, Michael? If Michael were the worstтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬWhat worse is there?тАЭ + 

There was yet a chance for me. Controlling myself with a mighty effort, I took my hands off her and stood a yard or two away. I remember now the note of the wind in the elm trees outside. + 

тАЬIf I were not the king,тАЭ I began, тАЬif I were only a private gentlemanтБатАФтАЭ + 

Before I could finish, her hand was in mine. + 

тАЬIf you were a convict in the prison of Strelsau, you would be my king,тАЭ she said. + 

And under my breath I groaned, тАЬGod forgive me!тАЭ and, holding her hand in mine, I said again: + 

тАЬIf I were not the kingтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬHush, hush!тАЭ she whispered. тАЬI donтАЩt deserve itтБатАФI donтАЩt deserve to be doubted. Ah, Rudolf! does a woman who marries without love look on the man as I look on you?тАЭ + 

And she hid her face from me. + 

For more than a minute we stood there together; and I, even with my arm about her, summoned up what honour and conscience her beauty and the toils that I was in had left me. + 

тАЬFlavia,тАЭ I said, in a strange dry voice that seemed not my own, тАЬI am notтБатАФтАЭ + 

As I spokeтБатАФas she raised her eyes to meтБатАФthere was a heavy step on the gravel outside, and a man appeared at the window. A little cry burst from Flavia, as she sprang back from me. My half-finished sentence died on my lips. Sapt stood there, bowing low, but with a stern frown on his face. + 

тАЬA thousand pardons, sire,тАЭ said he, тАЬbut his Eminence the Cardinal has waited this quarter of an hour to offer his respectful adieu to your Majesty.тАЭ + 

I met his eye full and square; and I read in it an angry warning. How long he had been a listener I knew not, but he had come in upon us in the nick of time. + 

тАЬWe must not keep his Eminence waiting,тАЭ said I. + 

But Flavia, in whose love there lay no shame, with radiant eyes and blushing face, held out her hand to Sapt. She said nothing, but no man could have missed her meaning, who had ever seen a woman in the exultation of love. A sour, yet sad, smile passed over the old soldierтАЩs face, and there was tenderness in his voice, as bending to kiss her hand, he said: + 

тАЬIn joy and sorrow, in good times and bad, God save your Royal Highness!тАЭ + 

He paused and added, glancing at me and drawing himself up to military erectness: + 

тАЬBut, before all comes the kingтБатАФGod save the king!тАЭ + 

And Flavia caught at my hand and kissed it, murmuring: + 

тАЬAmen! Good God, Amen!тАЭ + 

We went into the ballroom again. Forced to receive adieus, I was separated from Flavia; everyone, when they left me, went to her. Sapt was out and in of the throng, and where he had been, glances, smiles, and whispers were rife. I doubted not that, true to his relentless purpose, he was spreading the news that he had learnt. To uphold the Crown and beat Black MichaelтБатАФthat was his one resolve. Flavia, myselfтБатАФaye, and the real king in Zenda, were pieces in his game; and pawns have no business with passions. Not even at the walls of the palace did he stop; for when at last I handed Flavia down the broad marble steps and into her carriage, there was a great crowd awaiting us, and we were welcomed with deafening cheers. What could I do? Had I spoken then, they would have refused to believe that I was not the king; they might have believed that the king had run mad. By SaptтАЩs devices and my own ungoverned passion I had been forced on, and the way back had closed behind me; and the passion still drove me in the same direction as the devices seduced me. I faced all Strelsau that night as the king and the accepted suitor of the Princess Flavia. + 

At last, at three in the morning, when the cold light of dawning day began to steal in, I was in my dressing room, and Sapt alone was with me. I sat like a man dazed, staring into the fire; he puffed at his pipe; Fritz was gone to bed, having almost refused to speak to me. On the table by me lay a rose; it had been in FlaviaтАЩs dress, and, as we parted, she had kissed it and given it to me. + 

Sapt advanced his hand towards the rose, but, with a quick movement, I shut mine down upon it. + 

тАЬThatтАЩs mine,тАЭ I said, тАЬnot yoursтБатАФnor the kingтАЩs either.тАЭ + 

тАЬWe struck a good blow for the king tonight,тАЭ said he. + 

I turned on him fiercely. + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs to prevent me striking a blow for myself?тАЭ I said. + 

He nodded his head. + 

тАЬI know whatтАЩs in your mind,тАЭ he said. тАЬYes, lad; but youтАЩre bound in honour.тАЭ + 

тАЬHave you left me any honour?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, come, to play a little trick on a girlтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬYou can spare me that. Colonel Sapt, if you would not have me utterly a villainтБатАФif you would not have your king rot in Zenda, while Michael and I play for the great stake outsideтБатАФYou follow me?тАЭ + 

тАЬAye, I follow you.тАЭ + 

тАЬWe must act, and quickly! You saw tonightтБатАФyou heardтБатАФtonightтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬI did,тАЭ said he. + 

тАЬYour cursed acuteness told you what I should do. Well, leave me here a weekтБатАФand thereтАЩs another problem for you. Do you find the answer?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, I find it,тАЭ he answered, frowning heavily. тАЬBut if you did that, youтАЩd have to fight me firstтБатАФand kill me.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, and if I hadтБатАФor a score of men? I tell you, I could raise all Strelsau on you in an hour, and choke you with your liesтБатАФyes, your mad liesтБатАФin your mouth.тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs gospel truth,тАЭ he saidтБатАФтАЬthanks to my advice you could.тАЭ + 

тАЬI could marry the princess, and send Michael and his brother together toтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm not denying it, lad,тАЭ said he. + 

тАЬThen, in GodтАЩs name,тАЭ I cried, stretching out my hands to him, тАЬlet us go to Zenda and crush this Michael and bring the king back to his own again.тАЭ The old fellow stood and looked at me for full a minute. + 

тАЬAnd the princess?тАЭ he said. + 

I bowed my head to meet my hands, and crushed the rose between my fingers and my lips. + 

I felt his hand on my shoulder, and his voice sounded husky as he whispered low in my ear: + 

тАЬBefore God, youтАЩre the finest Elphberg of them all. But I have eaten of the kingтАЩs bread, and I am the kingтАЩs servant. Come, we will go to Zenda!тАЭ + 

And I looked up and caught him by the hand. And the eyes of both of us were wet. + 