XV + 

I Talk with a Tempter + 

Ruritania is not England, or the quarrel between Duke Michael and myself could not have gone on, with the extraordinary incidents which marked it, without more public notice being directed to it. Duels were frequent among all the upper classes, and private quarrels between great men kept the old habit of spreading to their friends and dependents. Nevertheless, after the affray which I have just related, such reports began to circulate that I felt it necessary to be on my guard. The death of the gentlemen involved could not be hidden from their relatives. I issued a stern order, declaring that dueling had attained unprecedented licence (the chancellor drew up the document for me, and very well he did it), and forbidding it save in the gravest cases. I sent a public and stately apology to Michael, and he returned a deferential and courteous reply to me; for our one point of union wasтБатАФand it underlay all our differences and induced an unwilling harmony between our actionsтБатАФthat we could neither of us afford to throw our cards on the table. He, as well as I, was a тАЬplayactor,тАЭ and, hating one another, we combined to dupe public opinion. Unfortunately, however, the necessity for concealment involved the necessity of delay: the king might die in his prison, or even be spirited off somewhere else; it could not be helped. For a little while I was compelled to observe a truce, and my only consolation was that Flavia most warmly approved of my edict against dueling; and, when I expressed delight at having won her favour, prayed me, if her favour were any motive to me, to prohibit the practice altogether. + 

тАЬWait till we are married,тАЭ said I, smiling. + 

Not the least peculiar result of the truce and of the secrecy which dictated it was that the town of Zenda became in the daytimeтБатАФI would not have trusted far to its protection by nightтБатАФa sort of neutral zone, where both parties could safely go; and I, riding down one day with Flavia and Sapt, had an encounter with an acquaintance, which presented a ludicrous side, but was at the same time embarrassing. As I rode along, I met a dignified-looking person driving in a two-horsed carriage. He stopped his horses, got out, and approached me, bowing low. I recognized the head of the Strelsau Police. + 

тАЬYour MajestyтАЩs ordinance as to dueling is receiving our best attention,тАЭ he assured me. + 

If the best attention involved his presence in Zenda, I determined at once to dispense with it. + 

тАЬIs that what brings you to Zenda, prefect?тАЭ I asked. + 

тАЬWhy no, sire; I am here because I desired to oblige the British ambassador.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs the British ambassador doing dans cette gal├иre?тАЭ said I, carelessly. + 

тАЬA young countryman of his, sireтБатАФa man of some positionтБатАФis missing. His friends have not heard from him for two months, and there is reason to believe that he was last seen in Zenda.тАЭ + 

Flavia was paying little attention. I dared not look at Sapt. + 

тАЬWhat reason?тАЭ + 

тАЬA friend of his in ParisтБатАФa certain M.┬аFeatherlyтБатАФhas given us information which makes it possible that he came here, and the officials of the railway recollect his name on some luggage.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat was his name?тАЭ + 

тАЬRassendyll, sire,тАЭ he answered; and I saw that the name meant nothing to him. But, glancing at Flavia, he lowered his voice, as he went on: тАЬIt is thought that he may have followed a lady here. Has your Majesty heard of a certain Mme.┬аde Mauban?тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy, yes,тАЭ said I, my eye involuntarily travelling towards the castle. + 

тАЬShe arrived in Ruritania about the same time as this Rassendyll.тАЭ + 

I caught the prefectтАЩs glance; he was regarding me with enquiry writ large on his face. + 

тАЬSapt,тАЭ said I, тАЬI must speak a word to the prefect. Will you ride on a few paces with the princess?тАЭ And I added to the prefect: тАЬCome, sir, what do you mean?тАЭ + 

He drew close to me, and I bent in the saddle. + 

тАЬIf he were in love with the lady?тАЭ he whispered. тАЬNothing has been heard of him for two months;тАЭ and this time it was the eye of the prefect which travelled towards the castle. + 

тАЬYes, the lady is there,тАЭ I said quietly. тАЬBut I donтАЩt suppose Mr.┬аRassendyllтБатАФis that the name?тБатАФis.тАЭ + 

тАЬThe duke,тАЭ he whispered, тАЬdoes not like rivals, sire.тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre right there,тАЭ said I, with all sincerity. тАЬBut surely you hint at a very grave charge?тАЭ + 

He spread his hands out in apology. I whispered in his ear: + 

тАЬThis is a grave matter. Go back to StrelsauтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬBut, sire, if I have a clue here?тАЭ + 

тАЬGo back to Strelsau,тАЭ I repeated. тАЬTell the ambassador that you have a clue, but that you must be left alone for a week or two. Meanwhile, IтАЩll charge myself with looking into the matter.тАЭ + 

тАЬThe ambassador is very pressing, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬYou must quiet him. Come, sir; you see that if your suspicions are correct, it is an affair in which we must move with caution. We can have no scandal. Mind you return tonight.тАЭ + 

He promised to obey me, and I rode on to rejoin my companions, a little easier in my mind. Enquiries after me must be stopped at all hazards for a week or two; and this clever official had come surprisingly near the truth. His impression might be useful someday, but if he acted on it now it might mean the worse to the king. Heartily did I curse George Featherly for not holding his tongue. + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ asked Flavia, тАЬhave you finished your business?тАЭ + 

тАЬMost satisfactorily,тАЭ said I. тАЬCome, shall we turn round? We are almost trenching on my brotherтАЩs territory.тАЭ + 

We were, in fact, at the extreme end of the town, just where the hills begin to mount towards the castle. We cast our eyes up, admiring the massive beauty of the old walls, and we saw a cortege winding slowly down the hill. On it came. + 

тАЬLet us go back,тАЭ said Sapt. + 

тАЬI should like to stay,тАЭ said Flavia; and I reined my horse beside hers. + 

We could distinguish the approaching party now. There came first two mounted servants in black uniforms, relieved only by a silver badge. These were followed by a car drawn by four horses: on it, under a heavy pall, lay a coffin; behind it rode a man in plain black clothes, carrying his hat in his hand. Sapt uncovered, and we stood waiting, Flavia keeping by me and laying her hand on my arm. + 

тАЬIt is one of the gentlemen killed in the quarrel, I expect,тАЭ she said. + 

I beckoned to a groom. + 

тАЬRide and ask whom they escort,тАЭ I ordered. + 

He rode up to the servants, and I saw him pass on to the gentleman who rode behind. + 

тАЬItтАЩs Rupert of Hentzau,тАЭ whispered Sapt. + 

Rupert it was, and directly afterwards, waving to the procession to stand still, Rupert trotted up to me. He was in a frock-coat, tightly buttoned, and trousers. He wore an aspect of sadness, and he bowed with profound respect. Yet suddenly he smiled, and I smiled too, for old SaptтАЩs hand lay in his left breast pocket, and Rupert and I both guessed what lay in the hand inside the pocket. + 

тАЬYour Majesty asks whom we escort,тАЭ said Rupert. тАЬIt is my dear friend, Albert of Lauengram.тАЭ + 

тАЬSir,тАЭ said I, тАЬno one regrets the unfortunate affair more than I. My ordinance, which I mean to have obeyed, is witness to it.тАЭ + 

тАЬPoor fellow!тАЭ said Flavia softly, and I saw RupertтАЩs eyes flash at her. Whereat I grew red; for, if I had my way, Rupert Hentzau should not have defiled her by so much as a glance. Yet he did it and dared to let admiration be seen in his look. + 

тАЬYour MajestyтАЩs words are gracious,тАЭ he said. тАЬI grieve for my friend. Yet, sire, others must soon lie as he lies now.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt is a thing we all do well to remember, my lord,тАЭ I rejoined. + 

тАЬEven kings, sire,тАЭ said Rupert, in a moralizing tone; and old Sapt swore softly by my side. + 

тАЬIt is true,тАЭ said I. тАЬHow fares my brother, my lord?тАЭ + 

тАЬHe is better, sire.тАЭ + 

тАЬI am rejoiced.тАЭ + 

тАЬHe hopes soon to leave for Strelsau, when his health is secured.тАЭ + 

тАЬHe is only convalescent then?тАЭ + 

тАЬThere remain one or two small troubles,тАЭ answered the insolent fellow, in the mildest tone in the world. + 

тАЬExpress my earnest hope,тАЭ said Flavia, тАЬthat they may soon cease to trouble him.тАЭ + 

тАЬYour Royal HighnessтАЩs wish is, humbly, my own,тАЭ said Rupert, with a bold glance that brought a blush to FlaviaтАЩs cheek. + 

I bowed; and Rupert, bowing lower, backed his horse and signed to his party to proceed. With a sudden impulse, I rode after him. He turned swiftly, fearing that, even in the presence of the dead and before a ladyтАЩs eyes, I meant him mischief. + 

тАЬYou fought as a brave man the other night,тАЭ I said. тАЬCome, you are young, sir. If you will deliver your prisoner alive to me, you shall come to no hurt.тАЭ + 

He looked at me with a mocking smile; but suddenly he rode nearer to me. + 

тАЬIтАЩm unarmed,тАЭ he said; тАЬand our old Sapt there could pick me off in a minute.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm not afraid,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬNo, curse you!тАЭ he answered. тАЬLook here, I made you a proposal from the duke once.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩll hear nothing from Black Michael,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬThen hear one from me.тАЭ He lowered his voice to a whisper. тАЬAttack the castle boldly. Let Sapt and Tarlenheim lead.тАЭ + 

тАЬGo on,тАЭ said I. + 

тАЬArrange the time with me.тАЭ + 

тАЬI have such confidence in you, my lord!тАЭ + 

тАЬTut! IтАЩm talking business now. Sapt there and Fritz will fall; Black Michael will fallтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬWhat!тАЭ + 

тАЬтБатАФBlack Michael will fall, like the dog he is; the prisoner, as you call him, will go by JacobтАЩs ladderтБатАФah, you know that!тБатАФto hell! Two men will be leftтБатАФI, Rupert Hentzau, and you, the King of Ruritania.тАЭ + 

He paused, and then, in a voice that quivered with eagerness, added: + 

тАЬIsnтАЩt that a hand to play?тБатАФa throne and your princess! And for me, say a competence and your MajestyтАЩs gratitude.тАЭ + 

тАЬSurely,тАЭ I exclaimed, тАЬwhile youтАЩre above ground, hell wants its master!тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, think it over,тАЭ he said. тАЬAnd, look you, it would take more than a scruple or two to keep me from yonder girl,тАЭ and his evil eye flashed again at her I loved. + 

тАЬGet out of my reach!тАЭ said I; and yet in a moment I began to laugh for the very audacity of it. + 

тАЬWould you turn against your master?тАЭ I asked. + 

He swore at Michael for being what the offspring of a legal, though morganatic, union should not be called, and said to me in an almost confidential and apparently friendly tone: + 

тАЬHe gets in my way, you know. HeтАЩs a jealous brute! Faith, I nearly stuck a knife into him last night; he came most cursedly malapropos!тАЭ + 

My temper was well under control now; I was learning something. + 

тАЬA lady?тАЭ I asked negligently. + 

тАЬAye, and a beauty,тАЭ he nodded. тАЬBut youтАЩve seen her.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh! was it at a tea party, when some of your friends got on the wrong side of the table?тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat can you expect of fools like Detchard and De Gautet? I wish IтАЩd been there.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd the duke interferes?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Rupert meditatively, тАЬthatтАЩs hardly a fair way of putting it, perhaps. I want to interfere.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd she prefers the duke?тАЭ + 

тАЬAye, the silly creature! Ah, well, you think about my plan,тАЭ and, with a bow, he pricked his horse and trotted after the body of his friend. + 

I went back to Flavia and Sapt, pondering on the strangeness of the man. Wicked men I have known in plenty, but Rupert Hentzau remains unique in my experience. And if there be another anywhere, let him be caught and hanged out of hand. So say I! + 

тАЬHeтАЩs very handsome, isnтАЩt he?тАЭ said Flavia. + 

Well, of course, she didnтАЩt know him as I did; yet I was put out, for I thought his bold glances would have made her angry. But my dear Flavia was a woman, and soтБатАФshe was not put out. On the contrary, she thought young Rupert very handsomeтБатАФas, beyond question, the ruffian was. + 

тАЬAnd how sad he looked at his friendтАЩs death!тАЭ said she. + 

тАЬHeтАЩll have better reason to be sad at his own,тАЭ observed Sapt, with a grim smile. + 

As for me, I grew sulky; unreasonable it was perhaps, for what better business had I to look at her with love than had even RupertтАЩs lustful eyes? And sulky I remained till, as evening fell and we rode up to Tarlenheim, Sapt having fallen behind in case anyone should be following us, Flavia, riding close beside me, said softly, with a little half-ashamed laugh: + 

тАЬUnless you smile, Rudolf, I cry. Why are you angry?тАЭ + 

тАЬIt was something that fellow said to me,тАЭ said I, but I was smiling as we reached the door and dismounted. + 

There a servant handed me a note; it was unaddressed. + 

тАЬIs it for me?тАЭ I asked. + 

тАЬYes, sire; a boy brought it.тАЭ + 

I tore it open: + 

Johann carries this for me. I warned you once. In the name of God, and if you are a man, rescue me from this den of murderers!тБатАФA. de M. + 

I handed it to Sapt; but all that the tough old soul said in reply to this piteous appeal was: + 

тАЬWhose fault brought her there?тАЭ + 

Nevertheless, not being faultless myself, I took leave to pity Antoinette de Mauban. + 