Part 10 (2/2)
”What does that matter? What does he think, lad, now?”
I rose to et back,” I said, ”and rouse every soldier in Strelsau We ought to be in pursuit of Michael before midday”
Old Sapt pulled out his pipe and carefully lit it fro ed
Sapt smoked on for a moment in silence
”That cursed old woman!” he broke out ”She a, and--as I say--soone to Strelsau, you and I and Fritz had been in heaven by now!”
”And the King?”
”Who knohere the King is now?” he asked
”Come, let's be off!” said I; but he sat still And suddenly he burst into one of his grating chuckles:
”By Jove, we've shaken up Black Michael!”
”Come, come!” I repeated impatiently
”And we'll shake hi on his wrinkled, weather-beaten face, and his teeth working on an end of his grizzledshall be in his capital again to!”
”You're o back and tell the trick we played, ould you give for our lives?”
”Just what they're worth,” said I
”And for the King's throne? Do you think that the nobles and the people will enjoy being fooled as you've fooled the as too drunk to be crowned, and sent a servant to personate hied--and I'm no servant”
”Mine will be Black Michael's version”
He rose, came to me, and laid his hand on my shoulder
”Lad,” he said, ”if you play theyet Go back and keep his throne warm for him”
”But the duke knows--the villains he has employed know--”