Part 23 (2/2)
”Do you mean him harm, sir?”
”Not if he will do as I bid hih, my pretty maid See that you do as I bid you And,has been here”
I spoke a little sternly, for there is seldo for you, and I softened the effect by giving her a handsothe ent downstairs to our horses again
It was but half-past eight, and hardly yet dark; the streets were full for such a quiet little place, and I could see that gossip was all agog
With the King on one side and the duke on the other, Zenda felt itself the centre of all Ruritania We jogged gently through the town, but set our horses to a sharper pace e reached the open country
”You want to catch this fellow Johann?” asked Fritz
”Ay, and I fancy I've baited the hook right Our little Delilah will bring our Sah, Fritz, to have no woh brother Michael shows some wisdom there If you want safety, you must have none within fifty miles”
”None nearer than Strelsau, for instance,” said poor Fritz, with a lovelorn sigh
We reached the avenue of the chateau, and were soon at the house As the hoofs of our horses sounded on the gravel, Sapt rushed out to meet us
”Thank God, you're safe!” he cried ”Have you seen anything of the
He drew us aside, that the grooht not hear
”Lad,” he said to me, ”you must not ride about here, unless with half a dozen of us You know a fellow, Bernenstein by na ht complexion
”He lies in his rooh his arm”
”The deuce he does!”
”After dinner he strolled out alone, and went a ht he saw three un at him He had no weapon, and he started at a run back towards the house But one of them fired, and he was hit, and had ood luck, they feared to pursue him nearer the house”
He paused and added:
”Lad, the bullet was meant for you”
”It is very likely,” said I, ”and it's first blood to brother Michael”
”I wonder which three it was,” said Fritz
”Well, Sapt,” I said, ”I went out tonight for no idle purpose, as you shall hear But there's one thing in my mind”
”What's that?” he asked
”Why this,” I answered ”That I shall ill requite the very great honours Ruritania has doneone of those Six alive--neither with the help of God, will I”
And Sapt shook my hand on that