Part 36 (1/2)
The fellohom I saore a broide-awake hat The hat was pulled do over his forehead, but nevertheless beneath its ri round his head I could not see the face, but the bullet-shaped skull was very faed an to steal round outside the crowd As I went, I heard so was not there: what should the king do in such a house? The ansas a reference to one of the first loungers; he replied that he did not knohat the devil the king did there, but that the king or his double had certainly gone in, and had as certainly not yet coain I wished I could have o away; but hedwas in the house So I kept on the outskirts and worked ed head Evidently Bauer's hurt had not been so serious as to prevent hi the infirmary to which the police had carried hi, the issue of Rudolf's visit to the house in the Konigstrasse
He had not seenat No 19 as intently as Rischenheiht of the other, or Rischenheim would have shown some embarrassment, Bauer some excitement
I wormed my way quickly towardshold of hiet Bernenstein's remark, ”Only Bauer now!” If I could secure Bauer ere safe Safe in what? I did not answer toin me
Safe in our secret and safe in our plan--in the plan on which we all, we here in the city, and those two at the hunting-lodge, had set our minds!
Bauer's death, Bauer's capture, Bauer's silence, however procured, would clear the greatest hindrance from its way
Bauer stared intently at the house; I crept cautiously up behind him
His hand was in his trousers' pocket; where the curve of the elbow came there with a space between arm and body I slipped in my left arm and hooked it firmly inside his He turned round and saw ain, Bauer,” said I
He was for a asted, and stared stupidly at ?” I asked
He began to recover hi s?” he asked
”Well, he's in Strelsau, isn't he? Who gave you the wound on your head?”
Bauer rasp He found hi of mine?” I asked
I do not knohat he would have answered, for at this instant there came a sound from behind the closed door of the house It was as if soerly towards the door Then came an oath in a shrill voice, a wory cry in a girl's intonation Full of eagerness, I drewforward I heard a chuckle fro rapidly down the street I had no time to look to hi their way through the crowd, regardless of any one in their way, and paying no attention to abuse or remonstrances They were the lieutenant and Rischenheim Without a moh, thinking to join theave place before us in surly reluctance or frightened willingness We three were together in the first rank of the crohen the door of the house was flung open, and a girl ran out Her hair was disordered, her face pale, and her eyes full of alar the crohich in an instant grew as if bywhat she did, she cried in the eager accents of sheer terror:
”Help, help! The king! The king!”
CHAPTER XVII YOUNG RUPERT AND THE PLAY-ACTOR
There rises often beforewhere Rischenhei for so which his own hand had wrought His ih tireater and better ives play enough to the iination Save for Rischenheione, none knehere, he stood alone against a kingdom which he had robbed of its head, and a band of resoluteas he lived For protection he had only a quick brain, his courage, and his secret Yet he could not fly--he ithout resources till his cousin furnished theht find the's death and raise the city in hue and cry after hiretted the enterprise which had led him on so far and forced on him a deed so momentous; yet to those who knew him it seems more likely that the smile broadened on his firm full lips as he looked down on the unconscious city Well, I daresay he would have been too much for me, but I wish I had been the man to find him there He would not have had it so; for I believe that he asked no better than to cross swords again with Rudolf Rassendyll and set his fortunes on the issue
Down below, the old wo to herself that the Count of Luzau-Rischenhei away, and Bauer, the rascal, drunk in soh it could be seen the girl Rosa, busily scrubbing the tiled floor; her color was high and her eyes bright; fro her head, see needed her was past, but the king had not come How little the old woman knew for whom she listened! All her talk had been of Bauer--why Bauer did not corand to hold the king's secret for him, and she would hold it with her life; for he had been kind and gracious to her, and he was her man of all the men in Strelsau Bauer was a stumpy fellow; the Count of Hentzau was handso was herhad trusted her; she would die before hurt should come to hi wheels They seeain past the house The girl's head was raised; the old woirl's straining ear caught a rapid step outside Then it caht ones The old wo her spoon into the pot, she lifted the ue at last! Open the door for him, Rosa”
Before she spoke Rosa had darted down the passage The door opened and shut again The old woman waddled to the threshold of the kitchen
The passage and the shop were dark behind the closed shutters, but the figure by the girl's side was taller than Bauer's
”Who's there?” cried Mother Holf sharply ”The shop's shut to-day: you can't come in”
”But I airl followed a pace behind, her hands clasped and her eyes alight with excite opposite the old woht of the low-roofed passage, Mother Holf was fairly puzzled She knew the story of Mr Rassendyll; she knew that he was again in Ruritania, it was no surprise to her that he should be in Strelsau; but she did not know that Rupert had killed the king, and she had not seen the king close at hand since his illness and his beard impaired what had been a perfect likeness In fine, she could not tell whether it were indeed the king who spoke to her or his counterfeit