Part 42 (2/2)
”A Mr Rassendyll, a friend of the king's, ith his servant Ja his Majesty's return froland, to tell Mr Rassendyll's relatives the news”
The queen had begun to listen before now; her eyes were fixed on Sapt, and she had stretched out one ar him to read her his riddle But a feords had in truth declared his device plainly enough in all its simplicity Rudolf Rassendyll was dead, his body burnt to a cinder, and the king was alive, whole, and on his throne in Strelsau Thus had Sapt caught from James, the servant, the infection of his ination which the little man had unfolded to hie
Suddenly Mr Rassendyll spoke in clear, short tones
”This is all a lie, Sapt,” said he, and his lips curled in contee is burnt, and the bodies in it, and that half a hundred of the peasants know it, and that no 's As for the rest, it is a lie But I think the truth in it is enough to serve”
The twoone another with defiant eyes Rudolf had caught the reat and audacious trick which Sapt and his co's body to Strelsau; it seemed no less ie was the king Thus Sapt had forced Rudolf's hand; he had been inspired by the sa boldness But when I sa Rudolf looked at hio from the queen's presence set on a deadly quarrel
Mr Rassendyll, however,e me; you, Sapt, try to force me Jaested it, sir,” said James, not defiantly or with disrespect, but as if in simple dutiful obedience to his ht--all of you! Well, I won't be forced I see now that there's no way out of this affair, save one That one I'll follow”
We none of us spoke, but waited till he should be pleased to continue
”Of the queen's letter I need say nothing and will say nothing,”
he pursued ”But I will tell the, but Rudolf Rassendyll, and that I played the king only in order to serve the queen and punish Rupert of Hentzau That will serve, and it will cut this net of Sapt's from about my limbs”
He spoke firmly and coldly; so that when I looked at him I was amazed to see how his lips twitched and that his forehead was moist with sweat
Then I understood what a sudden, swift, and fearful struggle he had suffered, and how the great te and tortured hi behind him I went to him and clasped his hand: this action of mine seemed to soften hiue of entler rily up and down the room Now he stopped abruptly before Rudolf, and pointed with his finger at the queen
”I ue of you?” he exclaimed ”And what do you make of our queen, e all serve? What does this truth that you'll tell reeted you before all Strelsau as her husband and her love? Will they believe that she didn't know her husband? Ay, you may show yourself, you may say they didn't know you
Will they believe she didn't? Was the king's ring on your finger? Where is it? And how comes Mr Rassendyll to be at Fritz von Tarlenhei lodge? A king has died already, and two ainst her And you--you'll be the er pointing in suspicion at her?”
Rudolf made no answer When Sapt had first uttered the queen's name, he had drawn near and let his hand fall over the back of her chair She put hers up to meet it, and so they reone very pale
”And we, your friends?” pursued Sapt ”For we've stood by you as we've stood by the queen, by God we have--Fritz, and young Bernenstein here, and I If this truth's told, who'll believe that ere loyal to the king, that we didn't know, that eren't acco--maybe, in his murder? Ah, Rudolf Rassendyll, God preserve me from a conscience that won't let me be true to the woman I love, or to the friends who love me!”
I had never seen the old fellow so moved; he carried me with him, as he carried Bernenstein I kno that ere too ready to be convinced; rather that, borne along by our passionate desire, we needed no convincing at all His excited appeal seeer to the queen, on which he dwelt, was real and true and great
Then a sudden change caain in a low, broken voice, an unwonted softness transfor his harsh tones
”Lad,” he said, ”don't say no Here's the finest lady alive sick for her lover, and the finest country in the world sick for its true king, and the best friends--ay, by Heaven, the best friends-- about your conscience; but this I know: the king's dead, and the place is ehty God sent you here for unless it was to fill it Come, lad--for our love and her honor! While he was alive I'd have killed you sooner than let you take it He's dead Now--for our love and her honor, lad!”
I do not knohat thoughts passed in Mr Rassendyll's n when Sapt finished, but stood as he was,while Then he slowly bent his head and looked down into the queen's eyes For a while she sat looking back into his Then, carried away by the wild hope of immediate joy, and by her love for hi up and threw herself at his feet, crying:
”Yes, yes! For ainsther ruddy hair