I Receive a Visitor and Bait a HookAbout five miles from Zenda--on the opposite side from that onwhich the Castle is situated, there lies a large tract of wood. It is risingground, and in the centre of the demesne, on the top of the hill, stands afine modern chateau, the property of a distant kinsman of Fritz's, theCount Stanislas von Tarlenheim. Count Stanislas himself was a studentand a recluse. He seldom visited the house, and had, on Fritz's request,very readily and courteously offered me its hospitality for myself and myparty. This, then, was our destination; chosen ostensibly for the sake of theboar-hunting (for the wood was carefully preserved, and boars, oncecommon all over Ruritania, were still to be found there in considerablenumbers), really because it brought us within striking distance of the Dukeof Strelsau's more magnificent dwelling on the other side of the town. Alarge party of servants, with horses and luggage, started early in themorning;we followed at midday, travelling by train for thirty miles, andthen mounting our horses to ride the remaining distance to the chateau.

　　We were a gallant party. Besides Sapt and Fritz, I was accompanied byten gentlemen: every one of them had been carefully chosen, and no lesscarefully sounded, by my two friends, and all were devotedly attached tothe person of the King. They were told a part of the truth; the attempt onmy life in the summer-house was revealed to them, as a spur to theirloyalty and an incitement against Michael. They were also informed that afriend of the King's was suspected to be forcibly confined within theCastle of Zenda. His rescue was one of the objects of the expedition; but,it was added, the King's main desire was to carry into effect certain stepsagainst his treacherous brother, as to the precise nature of which theycould not at present be further enlightened. Enough that the Kingcommanded their services, and would rely on their devotion whenoccasion arose to call for it. Young, well-bred, brave, and loyal, they askedno more: they were ready to prove their dutiful obedience, and prayed fora fight as the best and most exhilarating mode of showing it.

　　Thus the scene was shifted from Strelsau to the chateau of Tarlenheimand Castle of Zenda, which frowned at us across the valley. I tried to shiftmy thoughts also, to forget my love, and to bend all my energies to thetask before me. It was to get the King out of the Castle alive. Force wasuseless: in some trick lay the chance; and I had already an inkling of whatwe must do. But I was terribly hampered by the publicity which attendedmy movements. Michael must know by now of my expedition; and I knewMichael too well to suppose that his eyes would be blinded by the feint ofthe boar-hunt. He would understand very well what the real quarry was.

　　That, however, must be risked--that and all it might mean; for Sapt, no lessthan myself, recognized that the present state of things had becomeunendurable. And there was one thing that I dared to calculate on--not, as Inow know, without warrant. It was this--that Black Michael would notbelieve that I meant well by the King. He could not appreciate--I will notsay an honest man, for the thoughts of my own heart have been revealed-buta man acting honestly. He saw my opportunity as I had seen it, as Sapthad seen it; he knew the princess--nay (and I declare that a sneaking sortof pity for him invaded me), in his way he loved her; he would think thatSapt and Fritz could be bribed, so the bribe was large enough. Thinkingthus, would he kill the King, my rival and my danger? Ay, verily, that hewould, with as little compunction as he would kill a rat. But he would killRudolf Rassendyll first, if he could; and nothing but the certainty of beingutterly damned by the release of the King alive and his restoration to thethrone would drive him to throw away the trump card which he held inreserve to baulk the supposed game of the impudent impostor Rassendyll.

　　Musing on all this as I rode along, I took courage.

　　Michael knew of my coming, sure enough. I had not been in the housean hour, when an imposing Embassy arrived from him. He did not quitereach the impudence of sending my would-be assassins, but he sent theother three of his famous Six--the three Ruritanian gentlemen--Lauengram, Krafstein, and Rupert Hentzau. A fine, strapping trio theywere, splendidly horsed and admirably equipped. Young Rupert, wholooked a dare-devil, and could not have been more than twenty-two ortwenty-three, took the lead, and made us the neatest speech, wherein my devoted subject and loving brother Michael of Strelsau, prayed me topardon him for not paying his addresses in person, and, further, for notputting his Castle at my disposal; the reason for both of these apparentderelictions being that he and several of his servants lay sick of scarletfever, and were in a very sad, and also a very infectious state. So declaredyoung Rupert with an insolent smile on his curling upper lip and a toss ofhis thick hair--he was a handsome villain, and the gossip ran that many alady had troubled her heart for him already.

　　"If my brother has scarlet fever," said I, "he is nearer my complexionthan he is wont to be, my lord. I trust he does not suffer?""He is able to attend to his affairs, sire.""I hope all beneath your roof are not sick. What of my good friends,De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard? I heard the last had suffered a hurt."Lauengram and Krafstein looked glum and uneasy, but young Rupert'ssmile grew broader.

　　"He hopes soon to find a medicine for it, sire," he answered.

　　And I burst out laughing, for I knew what medicine Detchard longedfor-- it is called Revenge.

　　"You will dine with us, gentlemen?" I asked.

　　Young Rupert was profuse in apologies. They had urgent duties at theCastle.

　　"Then," said I, with a wave of my hand, "to our next meeting,gentlemen. May it make us better acquainted.""We will pray your Majesty for an early opportunity," quoth Rupertairily; and he strode past Sapt with such jeering scorn on his face that Isaw the old fellow clench his fist and scowl black as night.

　　For my part, if a man must needs be a knave, I would have him adebonair knave, and I liked Rupert Hentzau better than his long-faced,close-eyed companions. It makes your sin no worse, as I conceive, to do ita la mode and stylishly.

　　Now it was a curious thing that on this first night, instead of eating theexcellent dinner my cooks had prepared for me, I must needs leave mygentlemen to eat it alone, under Sapt's presiding care, and ride myself withFritz to the town of Zenda and a certain little inn that I knew of. There was little danger in the excursion; the evenings were long and light, and theroad this side of Zenda well frequented. So off we rode, with a groombehind us. I muffled myself up in a big cloak.

　　"Fritz," said I, as we en............