"Haven't you enough responsibilities on you for one day, cousin?"Bang, bang! Blare, blare! We were at the Palace. Guns were firing andtrumpets blowing. Rows of lackeys stood waiting, and, handing theprincess up the broad marble staircase, I took formal possession, as acrowned King, of the House of my ancestors, and sat down at my owntable, with my cousin on my right hand, on her other side Black Michael,and on my left his Eminence the Cardinal. Behind my chair stood Sapt;and at the end of the table, I saw Fritz von Tarlenheim drain to the bottomhis glass of champagne rather sooner than he decently should.
I wondered what Lebron 9 Shoes Sale the King of Ruritania was doing.
The Secret of a CellarWe were in the King's dressing-room--Fritz von Tarlenheim, Sapt,and I. I flung myself exhausted into an armchair. Sapt lit his pipe. Heuttered no congratulations on the marvellous success of our wild risk, buthis whole bearing was eloquent of satisfaction. The triumph, aided perhapsby good wine, had made a new man of Fritz.
"What a day for you to remember!" he cried. "Gad, I'd like to be Kingfor twelve hours myself! But, Rassendyll, you mustn't throw your hearttoo much into the part. I don't wonder Black Michael looked blacker thanever--you and the princess had so much to say to one another.""How beautiful she is!" I exclaimed.
"Never mind the woman," growled Sapt. "Are you ready to start?""Yes," said I, with a sigh.
It was five o'clock, and at twelve I should be no more than RudolfRassendyll. I remarked on it in a joking tone.
"You'll be lucky," observed Sapt grimly, "if you're not the late RudolfRassendyll. By Heaven! I feel my head wobbling on my shoulders everyminute you're in the city. Do you know, friend, that Michael has had newsfrom Zenda? He went into a room alone to read it--and he came outlooking like a man dazed.""I'm ready," said I, this news making me none the more eager to linger.
Sapt sat Lebron 10 Shoes Sale down.