■ 4 My adventures begin

As we made our way to the palace， I began to feel that I really was the King of Ruritania， with Marshal Strakencz， the head of the army， on my right and old Sapt on my left． I could see that Strelsau was really two towns the Old Town and the New Town． The people of the Old Town， who were poor， wanted Duke Michael to be their King， but the people of the New Town wanted King Rudolf． We went through the New Town first， and it was bright and colourful， with the ladies'dresses and the red roses of the Elphbergs． The people shouted loudly for their King as we passed through the streets． But when we came to the Old Town， the Marshal and Sapt moved nearer to my horse， and I could see that they were afraid for me．

'Stay back！ 'I called． 'I'll show my people that I'm not afraid of them． 'Some of the crowd were pleased when they heard this， but most of them watched me in silence．

Finally， we reached the great church of Strelsau． I remember very little of the coronation-only two faces． One was a beauti ful girl with wonderful red hair， the Princess Flavia． The other was the face of a man with black hair and dark， deep eyes-Black Michael． When he saw me， his face turned white． Clearly， he was surprised and deeply unhappy to see me．

The coronation seemed to last for hours， but I managed to say and do all the right things． At last it was over， and I was now the King of Ruritania！ As Princess Flavia and I drove back to the palace in an open car， one man in the crowd called out， 'When's the wedding？ '

The Princess's face went a little pink when she heard this． After a while she said， 'You seem different today， Rudolf． Quieter and more serious． Are you going to become a more sensible person now？ '

The Princess， I realized， did not think very highly of the King． As for me， I thought the King was a very lucky man．

'If that will please you， I'll try to do it， 'I said softly．

The Princess's face went pink again． Then she said， 'You must be careful of Michael． You know． '

'I know， 'I said， 'that he wants what I have， and also what I hope to have one day． 'As I spoke， I looked at her， and she smiled at me prettily．

'I wonder what the King's doing now， 'I thought．

* * *

The royal dinner went on for a long time， but at last Fritz， Sapt， and I were alone in the King's dressing-room．

'You did well， 'Fritz said， 'but， Rassendyll， be careful！ Black Michael looked blacker than ever today-because you and the Princess had so much to say to each other． '

'She's very beautiful， 'I replied．

'Come on， 'Sapt cried． 'There's no time for that now． We must leave for Zenda at once， to find the King！ If we're caught， we'll all be killed！ Black Michael has had a letter from Zenda， so perhaps he knows already． Don't unlock the door， Fritz， while we're away， or you'll be a dead man． Say the King must be left alone to rest． Now， come on． The horses are ready． '

Fritz and I shook hands， then I covered my red hair and most of my face． Sapt and I left the room by a secret door， and we found ourselves outside， at the back of the palace gardens． A man was waiting there with two horses．

Soon we left the town behind us， and we were out in the country． We rode like the wind and by ten o'clock had come to the edge of the forest of Zenda．

Suddenly Sapt stopped． 'Listen！ 'he said quietly． 'Horses behind us！ Quick！ Get down！ The castle's to the left， 'he continued． 'Our road's to the right． '

We hid in the thick trees， and we waited and watched． The men came nearer． It was Black Michael and another man． When they came to the two roads， they stopped．

'Which way？ 'the Duke asked．

'To the castle！ 'the other man cried'They'll know there what's been happening． '

The Duke waited for a moment． 'To Zenda then！ 'he cried finally， and the two men took the road to the left．

We waited for ten more minutes， and then we hurried on．

When we arrived at the house in the forest， we ran to the underground rooms． The one where Sapt had locked up the old woman was empty． She had escaped！ The other room was locked． Sapt's face was white with fear． Between us， we broke down the door and ran in． I found a light and looked round the room． The servant Josef was on the floor-dead！ I held up the light and looked in every corner of the room．

'The King isn't herer！ 'I said．

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