■ 12 The prisoner and the King

We needed bad weather， but it was a fine， clear night．

At midnight Sapt， Fritz， and their men left and rode quietly through the woods towards the castle． If everything went well， they would get there at a quarter to two and wait for Johann to open the front door． If Johann did not open the door， Fritz would come round to the other side of the castle to find me． If I was not there， then I was dead-and the King， too！ Sapt and his men would go back to Tarlenheim House and return with the Marshal and more men to get into the castle．

So， half an hour later， I， too， left Tarlenheim． I took a shorter way than Sapt and when I reached the moat， I hid my horse in the trees， tied my rope round a strong tree and let myself down into the water． Slowly， I began to swim along under the castle walls． Just after a quarter to one， I came to the pipe and waited quietly in its shadow． Light was coming from Duke Michael's window opposite me across the moat， and I could see into the room． The next window along， which Johann had said was An-toinette's room， was dark．

Then the Duke's window opened， and Antoinette de Mauban looked out． Behind her there was a man． Rupert of Hentzau！ What was he doing in the Duke's room？ I wondered．

Rupert tried to put his arm round Antoinette， but she moved quickly away． At that moment， I heard the door of the room open and then the angry voice of Duke Michael．

'What are you doing here？ ' he cried．

'Waiting for you， sir， 'Rupert replied quickly． 'I couldn't leave the lady alone． '

'Well， now you can go to bed． Are Detchard and Bersonin watching the prisoner？ '

'Yes， sir． '

A few minutes later， Rupert crossed the drawbridge and it was pulled up． The light in Duke Michael's room went out， but a light came on， and stayed on， in Antoinette's room． In the silent darkness， I waited．

For about ten minutes everything was quiet， but suddenly I heard a noise on my side of the moat． A dark shape appeared in the gateway to the bridge， then turned and began to climb down some hidden steps in the wall． It was Rupert of Hentzau again-with a sword！ Silently， he went down into the water and swam across the moat． Then he climbed out， and I heard him unlock the door． It was clear that Rupert of Hentzau had his own secret plans for that night．

It was not yet time for Johann to open the front door for my friends， and I still had to wait． I climbed up to the gateway of the bridge and hid in a dark corner． Now no one could enter or leave the old castle without fighting me． I wondered what Rupert was doing now， and a few seconds later I found out．

There was a sudden crash， and then a woman's screams rang through the night．

'Help me， Michael！ Rupert of Hentzau！ '

Those were the words that I had written for Antoinette！ But these were screams of real fear and soon I heard shouts and the sound of fighting from Antoinette's room． Then Rupert appeared at the window． His back was towards me， but he was fighting． 'That's for you， Johann， ' I heard him cry． Then， 'Come on， Michael！ '

So Johann was in there too， fighting at the Duke's side！ How could he open the door for Sapt now？

More of the Duke's men had run to the room and the noise of the fighting grew louder． Suddenly， Rupert gave a wild laugh， and with his sword in his hand， jumped from the window into the moat below．

At that moment the door of the old castle opened and De Gautet appeared beside me． I jumped at him with my sword， and a second later he fell dead in the doorway without a word or a sound．

Wildly， I searched his body for the keys． I found them， and in a minute I was in the first room， where Bersonin and Detchard were． But there was only Bersonin in the room． Before he had time to realize that I was there， I had killed him． Detchard had run into the King's room and locked the door behind him． I ran at it to break it down． But would I be in time？ Was the King already dead？

The King was standing helplessly by the wall． But the doctor was also in the room and the brave little man had thrown himself at Detchard． He gave his life for the King， because， as I entered， Detchard pulled himself free and drove his sword into the doctor's side． Then， with an angry shout， Detchard turned to me．

We fought long and hard． Detchard was an excellent swords-man， and I was growing tired． He drove me back against the wall， gave me a deep cut in the arm， and began to smile． In a second he would kill me．

Suddenly， the King realized who I was．

'Cousin Rudolf！ 'he cried． Then he picked up a chair and threw it at Detchard's legs． The Englishman， jumping to one side， turned his sword against the King， and with a cry the King fell to the ground． Detchard moved towards me again， stepped in the doctor's blood on the floor-and fell to the ground himself． I had him！ A second later his body lay across the dead doctor．

But was the King dead？ I had no time to find out， because just then I heard the noise of the drawbridge coming down． And that wild-cat Rupert of Hentzau was still alive． The King must wait for help while I fought his enemies． I ran out of the room and up the steps towards the drawbridge． And then I heard the sound of laughter-Rupert of Hentzau was laughing！

He was standing alone in the middle of the bridge． In the gateway on the far side stood a group of the Duke's men． They seemed too frightened to move．

'Come out， Michael， you dog！ ' Rupert shouted．

But a woman's wild cry answered him． 'He's dead！ He's dead！ '

The men in the gateway moved to one side and a woman came forward． Her face was as white as her long dress， and her dark hair lay over her shoulders． In her hand she held a gun． The shot rang out， but she missed． Rupert laughed． Again An-toinette de Mauban faced him， her gun ready． But， before she could shoot， Rupert jumped over the side of the bridge， and down into the moat below．

At that moment I heard the sound of running feet inside the new castle- and the welcome voice of my old friend， Captain Sapt！ Then I knew that the King was safe and needed me no more． I ran out on to the bridge and jumped down into the moat． I had business to finish with Rupert of Hentzau．

* * *

I swam hard and caught up with him round the corner of the old castle． He had found my rope， climbed out of the moat， and was already running towards the trees where I had left my horse．

I ran after him as fast as I could． He turned and saw me， and called out， laughing， 'Why， it's the play-actor！ 'But then， with a cry of surprise， he found my horse， and in a minute he was on its back．

'Get down！ 'I shouted． 'Stand and fight， like a man！ '

He turned， waiting for me， and I ran at him with my sword． For a few minutes we fought wildly． Blood ran from his face where I had cut it， but I had fought too many fights that night． He would surely kill me now．

I was saved by Fritz， who came galloping round the castle to find me． When Rupert saw him coming， he knew he had no chance．

'Goodbye， Rudolf Rassendyll！ 'he called． 'We'll meet again！ '

And he rode away into the forest， laughing and singing…and still alive．

I fell to the ground． Blood was running again from the cut in my arm， and I could not stand． Fritz jumped down from his horse and lifted me in his arms．

'Dear friend！ 'he said． 'Thank God I've found you！ When Johann did not come， we had to break down the castle door． We were afraid we would be too late． '

'And the King…？ 'I said．

'Thanks to a very brave Englishman， 'Fritz said gently， 'the King is alive． '

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