# ■ 9 News of the prisoner

The next morning I was sitting in the garden in the sun when suddenly I saw young Rupert of Hentzau on horseback coming through the trees towards me．He was not afraid of my men，but asked to speak with me alone．He said he had a message for me from the Duke of Strelsau．I asked my friends to move away，and Rupert came and sat down near me．

Rassendyll，'he began，'the Duke…．'

Don't you know how to speak to the King？'I asked．

Why pretend with me？'

Because it isn't finished yet．'

well，I'm here because I want to help you…'

Then give me the message．What does the Duke want？'I asked．

He wants you to leave．He'll take you safely out of the country and give you a hundred thousand pounds．'

I refuse，'I replied immediately．

Rupert laughed．'I knew it！'he cried．'Duke Michael doesn't understand men like us！… You must die，then，'he added carelessly．

Yes，'I answered．'But you won't be alive to see me die！'I laughed．'How's your prisoner？'I added．

Alive，'he replied．'How's the pretty Princess？'

I took a step towards him．'Go now，before I kill you，'I shouted angrily．

Rupert turned， but suddenly he came back．He put out his right hand．'Shake hands！'he called．

Of course，he knew what I would do．I put my hands behind my back．Quickly，his left hand moved towards me．In it he held a dagger and it was coming straight at my heart！I jumped to one side，and the dagger went deep into my shoulder．Before my friends could do anything，Rupert of Hentzau was on his horse and galloping through the trees．I heard my men going after him with their guns and then everything went black．

When I awoke it was dark，and Fritz was at my bedside．He told me that I was not badly hurt，and that the plan to catch Johann had been successful．

He seems pleased to be here，'Fritz said．'I think he's afraid of Duke Michael．'

Later Sapt brought Johann up to see me．At first Johann was afraid to speak，but then he began to talk．We asked him many questions，and finally Johann gave us the information we wanted．

In the Castle of Zenda，near the drawbridge and below the ground，there were two small rooms，cut out of the rock itself．In the first of these rooms there were always three of the Six．At the back of this room there was a door which led into the second room．The King was in the second room．

If someone tries to get into the first room，two of the tnree men will fight，but Rupert of Hentzau or Detchard will run into the second room and kill the King，'Johann said．'There's a small window in the second room with a large pipe going down into the moat outside，'he went on．'You can get a man inside it，and they'll tie a heavy stone to the King's body and push it down the pipe．The body will go down and disappear under the water，and the murderers will then go down the pipe themselves，and swim across the moat．'

And if I bring an army to the castle？'I asked．

Duke Michael will still murder the King，'replied Johann．'He won't fight．He'll kill the King and push his body down the pipe．And he'll put one of the Six in the prison．He'll say the man had done something to make him angry．That will stop the stories about a prisoner in Zenda．'Johann stopped for a minute，but then he added，'If they know I've told you this，they'll kill me．They're all bad，but Rupert of Hentzau is the worst．Don't let them kill me…'

All right，'I said．'But if anyone asks you who the prisoner of Zenda is，don't tell him． If you do，I'll kill you myself！'

Johann left the room and I looked at Sapt．

It doesn't matter what plan we make，'I said．'The King will be dead before we can get to him！'

Sapt shook his grey head angrily．'You'll still be King of Ruritania in a year's time．'

Perhaps one of the Duke's men will turn against him…'I began．

Impossible，'replied Sapt．

Then we need the help of God，'I said．

■ 9 有關囚犯的消息

第二天早晨，我正坐在陽光下的花園裡，突然看見魯帕特騎著馬穿過樹林朝我走來。他並不怕我的人，但是請求和我單獨談談。他說他有斯特萊索公爵給我的口信。

我請朋友們離開，然後魯帕特過來在我旁邊坐了下來。

“拉森狄爾，”他開始說，“公爵……”

“難道你不知道應該怎樣對國王說話嗎？”我問。

“幹嗎跟我裝假？”

“因為事情還沒完。”

“好吧，我來這兒是因為我想幫助你……”

“那就告訴我那個口信。公爵想要什麼？”

“他要你離開。他會幫你安全地離開這個國家。而且會給你10萬英鎊。”

“我拒絕。”我立即回答。

魯帕特笑了：“我知道，”他說：“邁克爾公爵不瞭解你我這樣的人！……那麼你就得死。”他漫不經心地加了一句。

“對。”我回答：“不過你也別想活著看到我死！”我笑著說：“你的犯人怎麼樣了？”

“還活著！”他回答：“美麗的公主怎麼樣了？”

我朝他跨了一步，“在我殺了你之前趕緊滾！”我生氣地喊道。

魯帕特轉過身，但他突然又回來了。他伸出右手，叫道：“握握手吧！”

他當然知道我會怎麼做。我把手放在背後。他的左手卻一下子伸過來，手裡的短劍直刺向我的心臟。我跳向一邊，短劍深深地刺進我的肩膀。沒等我的朋友反應過來，魯帕特已經上馬跑進了樹林。我聽見我的人開槍追趕他，然後一切都變黑了。

我醒來時天已經黑了。弗裡茨坐在我的床邊。他說我的傷不重，並且告訴我我們抓約翰的計劃已經成功了。

“他看上去很高興能呆在這兒。”弗裡茨說，“我想他害怕邁克爾公爵。”

過了一會兒薩普特帶約翰來見我。一開始約翰不敢說話，然後他開始說了。我們問了他許多問題，最後約翰終於把我們想知道的說了出來。

在城堡靠近吊橋的地方，有兩個地下小屋，是從岩石中鑿出來的。那六個人中的三個總是在第一間小屋裡呆著，屋子的盡頭安著一扇門通向第二間屋子，國王就在那裡面。

“假如有人想進第一間屋子，那三個人中的兩人就會應戰，而魯帕特或者戴查德就會衝進第二間屋子把國王殺掉。”約翰說：“第二間屋子裡有一個小窗子，一根大排水管穿過窗戶通往外面的護城河。”他接著說，“排水管能容納下一個人。他們會在國王身上綁上一塊很重的石頭，然後把他推下排水管。屍體掉下去，消失在水下，然後殺人犯們也會順著排水管下來，再游泳穿過護城河。”

“假如我帶領一支軍隊去攻打城堡呢？”我問。

“邁克爾公爵仍然會殺了國王，”約翰說。“他不會跟你硬打的。他會把國王殺了，推下排水管，然後把那六個傢伙中的一個關進監獄。他會說那個傢伙做了讓他生氣的事兒。這樣就可以制止人們關於曾達有個囚徒的傳言。”約翰停了一會兒，又說：“如果他們知道我告訴了你們這個，他們會殺了我。他們都很壞，可是最壞的是魯帕特。別讓他們殺了我……”

“好吧！”我說，“但如果有人問你曾達的囚徒是誰，你別說出來，不然的話我會殺了你！”

約翰離開了房間。我望著薩普特。

“我們訂什麼計劃都無關緊要了。”我說，“還沒等我們到國王身邊他就已經死了。”

薩普特憤怒地搖著他灰白的腦袋：“一年之內你照樣還是盧裡塔尼亞的國王。”

“也許公爵的人裡面會有一個起來反叛他……”我說。

“不可能。”薩普特回答。

“那我們就需要上帝來幫忙了。”我回答。