5 His Majesty returns to Strelsau  
　 
　　It was one o'clock in the morning．For a few minutes we said nothing．Then Sapt cried，'The Duke's men have taken the King prisoner！' 
　　Then we must get back and wake everyone in Strelsau！'I cried．'We must catch Black Michael before he kills the King．' 
　　'Who knows where the King is now？'Sapt answered．Then suddenly he began to laugh．'But we've given Black Michael a problem，'he said．'Yes，my boy．We'll go back to Strelsau．The King will be in his palace in Strelsau again tomorrow．' 
　　'No！'I cried． 
　　'Yes！'Sapt answered．'It's the only way to help him．Go back and take his place for him．' 
　　'But the Duke knows…' 
　　'Yes，but he can't speak，can he？What can he say？“This man isn't the King because I've taken the real King prisoner and murdered his servant．”Can he say that？' 
　　But people will soon realize l'm not the real King，'I said． 
　　'Perhaps，perhaps not，'said Sapt．'But we must have a King in Strelsau，or Michael will ride in tomorrow as the new King！Listen，boy，if you don't go back to Strelsau，they'll kill the King．And if you do go back，they can't kill the King．Because if they kill him，how can they ever say that you're not the real King？Don't you see？'he cried．'It's a dangerous game，but it gives us a chance of winning．' 
　　It was a wild，hopeless plan，but I was young．I would never have the chance of an adventure like this again．'Sapt，I'll try it，'I said． 
　　'Good for you！'Sapt cried．'But we must hurry！Look！' 
　　He pulled me over to the door The moon was low now，and there was not much light，but I could just see a small group of men on horses．They were Black Michael's men，probably coming to take the dead body of Josef away． 
　　'We can't let them go without doing something，'I said，thinking of poor Josef． 
　　'Right，'Sapt agreed．We ran out of the back of the house，and quickly got onto our horses．Silently，we waited in the darkness，and then we galloped round the house and straight into the group of men．Between us，we killed three of them，but a bullet hit my finger and it began to bleed． 
　　We rode hard all night and it was about eight or nine o'clock in the morning when we reached Strelsau．Luckily，the streets were still empty．We arrived at the palace，went in，and got to the dressing-room．When we opened the door，Fritz was asleep，but he woke immediately．When he saw me，he fell to the ground and cried，'Thank God，Your Majesty！You're safe！' 
　　'Well done，boy！'Sapt shouted．'We'll do it！' 
　　Fritz stood up．He looked at me，up and down，down and up．Then he took a step backwards．'Where's the King？'he cried． 
　　'Be quiet，'Sapt warned him．'Someone will hear！' 
　　Fritz's face was white now．'Is the King dead？'he asked quietly． 
　　'Please God，no，'I answered．'But Black Michael has him．' 
* * * 
　　The next day was a long one for me．Sapt talked to me for three hours about what I must do and what I must say，what I liked and what I didn't like．Then I had to do some of the King's business，but，because of my damaged finger，I did not have to write my name on any papers． 
　　When，at last，I was alone with Sapt and Fritz，we began to talk about Black Michael．Fritz told me that Black Michael had six very dangerous men among his servants-three Ruritanians，a Belgian，a Frenchman，and an Englishman．They did anything that the Duke ordered，and did not stop at murder．Three of them-the foreigners，Fritz had heard were in Strelsau now with Duke Michael． 
　　Sapt banged the table with his hand in excitement．'Then the King must be alive！Michael's brought the foreigners with him，and left the three Ruritanians to hold the King prisoner．Usually，the Six，as they're called，go everywhere with him．' 
　　Fritz wanted to do something immediately about Black Michael and his men，but Sapt and I realized that we could not do anything openly． 
　　'We'll play a waiting game，and let Michael make the first move，'I said． 
　　And so I continued as King of Ruritania．In order to help the real King，I tried to make myself popular with the people．I went riding through the streets，smiling and talking to everybody．I also went to visit the Princess Flavia．The King's officials had told me that the Princess was very popular，and the people hoped that she would become my wife． 
　　It was easy for me to pretend to be in love with the Princess．Too easy．Those beautiful eyes and that lovely smile were stealing my heart．Here was my greatest danger！I was pretending to be another man，but losing my own heart．On my first visit，we sat together for a long time，talking of this and that．When I got up to leave，Princess Flavia said，'Rudolf，you will be careful，won't you？You have enemies，as I'm sure you know，and your life is very important to…Ruritania．' 
　　'Only to Ruritania？'I asked softly． 
　　'And to your loving cousin，'she answered quietly． 
　　I could not speak．I took her hand in mine．Then，with a heavy heart，I left． 
　　Of course，I made many mistakes in my new life as King．But I managed to talk my way out of them，with luck and with help from Fritz and Sapt．It was like living on a knife edge．Once I met my brother Michael in the Princess's house．We smiled and talked politely，but I could see the anger in his black eyes．  
　 
5 国王回到斯特莱索 
　  
　　此刻是凌晨一点钟。有几分钟的时间我们一句话也没说，然后萨普特叫道：“公爵的人把国王关起来了！” 
　　“我们必须回到斯特莱索，唤醒那儿的每一个人。”我说，“我们必须在黑迈克尔杀了国王之前抓住他。” 
　　“谁又知道国王在哪儿呢？”萨普特回答。然后他突然笑了起来：“不过我们已经给了黑迈克尔一个难题。”他说，“是的，我的孩子，我们回斯特莱索去。明天国王又会在斯特莱索的宫中的。” 
　　“不！”我说。 
　　“是的！”萨普特回答，“这是唯一能帮助他的方法。回去，替他去当国王。” 
　　“可是公爵明白……” 
　　“没错，但他没法说出来，对吗？他能说什么呢？'这个男人不是国王，因为我把真正的国王关进牢里，而且杀了他的仆人。'他难道能这么说吗？” 
　　“可是人们很快就会知道我不是真正的国王。”我说。 
　　“也许会，也许不会。”萨普特说。“但我们必须得有一个国王在斯特莱索，否则迈克尔明天就会奔去成为新国王。听着，孩子，如果你不回斯特莱索，他们就会杀掉国王。可是如果你回去了，他们就不能杀他，因为假如他们杀了他，他们怎么才能说明你不是真正的国王？你难道不明白吗？”他说，“这是一场危险的游戏，不过它给了我们一次获胜的机会。” 
　　这是一个疯狂无望的计划，但是那时我正年轻，我不可能再有这样的奇遇了。“萨普特，我试试。”我说。 
　　“太棒了！”萨普特说。“可我们得快点儿，你看。” 
　　他把我拖到门边。月亮现在低低的，没有什么光亮，但我恰好能看见一小群人骑在马上。他们是黑迈克尔的人，可能是来运走约瑟夫的尸体。 
　　“我们不能就这么让他们走了。”我说，心里想着可怜的约瑟夫。 
　　“好吧。”萨普特同意了。我们从屋子背后跑出去，很快地骑上了马。在黑暗中我们悄悄地等着，然后飞快地绕过房子，直冲进那群人中。我们杀了他们三个人，不过有一枪打中了我的手指，手指流血了。 
　　我们骑着马整整走了一夜，到达斯特莱索是早上八九点钟，幸运的是，街上还是空空的。我们到达王宫，走进去直到更衣室。当我们开开门时，弗里茨正在熟睡，但他立刻就醒来了。当他看见我时，他跪倒在地叫道：“感谢上帝，陛下，您平安无事！” 
　　“干得好，孩子！”萨普特说，“我们就这么办。” 
　　弗里茨站了起来，他看着我，从上到下，从下到上。然后他后退一步：“国王在哪里？”他嚷道。 
　　“安静点，”萨普特警告他，“别人会听见的。” 
　　弗里茨的脸变白了，“国王死了吗？”他静静地问。 
　　“上帝保佑吧，他还没有死。”我说，“不过黑迈克尔抓住他了。” 
　　第二天对我来说十分漫长。萨普特对我说了三个小时，告诉我应该做什么，不能做什么，什么是我喜欢的，什么是我不喜欢的。接着我不得不做一些国王该做的事。不过，由于我的手伤了，我不用在任何纸上签名。 
　　最后，当我又和萨普特、弗里茨在一起时，我们开始谈论黑迈克尔。弗里茨告诉我，黑迈克尔的随从中有六个非常危险的家伙，其中三个是卢里塔尼亚人，一个比利时人，一个法国人，还有一个英国人。黑迈克尔让他们做什么就做什么，就是杀人也干。弗里茨听说其中三个外国人现在正和黑迈克尔一起呆在斯特莱索。 
　　萨普特兴奋地用手拍了一下桌子，“这么说国王肯定还活着。迈克尔带了三个外国人，让那三个卢里塔尼亚人看着国王。通常总是黑迈克尔走到哪儿他们六个跟到哪儿的。” 
　　弗里茨想立即就对黑迈克尔和他的人采取行动，可萨普特和我觉得我们什么事也不能公开地干。 
　　“我们要玩一场等待游戏，让迈克尔先动手。”我说。 
　　因此，我就继续当卢里塔尼亚的国王，为了帮助真正的国王，我试着得到人民的爱戴。我乘车穿过每条街道，对每个人微笑，跟每个人说话。我也去拜访弗蕾维亚公主。国王的官员们告诉我公主非常受百姓的欢迎，人们希望她会成为我的妻子。 
　　对我来说，假装我正爱着公主是很容易的事儿，太容易了。她那美丽的眼睛和可爱的微笑正悄悄占据我的心。这才是我最大的危险！我假装是另外一个男人，但失去的是我自己的心。在我第一次拜访她的时候，我们在一起坐着，说这说那，过了很长时间。当我站起来告别的时候，弗蕾维亚公主说：“鲁道夫，你会小心的，是吗？你有敌人，你肯定知道这个，而且你的生命对于卢里塔尼亚是很重要的。” 
　　“只对卢里塔尼亚重要吗？”我温柔地问。 
　　“对爱着你的表妹也一样。”她静静地回答。 
　　我说不出话来。我握住了她的手，然后带着一颗沉重的心离开了她。 
　　自然，在作为国王的新生活中，我犯了许多错误，但我很幸运，加上有弗里茨和萨普特的帮助，都设法掩饰过去了。这真像在刀刃上过日子。有一次我在公主的房子里遇见了我的兄弟迈克尔。我们微笑着，彬彬有礼地聊天，但我能看出他黑眼睛里的怒火。 
　　　    


 