6 An adventure with a teatable  
　 
　　One day Sapt brought me some news he had found out where the King was．Duke Michael was holding him prisoner somewhere in the Castle of Zenda． 
　　Sapt also brought me a letter．It was in a woman's handwriting． 
　　'To know what you most wish to know，'the letter began，'meet me tonight in the garden of the big house in New Avenue．Come at midnight，and come alone．' 
　　There was another note on the back of the letter．'Ask yourself which woman does not want Black Michael to marry the Princess．A．de M．' 
　　'Antoinette de Mauban！'I cried．'She wants to marry the Duke．' 
　　'That's true，'Sapt said．'But you won't go，of course．They'll kill you！Duke Michael made her write this letter！' 
　　'I must，'I replied．'Every day we play this game there's more danger．I could make a mistake at any time，and，if I do，we'll all die．Don't you see？I have to go tonight．We can't go on much longer．' 
　　'Then I'm coming too，'said Sapt． 
　　So，at half-past eleven that night，Sapt and I rode out to the house in New Avenue．We left Fritz to watch my room in the palace．The night was dark，so I took a lamp．I also had my revolver and a knife． 
　　We soon reached the house，and came to a gate in the wall．I got off my horse． 
　　'I'll wait here，'said Sapt．'If I hear anything，I'll-' 
　　'Stay where you are！'I answered quickly．'It's the King's only chance．They mustn't kill you too！' 
　　'You're right，'said Sapt．'Good luck！' 
　　Silently，I opened the gate and went into the garden．In front of me I could see the dark shape of a summer-house and I moved towards it．Without a sound，I went up the steps，pushed open the door and went in．A woman hurried over to me and took me by the hand．I turned my lamp on her．She was beautiful． 
　　'Close the door！'she said．'We must be quick，Mr Rassendyll！Michael made me write the letter-three men are coming to kill you-three of the Six！They'll tell everyone that Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim murdered you．Then Michael will make himself King and marry the Princess．'Antoinette's beautiful eyes were sad as she added softly，'I can't let him marry her．I love him！' 
　　'But the king，'I said．'I know he's in the Castle of Zenda -but where？' 
　　'Go across the drawbridge and you come to a heavy door …Listen！What's that？They're coming！They're too soon！Put out your lamp！'she cried，her eyes filled with fear．'Quickly！You must go．There's a ladder at the end of the garden，against the wall！' 
　　But it was too late．The three men were already outside．There was a small hole in the door，and I put my eye to it．My hand was on my revolver．It was no good！There were three of them．I could kill one perhaps，but then… 
　　A voice came from outside．'Mr Rassendyll…'It was the Englishman．'We only want to talk to you．Open the door．' 
　　'We can talk through the door，'I replied．I looked through the hole again and saw that they were on the top step．When I opened the door，they would run at me． 
　　'We'll let you go if you leave the country and we'll give you fifty thousand English pounds，'continued Detchard，the Englishman． 
　　'Give me a minute to think，'I answered． 
　　Wildly，I looked around the summer-house and saw a metal garden table and some chairs．I picked up the table and held it in front of me，by the legs．Then I went to the back of the room and waited． 
　　'All right，I agree，'I called．'Open the door！' 
　　I heard them arguing with each other，and then Detchard said to the Belgian，'Why，Bersonin，are you afraid of one man？' 
　　A second later the door opened． 
　　De Gautet，the Frenchman，was with the other two，and the three men were standing there with their revolvers ready．With a shout，I ran at them as hard as I could．They tried to shoot me，but the bullets hit the table．The next second the table knocked them to the ground and we all fell on top of each other．Quickly，I picked myself up and ran for my life through the trees．I could hear them coming after me．Was Antoinette right？Was there really a ladder by the wall？I reached the end of the garden．The ladder was there！In a minute I was up it and over the wall． 
　　Sapt was waiting with the horses and seconds later we were on our way home．And，as we rode，we laughed because I had fought Duke Michael's dangerous men-with a tea-table！  
　 
6 茶桌历险 
　  
　　有一天萨普特带来了一个消息——他发现了国王在哪儿。迈克尔公爵把他关在曾达城堡里的什么地方。 
　　萨普特还给我带来了一封信，是一个女人的笔迹。 
　　“要想知道你最想知道的事，”这封信的开头这样写着，“请今晚去新马路大房子的花园见我。半夜12点，一个人来。” 
　　信封的背面还有一句话：“问问你自己哪个女人不想让黑迈克尔和公主结婚。A．deM．” 
　　“安东纳特·德·莫班！”我叫了起来，“她想嫁给公爵。” 
　　“确实如此。”萨普特说，“但是你可不能去。当然不行，他们会杀了你的！是迈克尔公爵让她写这封信的！” 
　　“我得去。”我说。“我们玩这场游戏，每过一天，危险就增加一分。我随时可能出错，而一出错我们就都完了。还不明白吗？我今晚必须去。我们没法老这样继续下去。” 
　　“那我也去。”萨普特说。 
　　于是，那天晚上11点半，萨普特和我骑马去新马路的那所大房子。我们把弗里茨留下来照应我在王宫中的屋子。夜很黑，我带了一盏灯。我还带了我的左轮手枪和一把刀。 
　　很快我们来到那所大房子跟前。围墙中间有一座大门，我下了马。 
　　“我在这儿等着。”萨普特说，“假如我听见什么动静，我就……” 
　　“你就在这儿呆着！”我很快地回答，“这是国王唯一的机会。他们不会连你也一块杀的。” 
　　“你说得对。”萨普特说，“祝你好运！” 
　　我静悄悄地开了门，走进花园。我眼前能看见的是一所避暑别墅的昏暗轮廓。我朝它走去。我悄悄地走上台阶，推门进去。一个女人急步走过来拉住我的手。我用灯照着她，她很美。 
　　“关上门！”她说。“我们得快一点，拉森狄尔先生。是迈克尔让我写这封信的，有三个人会来杀你——那六个人中的三个。他们会告诉每个人萨普特和弗里茨·冯·塔伦汉姆杀了你。然后迈克尔会登上王位，并且和公主结婚。”安冬纳特美丽的眼睛露出悲哀，低声说，“我不能让他娶她，我爱他。” 
　　“我知道国王在曾达的城堡里，”我说，“但他在哪里？” 
　　“过了吊桥你能看见一座厚重的大门……听！什么声儿？他们来啦！他们太快了！把灯灭了！”她说，眼睛里满是惊恐。“快点儿！你得走。花园尽头有一个梯子靠在墙上！” 
　　但是已经太晚了。那三个人已经来到屋外，门上有一个小洞，我从洞里向外看。我的手放在左轮手枪上。这不管用！他们有三个人，我也许能打中其中的一个，但是…… 
　　外面响起一个声音：“拉森狄尔先生……”是那个英国人。“我们只是想跟你谈谈，开门。” 
　　“我们可以隔着门谈。”我回答。我又从小洞往外看，见他们已经上到了最高一层的台阶。假如我开门，他们就会朝我扑过来。 
　　“假如你离开这个国家，我们会让你走，而且会给你五万英镑。”戴查德，那个英国人说。 
　　“让我想一想。”我回答。 
　　慌乱中我朝房子四周扫了一眼，看见了一个金属的花园用的桌子和一些椅子。我抓着桌腿把它挡在身体前，然后退到房子的尽头等着。 
　　“好吧，我同意了。”我高声说：“开门吧！” 
　　我听见他们互相吵嚷，然后戴查德对那个比利时人说：“伯索宁，难道你还怕一个人吗？” 
　　片刻之后，门就开了。 
　　德·高蒂特，那个法国人和另外两个人在一起。他们三个端着上了镗的左轮手枪站在那儿。我大叫一声，用尽全力向他们冲去。他们向我开枪，但是子弹打在了桌子上。紧接着桌子打倒了他们。我们都倒下了，你压着我，我压着你。很快我爬了起来，穿过树林飞快逃走。我听见他们追了上来。安冬纳特没说错吧？墙上真有一个梯子吗？我跑到了花园的尽头，梯子真的在那里！一刹那间我就登上了梯子越过了围墙。 
　　萨普特牵着马在等我。几秒钟后我们就已经在回去的路上了。我们一边骑着马，一边大笑。因为我已经和迈克尔公爵的杀手斗了一场，而且只用了一张茶桌！ 
　　　    


 