{"product_id":"2940013117303","title":"RUPERT OF HENTZAU","description":"CONTENTS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     I.     THE QUEEN'S GOOD-BY\u003cbr\u003e     II.    A STATION WITHOUT A CAB\u003cbr\u003e     III.   AGAIN TO ZENDA\u003cbr\u003e     IV.    AN EDDY ON THE MOAT\u003cbr\u003e     V.     AN AUDIENCE OF THE KING\u003cbr\u003e     VI.    THE TASK OF THE QUEEN'S SERVANTS\u003cbr\u003e     VII.   THE MESSAGE OF SIMON THE HUNTSMAN\u003cbr\u003e     VIII.  THE TEMPER OF BORIS THE HOUND\u003cbr\u003e     IX.    THE KING IN THE HUNTING-LODGE\u003cbr\u003e     X.     THE KING IN STRELSAU\u003cbr\u003e     XI.    WHAT THE CHANCELLOR'S WIFE SAW\u003cbr\u003e     XII.   BEFORE THEM ALL!\u003cbr\u003e     XIII.  A KING UP HIS SLEEVE\u003cbr\u003e     XIV.   THE NEWS COMES TO STRELSAU\u003cbr\u003e     XV.    A PASTIME FOR COLONEL SAPT\u003cbr\u003e     XVI.   A CROWD IN THE KONIGSTRASSE\u003cbr\u003e     XVII.  YOUNG RUPERT AND THE PLAY-ACTOR\u003cbr\u003e     XVIII. THE TRIUMPH OF THE KING\u003cbr\u003e     XIX.   FOR OUR LOVE AND HER HONOR\u003cbr\u003e     XX.    THE DECISION OF HEAVEN\u003cbr\u003e     XXI.   THE COMING OF THE DREAM\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I. THE QUEEN'S GOOD-BY\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA man who has lived in the world, marking how every act, although\u003cbr\u003ein itself perhaps light and insignificant, may become the source of\u003cbr\u003econsequences that spread far and wide, and flow for years or centuries,\u003cbr\u003ecould scarcely feel secure in reckoning that with the death of the\u003cbr\u003eDuke of Strelsau and the restoration of King Rudolf to liberty and his\u003cbr\u003ethrone, there would end, for good and all, the troubles born of Black\u003cbr\u003eMichael's daring conspiracy. The stakes had been high, the struggle\u003cbr\u003ekeen; the edge of passion had been sharpened, and the seeds of enmity\u003cbr\u003esown. Yet Michael, having struck for the crown, had paid for the blow\u003cbr\u003ewith his life: should there not then be an end? Michael was dead,\u003cbr\u003ethe Princess her cousin's wife, the story in safe keeping, and Mr.\u003cbr\u003eRassendyll's face seen no more in Ruritania. Should there not then be an\u003cbr\u003eend? So said I to my friend the Constable of Zenda, as we talked by the\u003cbr\u003ebedside of Marshal Strakencz. The old man, already nearing the death\u003cbr\u003ethat soon after robbed us of his aid and counsel, bowed his head in\u003cbr\u003eassent: in the aged and ailing the love of peace breeds hope of it. But\u003cbr\u003eColonel Sapt tugged at his gray moustache, and twisted his black cigar\u003cbr\u003ein his mouth, saying, \"You're very sanguine, friend Fritz. But is Rupert\u003cbr\u003eof Hentzau dead? I had not heard it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWell said, and like old Sapt! Yet the man is little without the\u003cbr\u003eopportunity, and Rupert by himself could hardly have troubled our\u003cbr\u003erepose. Hampered by his own guilt, he dared not set his foot in the\u003cbr\u003ekingdom from which by rare good luck he had escaped, but wandered to and\u003cbr\u003efro over Europe, making a living by his wits, and, as some said, adding\u003cbr\u003eto his resources by gallantries for which he did not refuse substantial\u003cbr\u003erecompense. But he kept himself constantly before our eyes, and never\u003cbr\u003eceased to contrive how he might gain permission to return and enjoy the\u003cbr\u003eestates to which his uncle's death had entitled him. The chief agent\u003cbr\u003ethrough whom he had the effrontery to approach the king was his\u003cbr\u003erelative, the Count of Luzau-Rischenheim, a young man of high rank and\u003cbr\u003egreat wealth who was devoted to Rupert. The count fulfilled his mission\u003cbr\u003ewell: acknowledging Rupert's heavy offences, he put forward in his\u003cbr\u003ebehalf the pleas of youth and of the predominant influence which Duke\u003cbr\u003eMichael had exercised over his adherent, and promised, in words so\u003cbr\u003esignificant as to betray Rupert's own dictation, a future fidelity no\u003cbr\u003eless discreet than hearty. \"Give me my price and I'll hold my tongue,\"\u003cbr\u003eseemed to come in Rupert's off-hand accents through his cousin's\u003cbr\u003edeferential lips. As may be supposed, however, the king and those who\u003cbr\u003eadvised him in the matter, knowing too well the manner of man the\u003cbr\u003eCount of Hentzau was, were not inclined to give ear to his ambassador's\u003cbr\u003eprayer. We kept firm hold on Master Rupert's revenues, and as good watch\u003cbr\u003eas we could on his movements; for we were most firmly determined that\u003cbr\u003ehe should never return to Ruritania. Perhaps we might have obtained his\u003cbr\u003eextradition and hanged him on the score of his crimes; but in these days\u003cbr\u003eevery rogue who deserves no better than to be strung up to the nearest\u003cbr\u003etree must have what they call a fair trial; and we feared that, if\u003cbr\u003eRupert were handed over to our police and arraigned before the courts\u003cbr\u003eat Strelsau, the secret which we guarded so sedulously would become the\u003cbr\u003egossip of all the city, ay, and of all Europe. So Rupert went unpunished\u003cbr\u003eexcept by banishment and the impounding of his rents.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet Sapt was in the right about him. Helpless as he seemed, he did\u003cbr\u003enot for an instant abandon the contest.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47182797963504,"sku":"2940013117303","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013117303_p0.jpg?v=1763576703","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013117303","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}