The Mad King, Edgar Rice Burroughs [best pdf ebook reader TXT] 📗

thought that he was riding with his king during the battle of Lustadt. You were both wrong—you were riding with Mr. Bernard Custer, of Beatrice. I am he. I have no apologies to make. What I did I would do again. I did it for Lutha and for the woman I love. She knows and the king knew that I intended restoring his identity to him with no one the wiser for the interchange that had taken place. The king upset my plans by stealing back his identity while I slept, with the result that you see before you upon the floor. He has died as he had lived—futilely.”

As he spoke the Princess Emma had crossed the room to-ward him. Now she stood at his side, her hand in his. Tense silence reigned in the apartment. The old chancellor stood with bowed head, buried in thought. All eyes were upon him except those of the doctor, who had turned his attention from the dead king to the wounded assassin. But-zow stood looking at Barney Custer in open relief and admiration. He had been trying to vindicate his friend in his own mind ever since he had discovered, as he believed, that Barney had tricked Leopold after the latter had saved his life at Blentz and ridden to Lustadt in the king’s guise. Now that he knew the whole truth he realized how stupid he had been not to guess that the man who had led the victorious Luthanian army before Lustadt could not have been the cowardly Leopold.

Presently the chancellor broke the silence.

“You say that Leopold of Lutha lived futilely. You are right; but when you say that he has died futilely, you are, I believe, wrong. Living, he gave us a poor weakling. Dy-ing, he leaves the throne to a brave man, in whose veins flows the blood of the Rubinroths, hereditary rulers of Lutha.

“You are the only rightful successor to the throne of Lutha,” he argued, “other than Peter of Blentz. Your mother’s marriage to a foreigner did not bar the succession of her offspring. Aside from the fact that Peter of Blentz is out of the question, is the more important fact that your line is closer to the throne than his. He knew it, and this knowledge was the real basis of his hatred of you.”

As the old chancellor ceased speaking he drew his sword and raised it on high above his head.

“The king is dead,” he said. “Long live the king!”

XVI KING OF LUTHA

BARNEY CUSTER, of Beatrice, had no desire to be king of Lutha. He lost no time in saying so. All that he wanted of Lutha was the girl he had found there, as his father before him had found the girl of his choice. Von der Tann pleaded with him.

“Twice have I fought under you, sire,” he urged. “Twice, and only twice since the old king died, have I felt that the future of Lutha was safe in the hands of her ruler, and both these times it was you who sat upon the throne. Do not desert us now. Let me live to see Lutha once more happy, with a true Rubinroth upon the throne and my daughter at his side.”

Butzow added his pleas to those of the old chancellor. The American hesitated.

“Let us leave it to the representatives of the people and to the house of nobles,” he suggested.

The chancellor of Lutha explained the situation to both houses. Their reply was unanimous. He carried it to the American, who awaited the decision of Lutha in the royal apartments of the palace. With him was the Princess Emma von der Tann.

“The people of Lutha will have no other king, sire,” said the old man.

Barney turned toward the girl.

“There is no other way, my lord king,” she said with grave dignity. “With her blood your mother bequeathed you a duty which you may not shirk. It is not for you or for me to choose. God chose for you when you were born.”

Barney Custer took her hand in his and raised it to his lips.

“Let the King of Lutha,” he said, “be the first to salute Lutha’s queen.”

And so Barney Custer, of Beatrice, was crowned King of Lutha, and Emma became his queen. Maenck died of his wound on the floor of the little room in the east transept of the cathedral of Lustadt beside the body of the king he had slain. Prince Peter of Blentz was tried by the highest court of Lutha on the charge of treason; he was found guilty and hanged. Von Coblich committed suicide on the eve of his arrest. Lieutenant Otto Butzow was ennobled and given the confiscated estates of the Blentz prince. He became a general in the army of Lutha, and was sent to the front in command of the army corps that guarded the northern frontier of the little kingdom.

 

End of Project Gutenberg Etext of The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs

I have made the following changes to the text: PAGE CHAPTER PARAGRAPH LINE ORIGINAL CHANGED TO 72 VIII 3 1 Ludstadt Lustadt 81 3 2 mier miter 83 7 3 Ludstadt Lustadt 86 3 2 him arm his arm 90 4 4 monarch, he monarch he 94 2 4 colums columns 98 2 2 imposter impostor 121 1 1 approaced approached 126 2 5 from from the 140 6 5 whom, appeared whom appeared 142 5 1 once side one side 143 4 8 knew drew 158 4 5 presumptious presumptuous 182 5 3 jeweler’s shot jeweler’s shop 189 8 2 ingrate?” ingrate? 193 5 3 oil panting oil painting 200 7 1 soldiers soldier 211 2 1 men and woman men and women 212 3 5 instruments instrument 217 4 1 The cheered They cheered 217 6 2 gril’s face girl’s face 218 1 magnamity magnanimity 218 7 2 him. Barney’s him, Barney’s 225 3 3 horseman horsemen 228 5 1 ajaculated ejaculated 233 8 6 king of Lustadt, king of Lutha, 234 6 2 You “You 251 9 Luthania army Luthanian army 252 2 3 poor, weakling poor weakling

 

End of Project Gutenberg Etext of The Mad King by Edgar Rice Burroughs