The Prisoner of Zenda
by Anthony Hope
Retold by Kieran McGovern at CEF English language level B1
SMASHWORDS EDITION
* * * * *
Published by Kieran McGovern on Smashwords
Copyright © 2011 by Kieran McGovern
Before You Read * People & Places in The Prisoner of Zenda * Glossary
Chapter One
Rudolf Rassendyll
‘When are you going to do something with your life, Rudolf?’ said Rose. Rose was my brother’s wife.
‘My dear Rose,’ I said, putting down my breakfast spoon. ‘I don’t need to do anything. I am rich enough not to work.’
‘You are twenty-nine, Rudolf’ said Rose. ‘You can’t play all your life. You need something serious to do.’
Robert came into the room. ‘Rose wants me to work, Robert,’ I said. I looked at Rose and smiled.
‘It’s the Elphberg blood in you,’ said Rose. ‘They say that the new King is the same.’
My distant cousin Rudolph Elphberg was about to become King of Ruritania
‘He has the Elphberg nose, too,’ Robert said.
‘But Rudolf is not a king,’ said Rose. ‘And he needs to do something with his life. Perhaps he can work at my father’s bank.’
‘‘I have other plans,’ I said quickly. Rose looked at me and raised her eyebrow. She did not believe me. ‘Really?’
Of course I didn’t have any plan. But on the breakfast table in front of me was a copy of The Times. The headline was Coronation Special.
‘I’m going to the Coronation in Strelsau.’
She looked at me in horror. ‘What? Rudolf, you can’t do that!’ she said. ‘No Rassendyll can go to Ruritania after the scandal!’
Princess Amelia
The story of Princess Amelia of Ruritania was a famous one in our house. Long ago she came to England on a royal visit. She returned to Strelsau carrying a Rassendyll child.
I laughed. ‘That was a hundred years ago, Rose. Everyone has forgotten about Princess Amelia now.’
We all looked up at a portrait of Amelia on the wall. Usually we joked about my Elphberg features. But Rose was not smiling now.
‘You look like an Elphberg,’ said Rose. ‘And people might confuse you for the king. Please don’t go, Rudolf. It’s not safe for you.’
I was very fond of Rose. I did not want to worry her. But I was also a young man looking for adventure. And I wanted to meet my cousin.
‘I was only joking,’ I lied. ‘I’m really going walking in Austria for a few months. Then I’ll come back for that bank job.’
A beautiful woman
There were no direct trains from London to Strelsau so I spent a night in Paris with my old friend George. The next morning he took me to the station.
While I was buying my ticket, George talked to a very beautiful woman. ‘You’re lucky!’ he told me after. 'That’s Antoinette de Mauban. She’s catching the same train.’
‘I’ve heard the name before,’ I said.
‘She’s rich, clever and beautiful. But she in love with the wrong man: Duke Michael of Strelsau.’
‘The brother of the new king?’
‘Half-brother - and rival for the throne! Michael lives in Ruritania but he’s not popular there. People don’t trust him.’
Journey to Strelsau
The train to Strelsau was full of people going to the Coronation. Antoinette de Mauban sat alone in her carriage but other passengers told stories about her.
‘Antoinette is going back to see Michael in Strelsau.’
‘Will he marry her?
‘No! Michael wants to marry Princess Flavia. And he wants to be King!’
The train slowly passed through France and then Germany. After lunch I fell asleep. When I awoke it was late in the afternoon and we were crossing into Ruritania. All around us were forests and mountains
‘When do we get to Strelsau?’ I asked the ticket collector. ‘I need to find a hotel.’
‘You won’t find a hotel in Strelsau tonight,’ he said. ‘They are all booked for the Coronation.’
‘Is there anywhere I can stay?’ I asked.
‘Get off at the town of Zenda,’ he said. ‘You can travel in to Strelsau from there.’
The New King
Zenda is a quiet town with a famous castle. It is about fifty miles from Strelsau.
I got off the train. As it moved away I saw Antoinette staring out of a window. Then I went to look for a room.
Eventually I found one in a small inn run by an old lady and her daughter. They told me about Zenda castle. ‘It belongs to Michael of Strelsau,’ said the old lady. ‘He lives here in Ruritania. Our new king only came back to the country last week.’
‘And now no one knows him,’ said the daughter. ‘My Johann told me. He works at Michael’s hunting-lodge in the forest.’
‘The King is staying there now,’ said the old lady. ‘He only likes hunting, drinking and pretty girls. I want Michael to be King.’
‘I don’t like Duke Michael,’ said the daughter. ‘I want an Elphberg.’ She looked at me and laughed. ‘You have the Elphberg nose!’
‘Where is Michael now?’ I asked.
‘He’s in Strelsau for the Coronation.’
‘Then why is the King here? Are he and Michael friends?’
‘Yes,’ said the old woman but the daughter laughed.
‘I don’t think so!’ she said. ‘Two men want to be King. And two men want the same wife.’
Chapter Two
The next morning I sent my bags to Strelsau. My plan was to catch the train at a small station on the other side of the forest.
I walked up the hill to the Castle. Behind a very big old building there was a new building. Between the two buildings there was a moat. A drawbridge crossed the moat.
I walked on into the forest. It was very beautiful. After some time I became tired. I sat against a tree and closed my eyes.
Suddenly I heard a voice.
‘It isn’t possible! He has the same hair and the same face. He
is the King!’
I opened my eyes and saw two men. One was short and strong. The other was younger and darker. I stood up and smiled. The younger man also smiled
‘This is Sapt. My name is Fritz. We work for the King of Ruritania.’
I took off my hat and answered. ‘I am Rudolf Rassendyll. I come from England.’
Sapt looked at me. Suddenly he said, ‘Your face tells me your story. Everyone here in Ruritania knows about Amelia.’
Suddenly we heard a voice. ‘It’s the King,’ said Fritz.
Danger
A young man came up to us. I looked at him - and it was like looking in a mirror! We were identical! The King of Ruritania was Rudolf Rassendyll. Rudolf Rassendyll was the King.
‘Sapt - Fritz - who is this man?’
Sapt came between the King and me. He said something in the King’s ear. The King did not speak. Then he began to laugh.
‘What are you doing here in Ruritania?’
‘I am going to the Coronation in Strelsau.’
The King laughed again. ‘What will Michael say? Now he has two brothers.’
‘You mustn’t go to Strelsau,’ said Sapt. ‘There is danger there.’
‘I will leave Ruritania today,’ I told the King.
‘No! Please stay and have dinner with me,’ he answered.
‘But we’re leaving early tomorrow,’ said Fritz.
‘I know,’ said the King. ‘But I don’t meet a new ‘brother’ every day.’
A present from Duke Michael
That night we ate a very big dinner at the hunting lodge. We also drank many bottles of wine. Fritz tried to stop the King. ‘We must leave early tomorrow morning,’ he said.
But the King did not stop. At midnight the King’s servant, Joseph came into the room. He was carrying a very old bottle of wine. ‘This arrived today,’ he said. ‘It’s a gift from Michael of Strelsau.’
‘Thank you, Duke Michael!’ said the King. ‘Open the bottle!’
‘That’s not a good idea,’ said Sapt.
‘It’s time for bed, said Fritz.
Buy the King waved them away. ‘Open it!’ he said.
Joseph opened the bottle. The King drank a glass in a single swallow. Then he began drinking the rest of the bottle.
That is all I remember of that night.
Chapter Three
The King is ill
I opened my eyes. My face, hair and clothes were all wet. Sapt and Fritz were near me. I was very angry.
‘Why did you throw water over me?’
‘Its five o’clock,’ said Sapt. ‘And look at the King.’
The King was on the floor. His face was red. Sapt kicked him. He did not move.
‘We threw water over him, too,’ said Fritz. ‘But it was no good.’
I looked at Sapt and Fritz. ‘It was that last bottle of wine. There was something in it. We must get a doctor.’
‘There’s no doctor near here,’ said Sapt. ‘And a thousand doctors cannot help us. He will not move for six or seven hours.’
‘What about the Coronation?’
‘The King is ill,’ said Fritz. ‘We must send a message to Strelsau.’