Before long I entered the woodland, and strolled on for a hour or more in its cool solemn shade. The considerable trees enlaced with each other over my head, and the daylight stole through in patches as splendid as jewels, and scarcely greater. I was captivated with the place, and, finding a felled tree-trunk, propped my back against it, and extending my legs surrendered myself to undisturbed examination of the serious excellence of the forested areas and to the solace of a decent stogie. What's more, when the stogie was done and I had (I assume) breathed in as much magnificence as I might, I be able to went off into the most delightful rest, paying little respect to my prepare to Strelsau and of the quick winding down evening. To recall a prepare in such a spot would have been rank heresy. Rather than that, I tumbled to envisioning that I was hitched to the Princess Flavia and stayed in the Castle of Zenda, and boggled entire days with my adoration in the dales of the woodland - which made an exceptionally charming dream. Truth be told, I was simply inspiring an intense kiss on the enchanting lips of the princess, when I heard (and the voice appeared at initial a piece of the fantasy) somebody shout, in harsh strident tones. 

"Why, the fallen angel's in it! Shave him, and he'd be the King!" 

The thought appeared to be sufficiently capricious for a fantasy: by the give up of my overwhelming mustache and precisely pointed supreme, I was to be changed into a ruler! I was going to kiss the princess once more, when I arrived (reluctantly) at the conclusion that I was alert. 

I opened my eyes, and discovered two men in regards to me with much interest. Both wore shooting ensembles and conveyed weapons. One was somewhat short and forcefully worked, with a major slug molded head, a bristly dark mustache, and little light blue eyes, a play ragged looking. The other was a slim youthful individual, of center tallness, dim in appearance, and bearing himself with elegance and qualification. I put the one down as an old fighter: the other for a man of honor usual to move in great society, yet not unused to military life either. It turned out a while later that my figure was a decent one. 

The senior man moved toward me, alluring the more youthful to take after. He did as such, affably raising his cap. I climbed gradually to my feet. 

"He's the tallness, as well!" I heard the senior mumble, as he reviewed my six feet two creeps of stature. At that point, with an arrogant touch of the top, he tended to me: 

"May I ask your name?" 

"As you have ventured out the colleague, men of honor," said I, with a grin, "assume you give me a lead in the matter of names." 

The young fellow ventured forward with a charming grin. 

"This," said he, "is Colonel Sapt, and I am called Fritz von Tarlenheim: we are both in the administration of the King of Ruritania." 

I bowed and, exposing my head, replied: 

"I am Rudolf Rassendyll. I am a voyager from England; and once for a year or two I held a commission from her Majesty the Queen." 

"At that point we are all brethren of the sword," addressed Tarlenheim, holding out his hand, which I took promptly. 

"Rassendyll, Rassendyll!" mumbled Colonel Sapt; at that point a sparkle of knowledge danced over his face. 

"By Heaven!" he cried, "you're of the Burlesdons?" 

"My sibling is presently Lord Burlesdon," said I. 

"Thy head betrayeth thee," he laughed, indicating my revealed survey. "Why, Fritz, you know the story?" 

The young fellow looked conciliatory at me. He felt a delicacy which my sister-in-law would have respected. To put him at his straightforwardness, I commented with a grin: 

"Ok! the story is referred to here and additionally among us, it appears." 

"Known!" cried Sapt. "On the off chance that you remain here, the deuce a man in all Ruritania will uncertainty of it- - or a lady either." 

I started to feel awkward. Had I understood what an obviously composed family I conveyed about with me, I ought to have thought some time before I went by Ruritania. Be that as it may, I was in for it now. 

As of now a ringing voice sounded from the wood behind us: 

"Fritz, Fritz! where are you, man?" 

Tarlenheim began, and said hurriedly: 

"It's the King!" 

Old Sapt laughed once more. 

At that point a young fellow hopped out from behind the storage compartment of a tree and remained adjacent to us. As I took a gander at him, I articulated an amazed cry; and he, seeing me, moved back in sudden ponder. Sparing the hair all over and a way of cognizant pride which his position gave him, sparing likewise that he needed maybe a large portion of an inch- - nay, not as much as that, yet at the same time something- - of my tallness, the King of Ruritania may have been Rudolf Rassendyll, and I, Rudolf, the King. 

For a moment we stood unmoving, taking a gander at each other. At that point I uncovered my head again and bowed deferentially. The King discovered his voice, and asked in bewilderment: 

"Colonel- - Fritz- - who is this honorable man?" 

I was going to reply, when Colonel Sapt ventured between the King and me, and started to converse with his Majesty in a low snarl. The King overshadowed Sapt, and, as he tuned in, his eyes once in a while looked for mine. I took a gander at him long and deliberately. The resemblance was absolutely amazing, however I saw the purposes of distinction moreover. The King's face was somewhat more plump than mine, the oval of its form the minimum play more articulated, and, as I fancied, his mouth lacking something of the solidness (or unyieldingness) which was to be assembled from my nearby closing lips. In any case, for all that, or more all minor refinements, the resemblance rose striking, remarkable, superb. 

Sapt stopped talking, and the King still grimaced. At that point, step by step, the sides of his mouth started to jerk, his nose descended (as mine does when I snicker), his eyes twinkled, and, view! he burst into the merriest attack of irrepressible giggling, which rang through the forested areas and declared him a convivial soul. 

"Well met, cousin!" he cried, venturing up to me, applauding me on the back, giggling still. "You should pardon me in the event that I was shocked. A man doesn't hope to see twofold as of now of day, eh, Fritz?" 

"I should supplicate acquit, sire, for my assumption," said I. "I believe it won't relinquish your Majesty's support." 

"By Heaven! you'll generally appreciate the King's face," he snickered, "in any case; and, sir, I might happily add to it what administrations I can. Where are you flying out to?" 

"To Strelsau, sire- - to the crowning ordinance." 

The King took a gander at his companions: regardless he grinned, however his appearance indicated some uneasiness. Yet, the diverting side of the issue got him once more. 

"Fritz, Fritz!" he cried, "a thousand crowns for a sight of sibling Michael's face when he sees a couple of us!" and the cheerful giggle rang out once more. 

"Truly," watched Fritz von Tarlenheim, "I question Mr. Rassendyll's insight in going to Strelsau seconds ago." 

The King lit a cigarette. 

"All things considered, Sapt?" said he, questioningly. 

"He mustn't go," snarled the old individual. 

"Come, colonel, you imply that I ought to be in Mr. Rassendyll's obligation, if- - " 

"Gracious, ay! wrap it up in the correct way," said Sapt, pulling an incredible pipe out of his pocket. 

"Enough, sire," said I. "I'll leave Ruritania today." 

"No, by thunder, you shan't- - and that is sans express, as Sapt prefers it. For you should feast with me today around evening time, happen what will a while later. Come, man, you don't meet another connection consistently!" 

"We feast sparingly today around evening time," said Fritz von Tarlenheim. 

"Not we- - with our new cousin for a visitor!" cried the King; and, as Fritz shrugged his shoulders, he included: "Goodness! I'll recollect our encouraging start, Fritz." 

"So will I- - tomorrow morning," said old Sapt, pulling at his pipe. 

"O shrewd old Sapt!" cried the King. "Come, Mr. Rassendyll- - coincidentally, what name did they give you?" 

"Your Majesty's," I replied, bowing. 

"All things considered, that shows they weren't embarrassed about us," he giggled. "Come, at that point, cousin Rudolf; I have no place of my own here, yet my dear sibling Michael loans us a position of his, and we'll make move to engage you there;" and he put his arm through mine and, marking to the others to go with us, strolled me off, westerly, through the backwoods. 

We strolled for the greater part 60 minutes, and the King smoked cigarettes and babbled unendingly. He was loaded with enthusiasm for my family, snickered generously when I let him know of the pictures with Elphberg hair in our displays, but then more healthily when he heard that my campaign to Ruritania was a mystery one. 

"You need to visit your notorious cousin on the tricky, have you?" said he. 

All of a sudden rising up out of the wood, we went ahead a little and impolite chasing lodge. It was a one-story fabricating, a kind of home, manufactured altogether of wood. As we moved toward it, a little man in a plain uniform turned out to meet us. The main other individual I saw about the place was a fat elderly lady, whom I a short time later found to be the mother of Johann, the duke's attendant. 

"Indeed, is supper prepared, Josef?" asked the King. 

The little hireling educated us that it was, and we soon sat down to an abundant dinner. The passage was sufficiently plain: the King ate healthily, Fritz von Tarlenheim gently, old Sapt ravenously. I played a decent blade and fork, as my custom may be; the King saw my execution with endorsement. 

"We're all great trenchermen, we Elphbergs," said he. "Be that as it may, what? - we're eating dry! Wine, Josef! wine, man! It is safe to say that we are mammoths, to eat without drinking? Is it true that we are cows, Josef?" 

At this impugning Josef hurried to stack the table with bottles. 

"Keep in mind tomorrow!" said Fritz. 

"Ay- - tomorrow!" said old Sapt. 

The King depleted a guard to his "Cousin Rudolf," as he was charitable - or happy - enough to call me; and I drank its kindred to the "Elphberg Red," whereat he snickered boisterously. 

Presently, be the meat what it may, the wine we drank was past all cost or acclaim, and we did it equity. Fritz wandered once to remain the King's hand. 

"What?" cried the King. "Keep in mind you begin before I do, Master Fritz- - you should be more saving by two hours than I." 

Fritz saw that I didn't get it. 

"The colonel and I," he clarified, "leave here at six: we ride down to Zenda and come back with the monitor of respect to bring the King at eight, and