And, persuaded by the physician,
they had allowed Madame de Mauban to visit the King and give him such
attendance as his state needed, and as only a woman can give. Yet his
life hung in the balance; and I was still strong and whole and free.
Wherefore great gloom reigned at Zenda; and save when they quarrelled,
to which they were very prone, they hardly spoke. But the deeper the
depression of the rest, young Rupert went about Satan's work with a
smile in his eye and a song on his lip; and laughed "fit to burst" (said
Johann) because the duke always set Detchard to guard the King when
Madame de Mauban was in the cell--which precaution was, indeed, not
unwise in my careful brother. Thus Johann told his tale and seized his
crowns. Yet he besought us to allow him to stay with us in Tarlenheim,
and not venture his head again in the lion's den; but we had need of him
there, and, although I refused to constrain him, I prevailed on him by
increased rewards to go back and carry tidings to Madame de Mauban that
I was working for her, and that, if she could, she should speak one
word of comfort to the King. For while suspense is bad for the sick, yet
despair is worse still, and it might be that the King lay dying of mere
hopelessness, for I could learn of no definite disease that afflicted
him.
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