Page:The Prisoner of Zenda.djvu/292

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
270
THE PRISONER OF ZENDA.

the body of De Gautet in the way of the door. They felt him and found him dead.

Then they consulted, listening eagerly for any sound from the cells below; but there came none, and they were greatly afraid that the king's guards had killed him, and having pushed his body through the great pipe, had escaped the same way themselves. Yet, because I had been seen here, they had still some hope (thus indeed Fritz, in his friendship, told me); and going back to Michael's body, pushing aside Antoinette, who prayed by it, they found a key to the door which I had locked, and opened the door. The staircase was dark, and they would not use a torch at first, lest they should be the more exposed to fire. But soon Fritz cried; "The door down there is open! See, there is light!" So they went on boldly, and found none to oppose them. And when they came to the outer room and saw the Belgian, Bersonin, lying dead, they thanked God, Sapt saying: "Aye, he has been here." Then rushing into the king's cell, they found Detchard lying dead across the dead physician, and the king on his back with his chair