Set on the
track by his acquaintance with what had passed during Mr.
Rassendyll's tenure of the throne, he penetrated the secret which
had been kept successfully from the king himself. In the
knowledge of it he found the opportunity for which he had waited;
in its bold use he discerned his chance. I cannot say whether he
were influenced more strongly by his desire to reestablish his
position in the kingdom or by the grudge he bore against Mr.
Rassendyll. He loved power and money; dearly he loved revenge
also. No doubt both motives worked together, and he was rejoiced
to find that the weapon put into his hand had a double edge; with
one he hoped to cut his own path clear; with the other, to wound
the man he hated through the woman whom that man loved. In fine,
the Count of Hentzau, shrewdly discerning the feeling that
existed between the queen and Rudolf Rassendyll, set his spies to
work, and was rewarded by discovering the object of my yearly
meetings with Mr. Rassendyll. At least he conjectured the nature
of my errand; this was enough for him. Head and hand were soon
busy in turning the knowledge to account; scruples of the heart
never stood in Rupert's way.
The marriage which had set all Ruritania on fire with joy and
formed in the people's eyes the visible triumph over Black
Michael and his fellow-conspirators was now three years old.
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