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

The idea seemed whimsical enough for a dream: by the sacrifice



of my heavy moustache and carefully pointedimperial, I was to be

transformed into a monarch! I was about to kiss the princess" target="_blank" title="n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人">princess again,



when I arrived (very reluctantly) at the conclusion that I was awake.

I opened my eyes, and found two men regarding me with much curiosity.



Both wore shooting costumes and carried guns. One was rather short

and very stoutly built, with a big bullet-shaped head,



a bristly grey moustache, and small pale-blue eyes,

a trifle bloodshot. The other was a slender young fellow,



of middle height, dark in complexion, and bearing himself

with grace and distinction. I set the one down as an old soldier:



the other for a gentleman accustomed to move in good society,

but not unused to military life either. It turned out afterwards



that my guess was a good one.

The elder man approached me, beckoning the younger to follow.



He did so, courteously raising his hat. I rose slowly to my feet.

"He's the height, too!" I heard the elder murmur, as he surveyed



my six feet two inches of stature. Then, with a cavalier touch

of the cap, he addressed me:



"May I ask your name?"

"As you have taken the first step in the acquaintance, gentlemen,"



said I, with a smile, "suppose you give me a lead in the matter of names."

The young man stepped forward with a pleasant smile.



"This," said he, "is Colonel Sapt, and I am called Fritz von Tarlenheim:

we are both in the service of the King of Ruritania."



I bowed and, baring my head, answered:

"I am Rudolf Rassendyll. I am a traveller from England; and once



for a year or two I held a commission from her Majesty the Queen."

"Then we are all brethren of the sword," answered Tarlenheim,



holding out his hand, which I took readily.

"Rassendyll, Rassendyll!" muttered Colonel Sapt;



then a gleam of intelligence flitted across his face.

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



"My brother is now Lord Burlesdon," said I.

"Thy head betrayeth thee," he chuckled, pointing to my



uncovered poll. "Why, Fritz, you know the story?"

The young man glanced apologetically at me. He felt a



delicacy which my sister-in-law would have admired.

To put him at his ease, I remarked with a smile:



"Ah! the story is known here as well as among us, it seems."

"Known!" cried Sapt. "If you stay here, the deuce a man



in all Ruritania will doubt of it--or a woman either."

I began to feel uncomfortable. Had I realized what a very plainly



written pedigree I carried about with me, I should have thought

long before I visited Ruritania. However, I was in for it now.



At this moment a ringing voice sounded from the wood behind us:

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



Tarlenheim started, and said hastily:

"It's the King!"



Old Sapt chuckled again.

Then a young man jumped out from behind the trunk of a tree



and stood beside us. As I looked at him, I uttered an astonished cry;

and he, seeing me, drew back in sudden wonder. Saving the hair on my face



and a manner of consciousdignity which his position gave him,

saving also that he lacked perhaps half an inch--nay, less than that,



but still something--of my height, the King of Ruritania might have been

Rudolf Rassendyll, and I, Rudolf, the King.



For an instant we stood motionless, looking at one another.

Then I bared my head again and bowed respectfully. The King



found his voice, and asked in bewilderment:

"Colonel--Fritz--who is this gentleman?"



I was about to answer, when Colonel Sapt stepped between

the King and me, and began to talk to his Majesty in a low growl.



The King towered over Sapt, and, as he listened, his eyes now and again

sought mine. I looked at him long and carefully. The likeness was



certainly astonishing, though I saw the points of difference also.

The King's face was slightly more fleshy than mine, the oval



of its contour the least trifle more pronounced, and, as I fancied,

his mouth lacking something of the firmness (or obstinacy)

• damsel [´dæmzəl] n.姑娘，未婚少女 (初中英语单词)


• princess [,prin´ses] n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人 (初中英语单词)


• shriek [ʃri:k] v.&n.尖叫(声) (初中英语单词)


• chatter [´tʃætə] vi.&n.饶舌；闲聊 (初中英语单词)


• spoken [´spəukən] speak的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• amazement [ə´meizmənt] n.惊愕；惊奇 (初中英语单词)


• fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)


• pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)


• conductor [kən´dʌktə] n.指导者；向导者 (初中英语单词)


• absence [´æbsəns] n.不在，缺席；缺乏 (初中英语单词)


• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)


• telegraph [´teligrɑ:f] n.&v.(打)电报；电告 (初中英语单词)


• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)


• doubtless [´dautlis] ad.无疑地；大概，多半 (初中英语单词)


• anxiety [æŋ´zaiəti] n.挂念；渴望；焦虑的事 (初中英语单词)


• luncheon [´lʌntʃ(ə)n] n.午餐，午宴 (初中英语单词)


• thence [ðens] ad.从那里；因此 (初中英语单词)


• portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)


• residence [´rezidəns] n.居住(期间)；住宅 (初中英语单词)


• regiment [´redʒimənt] n.团；一大群 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• sunshine [´sʌnʃain] n.日光，阳光 (初中英语单词)


• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)


• delightful [di´laitful] a.讨人喜欢的 (初中英语单词)


• charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)


• pointed [´pɔintid] a.尖(锐)的；中肯的 (初中英语单词)


• imperial [im´piəriəl] a.帝国的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• conclusion [kən´klu:ʒən] n.结束；结论；推论 (初中英语单词)


• trifle [´traifəl] n.琐事，小事；少量 (初中英语单词)


• slender [´slendə] a.细长的；微薄的 (初中英语单词)


• height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)


• distinction [di´stiŋkʃən] n.差别；特征；卓越 (初中英语单词)


• acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)


• majesty [´mædʒisti] n.壮丽；崇高；尊严 (初中英语单词)


• intelligence [in´telidʒəns] n.智力；消息 (初中英语单词)


• conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)


• dignity [´digniti] n.尊严，尊贵；高官显贵 (初中英语单词)


• instant [´instənt] a.立即的 n.紧迫；瞬间 (初中英语单词)


• slightly [´slaitli] ad.轻微地；细长的 (初中英语单词)


• thankful [´θæŋkfəl] a.感激的；欣慰的 (高中英语单词)


• dealing [´di:liŋ] n.交易；来往 (高中英语单词)


• hostess [´həustis] n.女主人；旅馆女老板 (高中英语单词)


• intense [in´tens] a.强烈的；紧张的 (高中英语单词)


• courtesy [´kə:tisi] n.礼貌；殷勤；好意 (高中英语单词)


• pleasing [´pli:ziŋ] a.使人愉快的；合意的 (高中英语单词)


• complexion [kəm´plekʃən] n.肤色；情况；局面 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• hesitation [,hezi´teiʃən] n.犹豫，踌躇 (高中英语单词)


• decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)


• luggage [´lʌgidʒ] n.行李；皮箱 (高中英语单词)


• access [´ækses] n.接近；通路；进入 (高中英语单词)


• artillery [ɑ:´tiləri] n.炮兵部队 (高中英语单词)


• throne [θrəun] n.宝座；王位 (高中英语单词)


• finding [´faindiŋ] n.发现物；判断；结果 (高中英语单词)


• regardless [ri´gɑ:dləs] a.不留心的；不关心的 (高中英语单词)


• regarding [ri´gɑ:diŋ] prep.关于 (高中英语单词)


• bearing [´beəriŋ] n.举止；忍耐；关系 (高中英语单词)


• colonel [´kə:nəl] n.海(陆)军上校 (高中英语单词)


• commission [kə´miʃən] n.委任(状) vt.委任 (高中英语单词)


• uncomfortable [ʌn´kʌmftəbəl] a.不舒服的，不自在的 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• motionless [´məuʃənləs] a.静止的；固定的 (高中英语单词)


• likeness [´laiknis] n.相似；肖像；外表 (高中英语单词)


• astonishing [əs´tɔniʃiŋ] a.令人惊讶的 (高中英语单词)


• pronounced [prə´naunst] a.发出音的；显著的 (高中英语单词)


• upstairs [,ʌp´steəz] ad.在楼上 a.楼上的 (英语四级单词)


• unreasonable [ʌn´ri:zənəbl] a.不合理的；荒唐的 (英语四级单词)


• inconvenience [,inkən´vi:niəns] n.不方便；打扰 (英语四级单词)


• roadside [´rəudsaid] n.&a.路边(的) (英语四级单词)


• indirect [,indi´rekt] a.间接的；迂回的 (英语四级单词)


• undisturbed [,ʌndis´tə:bd] a.未受干扰的；镇静的 (英语四级单词)


• contemplation [,kɔntem´pleiʃən] n.注视；冥想；打算 (英语四级单词)


• stature [´stætʃə] n.身高；身材 (英语四级单词)


• cavalier [,kævə´liə] n.骑士；勋章获得者 (英语四级单词)


• respectfully [ris´pektfuli] ad.恭敬地 (英语四级单词)


• firmness [´fə:mnis] n.坚定；坚硬；稳定 (英语四级单词)


• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)


• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)


• imposing [im´pəuziŋ] a.壮丽的，堂皇的 (英语六级单词)


• fervent [´fə:vənt] a.强烈的；热情的 (英语六级单词)


• unused [,ʌn´ju:zd] a.不用的；未消耗的 (英语六级单词)


• courteously [´kə:tjəsli] ad.有礼貌地；殷勤地 (英语六级单词)


• contour [´kɔntuə] n.外形 vt.描…的轮廓 (英语六级单词)


• lacking [´lækiŋ] a.缺少的，没有的 (英语六级单词)