Zenda Chapter 13

The Prisoner of Zenda Mr.
Mohamed El-Sheikh
Chapter 13 Maadi STEM School
Chapter 13
An Improvement on Jacob's Ladder
- The next morning Rassendyll tried to engage himself in work because he
didn’t want to think too much about his love.
• A message from Michael delivered by Rupert:
- Rupert visited Rassendyll to deliver a message from Michael.
- When Rupert saw Rassendyll sitting in the sunshine and listening to some
songs which one of his friends were singing, he told Rassendyll it seemed
that the King (Rassendyll) was in love.
- Calling Rassendyll by his real name, Rupert told Rassendyll that they were
alone.
- Rassendyll objected and told Rupert that the game was not finished yet and
he would choose his own name.
- Rassendyll asked Rupert if his mother was dead, and Rupert replied she
was.
- Rassendyll said she might thank God.
All people knew that Rupert had broken his mother’s heart as he made love
with ladies in her own house.
- Then he asked Rupert for the Michael’s message.
- Rupert told him that the duke offered Rassendyll a safe journey to England
and a million crown.
- Rassendyll refused.
- Rupert told him that he told Michael Rassendyll would refuse.
- Rassendyll then asked him about their prisoner (the real King).
- Rupert told him he was alive.
▪ Rupert tries to kill Rassendyll:
- Then Rupert asked Rassendyll about the pretty Princess and told him he
was sure the next Elphberg would be red enough although Michael would
be called his father.
The Prisoner of Zenda Mr. Mohamed El-Sheikh
‫ هو قال الكالم ده عشان يضايق راسندل عشان الكالم‬.. ‫هنا يا شباب روبرت بيخطط للخطوة الجاية‬
‫يعتبر إهانة لفالفيا وراسندل ويعتبر تهديد إن كدا كدا فى االخر مايكل هيتجوز فالفيا ويبقى ملك‬
- Then, Rassendyll asked him to go while he was still alive.
- Rupert called to a groom to bring him his horse, and dismissed the
fellow with a crown.
- Then, suddenly Rupert asked Rassendyll to shake hands.
- Rassendyll refused to shake hands and put his hands behind him.
‫ روبرت كان‬.. ‫روبرت كان متوقع طبعا إن راسندل هيرفض يسلم عليه وهيحط إيديه ورا ضهره‬
.‫مخطط لكل ده عشان يعمل اللى هنعرفه دلوقت‬
- Very quickly Rupert threw a small dagger ‫ خنجر‬at Rassendyll. It struck
Rassendyll in the left shoulder. If Rassendyll hadn’t swerved ‫ تفاداه‬, it would
have been in his heart.
- Then, Rupert left like an arrow.
- Rassendyll sat in the chair bleeding much. His friends surrounded him, and
he fainted.
- Rassendyll was put in bed. He regained consciousness at night. He found
Fritz beside him.
• Johann falling into the snare:
- Fritz told him that his wound would heal soon. He also told him that Johann
had fallen into the snare and was even now in the Tarlenheim house.
- Fritz told Rassendyll it seemed that Johann was not sorry to find himself
there in the Tarlenheim house as he (Johann) thought that Michael would
get rid of those who had helped him after his plans succeeded.
- Rassendyll ordered Johann to be brought at once.
- Sapt brought him and set him in a chair by Rassendyll’s bed.
- Johann was afraid.
- Johann was a weak man, not a wicked one; he worked for the duke because
he was afraid of the duke and of his brother Max, not because he loved
what he did.
- Rassendyll promised to provide safety to Johann and promised him of
generous presents and rewards.
• Johann’s story (what he told them):
The following is what Johann told them about the Castle, the King, Michael,
the six men, and Michael’s plans if the Castle was attacked.
1- Where the King was kept prisoner:

Below the level of the ground in the Castle were situated two small
rooms, cut out of the rock itself. The outer of the two had no windows, but
was always lighted with candles; the inner had one square window, which
gave upon the moat and chocked by a great pipe of earthenware; the pipe
is large enough to let pass through it the body of a man. The King was kept
prisoner in the inner room. Three of the six men were always in the outer
room to guard the King.
The King’s arms were confined in fine steel chains, which did not allow
him to move his elbow more than three inches from his side.
2. Planning to kill Rassendyll and the King:
Johann to Rassendyll That Michael didn’t want to kill the King before killing
Rassendyll first.
But he might have to kill the King if the Castle was attacked. So, he had two
plans if the Castle was attacked.
3. Plan A (If the Castle was attacked by a small number of people):
- On any attack being made on the outer room, the three were to defend
the door of it so long as they could without risk to themselves. But, so
soon as the door should be in danger of being forced, then Rupert
Hentzau or Detchard (for one of these two was always there) should
leave the others to hold it as long as they could, and himself pass into
the inner room, and kill the King.
- While the two hold the outer room, the one who has killed the King
unlocks the bars in the square window, ties the King’s body with a
heavy weight, and throws it through the pipe into the moat. The body
will settle on the bottom of the moat, which is 20 feet deep.
- Then, the murderer cries loudly, 'All's well!' and slides down the pipe.
- The other two leave the door barred and slide down the pipe.
- They rise and swim round to the other side, where the orders are for
men to wait them with ropes, to pull them out, and horses.
- If things go ill, the duke will join them and seek safety by riding; but if
all goes well, they will return to the Castle, and have their enemies in a
trap.
4. Plan B (If the Castle is attacked by a large number of people_ the army):
- If the Castle is attacked by a large number of people (the army), the
idea of resistance would be abandoned; the King would be quietly

murdered and slid down the pipe.
- One of the Six would take the King’s place in the cell.
- Michael will say the man has angered him by seeking the favour of a
lady in the Castle (this was Antoinette de Mauban) and he has
confined/imprisoned him there.
5. A new improvement on the ladder of Jacob (the Pipe):
- Johann and Max Holf put up the pipe, under the orders of Rupert
Hentzau.
- When the imprisoned King asked Rupert about the pipe, Rupert
answered, “it is an improvement on the ladder of Jacob. The ladder of
Jacob is where people pass from earth to heaven when they die. You are
a king, so you shouldn’t use the same route of common people when you
die. So, we have made you a pretty private passage where the vulgar
cannot stare at you or disturb your passage.
• Rassendyll threatens Johann:
- After Johann finished his story Rassendyll warned him: "If anyone asks
you if there is a prisoner in Zenda, you may answer 'Yes.' But if any asks
who the prisoner is, do not answer. For all my promises will not save
you if any man here learns from you the truth as to the prisoner of
Zenda. I'll kill you like a dog if the thing be so much as breathed within
the house!"
• Two ways by which the King can be saved:
- When Johann left, Rassendyll told Sapt That it was a hard nut (a
difficult problem).
- Sapt replied that it was so hard that it seemed Rassendyll would
remain King till that time the following year.
- Rassendyll said there were two ways by which the King could come
out of Zenda alive:
1- One was by treachery (betrayal) in the duke's followers.
2- The other was by a miracle from heaven.
• Questions:
1. Why did Rupert visit Rassendyll in the Tarlenheim house?
2. How did Rupert try to kill Rassendyll?
3. Why didn’t Johann feel sorry to feel into the snare by Rassendyll?
4. What did Johann tell Rassendyll about the imprisoned King and the Castle
of Zenda?
5. What plans did Michael make if the Castle was attacked?
6. What is the story of the new improvement on the ladder of Jacob?
7. Did the King know that Michael was planning to kill him? Support your
answer with evidence from the story.
8. Rassendyll promised but warned Johann. Comment.
9. Rassendyll thought there were two ways by which the King could come
out of Zenda alive. What were the two ways? To what extent was
Rassendyll right?

Zenda Chapter 13

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Zenda Chapter 13

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Prisoner of Zenda Mr.

1- Where the King was kept prisoner:

idea of resistance would be abandoned; the King would be quietly

You might also like