A Desperate Plan: Matters Soon Became Worse

The Prisoner of Zenda Mr.
Mohamed El-Sheikh
Chapter 16 Maadi STEM School
Chapter 16
A Desperate Plan
- Matters soon became worse: in addition to the danger of the police
inquiries about The King’s (Rassendyll’s) disappearance, there was a
more urgent problem. People at Strelsau were already talking about the
King’s absence absence from the city, and Marshal Strakencz came with
the Chancellor to ask Rassendyll to fix a day for his engagement, which
in Ruritania was as final as the marriage ceremony itself. Flavia was
sitting by Rassendyll, and so he was forced to choose a day two weeks
ahead.
- This caused great happiness all through the kingdom, so that only two
men in the country were annoyed — Black Michael and Rassendyll —
and only one did not know of it — the King.
• The King very sick & too weak to move:
- Johann told them that The King was very sick; in fact, he was too weak
to move. They had sent for a doctor, who was terribly frightened at what
he saw, but the Duke kept him a prisoner in the same room as the King.
- Antoinette de Mauban had also been helping to nurse the sick man,
since it was quite clear that his life was in danger.
- Detchard and Bersonin guard by night, and Rupert Hentzau and de
Gautet guard him by day.
- The Duke would never allow Rupert Hentzau to be there when Madame
de Mauban was with the King.
- Johann begged them to keep him at Tarlenheim, but they gave him more
money and persuaded him to return to tell Antoinette that they were
doing all they could, and if possible, she should speak some words of
comfort to the King, for nothing was worse for the sick than
hopelessness.
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The Prisoner of Zenda Mr. Mohamed El-Sheikh
• Exact statement (description) from Johann about where the

different people in the castle slept:
- They got an exact statement (description) from Johann about where the
different people in the castle slept. The two of the Six (now only Four)
who were not guarding the King lay in a room just above. It was reached
by some steps from just inside the main door. Michael himself had a
room in the new castle on the first floor, and Madame de Mauban had
one too. The Duke locked her door after she had gone in. The
drawbridge was pulled back at night, and only Michael had the key.
- Johann slept in the entrance hall of the new castle (the mansion).
• A task for Johann (Part of the Rescue Plan):
- Rassendyll promised Johan to give him 50000 silver pieces instead of
the 20000 he had promised him before, if Johann did the following the
next night:
- At two o ’clock in the morning exactly, Johann must open the front
door.
He would say that he wanted some fresh air.
- Johann could escape after opening the door.
- Johann would carry a note to Madame de Mauban, and tell her that
all their lives depend on her doing exactly what it said.
- Johann was not allowed to ask any questions; Rassendyll ordered him to
do what he was being told without asking any questions. ‫راسندل باشا وقائد‬
‫عظيم‬
• A discussion over who would go and rescue the King:
- Johann was shaking, but Rassendyll had to trust to what he had of
courage and to what he had of honesty.
- I did not want to wait, and as he had failed at the Path to Heaven
(Jacob’s ladder), he must try the other side.
- Rassendyll then called Sapt and Fritz and explained his plan.
- Sapt shook his head and asked Rassendyll why he couldn’t wait.
Rassendyll told him that the King might die.
Sapt told him that Michael would have to act before that happened;
Michael would not wait until the King died and Rassendyll became King
forever.
Rassendyll told Sapt that was not the only reason; the other reason was
the engagement after two weeks.
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- Sapt suggested that he and Fritz go so that if they failed and they, as well
as the King, were killed, Rassndyll would still be alive to rule Ruritania.
- Rassendyll refused and said he had been a deceiver for another (the
King). He would not be one (a deceiver) for his own profit. If the King
was not alive on the engagement day, he (Rassendyll) would tell the
world the truth, whatever happened. ‫جدع‬
- Then Rassendyll told them his plan in detail.
• The Rescue Plan:
- A strong party under Sapt’s command would move quietly up to the
door of the new castle (the mansion). If they met anyone on the
way, they must kill them, with swords if possible to avoid noise.
When Johann opened the door, they would rush in and seize the
servants.
- At the same moment — and the whole plan depended on this — a
woman’s
cry would ring out loud and clear from Antoinette de Mauban’s
room. Again and again she would cry, ‘Help! Help! Michael, help!
It’s Ru pert Hentzaui.’
- Then Michael, Rassndyll hoped, would rush out of his room nearby,
and fall into the hands of Sapt and his men. Still the cries would go
on. Rassndyll’s men, getting the key from Michael, would send the
drawbridge across.
- It would be strange if Rupert, hearing his name being used falsely,
did not run down from his room and cross the bridge to see what
the matter was. De Gautet might or might not come with him; that
had to be left to chance.
- And when Rupert was on the bridge? That was Rassndyll’s part.
Rassendyll would swim in the moat again and hide by the bridge.
Rupert — and de Gautet, if he came too — would be killed by
Rassndyll in the dark.
- There would be only two men left, and Rassndylland his men
would have the keys. They must rush into the room where
Detchard and Bersonin were, and trust, in the general confusion,
that they would defend themselves instead of obeying their orders
to kill the King first. There was a further chance that, hearing what
he imagined to be a quarrel between Michael and Rupert, Detchard
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would leave only Bersonin to guard the King, and cross the
drawbridge himself to help Michael.
• Hiding the preparations for the attack (a camouflage &
precautions):
- To hide their preparations a little, Rassendyll had the whole of the
Castle of Tarlenheim brightly lit, as if they were dancing and
enjoying ourselves.
- Rassendyll ordered Marshal Strakencz the following:
If they did not return by morning, the Marshal must march openly to
the Castle of Zenda and demand to see the King, and if he did not see
him, he must take Flavia with him to Strelsau at once and announce
that she was Queen, telling the country that Black Michael had killed
the King.
- It was late when they had finished making their arrangements, so
Rassendyll went to say good night to Flavia. He took off a ring he had – a
family ring — and gave it to her. ‘Wear that ring even though you will
wear another when you are Queen,’ said Rassendyll. ‘Whatever else I
wear, I will wear this until I die,’ she said, as she kissed the ring. And
there were tears in her eyes and in Rassendyll’s.
• Questions:
1. Why did Marshal Strakenkz & the Chancellor come to visit the king
(Rassendyll) in the Tarlenheim house? What did Rassendyll have to do?
2. Johann gave Rassendyll an exact description of the Castle and where the
people there slept, which was the basis on which Rassendyll made his
rescue plan. Explain.
3. What news did Johann bring about the King?
4. What was Johann’s part in the rescue plan?
5. Sapt asked Rassendyll to delay the rescue plan, but Rassendyll refused.
What were Rassendyll’s reason?
6. Why did Sapt suggest that he and Fritz should go to rescue the King and
that Rassendyll should stay in the Tarelnheim house? Did Rassendyll
agree? Why? Why not?
7. What was Rassendyll’s plan to rescue the King?
8. Rassendyll’s plan to rescue the King was a desperate one. Explain.
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9. What message did Rassendyll ask Johann to carry to Antoinette de

Mauban? Did Johann know what was in the message? Explain.
10. What did Rassendyll do to hide their preparations for attacking
the Castle? What did he ask Marshal Strakenkz to do?

A Desperate Plan: Matters Soon Became Worse

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The Prisoner of Zenda Mr.

• Exact statement (description) from Johann about where the

9. What message did Rassendyll ask Johann to carry to Antoinette de

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