THE PATH OF THE KING BY JOHN BUCHAN © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc This PDF eBook was produced in the year 2009 by Tantor Media, Incorporated, which holds the copyright thereto. © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc Contents Prologue Chapter I: Hightown Under Sunfell Chapter II: The Englishman Part I Part II Part III Chapter III: The Wife of Flanders Chapter IV: Eyes of Youth Chapter V: The Maid Chapter VI: The Wood of Life Chapter VII: Eaucourt by the Waters Chapter VIII: The Hidden City Chapter IX: The Regicide Chapter X: The Marplot Chapter XI: The Lit Chamber Chapter XII: In the Dark Land Chapter XIII: The Last Stage Chapter XIV: The End of the Road Part I Part II Part III Part IV Epilogue © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc 2 Prologue THE three of us in that winter camp in the Selkirks were talking the slow aimless talk of wearied men. The Soldier, who had seen many campaigns, was riding his hobby of the Civil War and descanting on Lee’s tactics in the last Wilderness struggle. I said something about the stark romance of it—of Jeb Stuart flitting like a wraith through the forests; of Sheridan’s attack at Chattanooga, when the charging troops on the ridge were silhouetted against a harvest moon; of Leonidas Polk, last of the warrior Bishops, baptizing his fellow generals by the light of a mess candle. “Romance,” I said, “attended the sombre grey and blue levies as faithfully as she ever rode with knight-errant or crusader.” The Scholar, who was cutting a raw-hide thong, raised his wise eyes. “Does it never occur to you fellows that we are all pretty mixed in our notions? We look for romance in the well-cultivated garden-plots, and when it springs out of virgin soil we are surprised, though any fool might know it was the natural place for it.” He picked up a burning stick to relight his pipe. “The things we call aristocracies and reigning houses are the last places to look for masterful men. They began strongly, but they have been too long in possession. They have been cosseted and comforted and the devil has gone out of their blood. Don’t imagine that I undervalue descent. It is not for nothing that a great man leaves posterity. But who is more likely to inherit the fire—the elder son with his flesh-pots or the younger son with his fortune to find? Just think of it! All the younger sons of younger sons back through the generations! We none of us know our ancestors beyond a little way. We all of us may have kings’ blood in our veins. The dago who blacked my boots at Vancouver may be descended by curious byways from Julius Caesar. “Think of it!” he cried. “The spark once transmitted may smoulder © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media,for Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor generationsMedia, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media,under Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor ashes,Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media,but Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media,the Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantorap Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 200pointed9 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantortime Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 200will9 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media,come, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media,and Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Incit © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantorwill Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc. © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2009 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc © 2008 Tantor Media, Inc flare up to warm the world. God never allows waste.