In less than ten minutes, Felicitas was summoned into the dark room, and on the wonderful crystal there appeared the most beautiful vision of womanly loveliness that art had ever created. Mercia looking radiant with happiness, whose beauty was heightened and enhanced by the most costly draperies and diamonds that wealth could produce, was seated on a throne, surrounded by the imposing pageantry of a coronation ceremony. A crown composed of magnificent diamonds and various precious stones of immense value graced her well-shaped head, while brilliant gems sparkled in the rich embroidery of her magnificent robes. Eastern potentates, and native princes of the various Eastern possessions were paying her homage. Their Oriental costumes, rich with jewels and resplendent with vivid colouring lent a charm to the most magnificent scene of Oriental splendour that it was possible to conceive. ‘What an entrancing sight! What perfect loveliness!’ murmured the Emperor, as he gazed with rapture on the beautiful picture before him. ‘Mercia, dearest Mercia, how beautiful thou art! Did I not divine thou wert made to grace a throne? Oh, thou sweet Mercia, listen to me. What bliss to dwell with thee always; to listen to the divine melody of that sweet voice; to clasp in mine that beautiful hand; to drink of the nectar of those ruby lips; to know that thou wert all mine own! ‘Oh, that I might share my crown, my realms, my all with thee! Thou Queen of my heart, thou Light of my life! ‘Art thou indeed to grace my throne? Is this thy Bridal Day foreshown? Swami,’ continued he, turning to the Soul-reader, ‘is all that Eastern pageantry to lend its lustre to my second nuptials?’ ‘Surely not,’ answered Swami proudly, ‘does not thy Majesty perceive that it is altogether an Oriental picture?’ ‘But I am the Emperor of India,’ said Felicitas with much dignity, ‘how then can Mercia be Empress unless _I_ place the consort crown on her head?’ ‘The days are numbered that see thee supreme Ruler of my country: a week hence and India will have accomplished her freedom.’ ‘Has fate decreed that the Hindu shall exceed the English in physical strength? If this be thy divination then I believe nothing of it.’ ‘All the worse for thee, Sire. Believe that which yields thee most comfort, and forget my harmless prophecies. To-morrow attend the Law Courts, and see all things reversed, as thy heart desireth. Perhaps, like dreams, which are said to prove the contrary of what they picture, the reality will come out the opposite of all thou hast seen this day portrayed. It may be that Mercia, instead of being crowned an Empress, shall to-morrow be consigned to execution, or life imprisonment?’ ‘I would sooner see her die than wedded to another,’ murmured the Emperor moodily.