“Because I must do so to satisfy the impresarios who advertise me to the public,” said Valdor. “Alas!--why will the public be so foolish as to wish their favourite artist to play before kings and queens? Seldom, if ever, do these Royal people understand music,--still less do they understand the musician! Believe me, I have been treated as the veriest scullion by these jacks-in-office; and that I still permit myself to play before them is a duty I owe to this Brotherhood,--because it deepens and sustains my bond with you all. There is no king on the face of the earth who has dignity and nobleness of character enough to command my respect,--much less my reverence! I take nothing from kings, remember!--they dare not offer me money--they dare not insult me with a jewelled pin, such as they would give to a station-master who sees a Royal train off. Only the other day, when I was summoned to play before a certain Majesty, a lord-in-waiting addressed me when I arrived with the insolent words--‘You are late, Monsieur Valdor!--You have kept the King waiting!’ I replied--‘Is that so? I regret it! But having kept his Majesty waiting, I will no longer detain him; au revoir!’ And I returned straightway to the carriage in which I had come. Majesty did without his music that evening, owing to the insolence of his flunkey-man! Whether I ever play before him again or not, is absolutely immaterial to me!” “Tell me,” said Pasquin Leroy, pushing the flask of wine over to him as he spoke; “What is it that makes kings so unloved? I hate them myself!--but let us analyse the reasons why.” “Discuss--discuss!” cried Paul Zouche; “Why are kings hated? Let Thord answer first!” “Yes--yes! Let Thord answer first!” was echoed a dozen times. Thord, thus appealed to, looked up. His melancholy deep eyes were sombre, yet full of fire,--lonely eyes they were, yearning for love. “Why are kings hated?” he repeated; “Because today they are the effete representatives of an effete system. I can quite imagine that if, as in olden times, kings had maintained a position of personal bravery, and personal influence on their subjects, they would have been as much beloved as they are now despised. But what we have to see and to recognise is this: in one land we hear of a sovereign who speculates hand-and-glove with low-born Jew contractors and tradesmen,--another monarch makes no secret of his desire to profit financially out of a gambling hell started in his dominions,--another makes his domestic affairs the subject of newspaper comment,--another is always apostrophising the Almighty in public;--another is insane or stupid,--and so on through the whole gamut. Is it not natural that an intelligent People should resent the fact that their visibly governing head is a gambler, or a voluptuary? Myself, I think the growing unpopularity of kings is the result of their incapability for kingship.”