“On the contrary, it is of much avail,” said the King, “for she has sworn before us both never to claim any right to share in Humphry’s position, till the nation itself asks her to do so. Now as the nation will never know of the marriage at all, the ‘call’ will not be forthcoming.” The Queen paused in the act of turning away. “If you were to die,” she said; “Humphry would be King. And as King, he is quite capable of making Gloria Queen!” He looked at her very strangely. “Madam, in the event of my death, all things are possible!” he said; “A dying Sovereignty may give birth to a Republic!” The Queen smiled. “Well, it is the most popular form of government nowadays,” she responded, carelessly moving slowly towards the door; “And perhaps the most satisfactory. I think if I were not a Queen, I should be a republican!” “And I, if I were not a King,” he responded, “should be a Socialist! Such are the strange contradictions of human nature! Permit me!” He opened the door of the room for her to pass out,--and as she did so, she looked up full in his face. “Are you still interested in your new form of amusement?” she said; “And do you still expose yourself to danger and death?” He bowed assent. “Still am I a fool in a new course of folly, Madam!” he answered with a smile, and a half sigh. “So many of my brother monarchs are wadded round like peaches in wool, with precautions for their safety, lest they bruise at a touch, that I assure you I take the chances of danger and death as exhilarating sport, compared to their guarded condition. But it is very good of you to assume such a gracious solicitude for my safety!” “Assume?” she said. Her voice had a slight tremor in it,--her eyes looked soft and suffused with something like tears. Then, with her usual stately grace, she saluted him, and passed out. Struck at the unwonted expression in her face, he stood for a moment amazed. Then he gave vent to a low bitter laugh. “How strange it would be if she should love me now!” he murmured. “But--after all these years--too late! Too late!” That night before the King retired to rest, Professor von Glauben reported himself and his duty to his Majesty in the privacy of his own apartments. He had, he stated, accompanied Gloria back to her home in The Islands; and, he added somewhat hesitatingly, the Crown Prince had returned with her, and had there remained. He, the Professor, had left them together, being commanded by the Prince so to do. The King received this information with perfect equanimity. “The boy must have his way for the present,” he said. “His passion will soon exhaust itself. All passion exhausts itself sooner or--later!” “That depends very much on the depth or shallowness of its source, Sir,” replied the Professor. “True! But a boy!--a mere infant in experience! What can he know of the depths in the heart and soul! Now a man of my age----”