THE HOUSE _EORUM MEMORIÆ_ _QUI DOMUM ET ÆDIFICA VERUNT ET SALVAM SERVAVERUNT SACRUM_ THE HOUSE By HENRY BORDEAUX Author of “The Parting of the Ways,” “The Woollen Dress,” “The Fear of Living,” “Footprints Beneath the Snow.” _Translated by Louise Seymour Houghton_ Omne regnum divisum contra se desolabitur; et omnis civitas vel domus divisa contra se non stabit. --Matt. XII., 25. NEW YORK DUFFIELD & COMPANY 1914 Copyright, 1915, by PLON-NOURRIT & COMPANY Copyright, 1914, by DUFFIELD & COMPANY CONTENTS BOOK I I THE KINGDOM 3 II THE DYNASTY 26 III THE ENEMIES 57 IV THE TREATY 74 V THE ABDICATION 94 BOOK II I THE PICTURES 109 II THE DESIRE 134 III THE DISCOVERY OF THE EARTH 149 IV THE CAFÉ OF THE NAVIGATORS 170 V THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSY 186 BOOK III I POLITICS 203 II THE CIRCUS 228 III THE PLOT 244 IV MY BETRAYAL 259 V THE DOUBLE LIFE 282 VI A WALK WITH FATHER 298 VII THE FIRST DEPARTURE 317 BOOK IV I THE EPIDEMIC 337 II THE ALPETTE 358 III THE END OF A REIGN 378 IV THE HEIR 401 BOOK FIRST THE HOUSE I THE KINGDOM “WHERE are you going?” “Oh, up to the house.” Put this question to little girls and boys that you see along the country roads, on their way from school or coming in from the fields, and you will get this answer. Their bright eyes glisten like grass after a shower; their speech, unless they are timid, shoots straight out, like plants that claim all space to grow in undisturbed. “Where are you going?”