The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-12-02


several mobiles, on this particular Occa-
sion, who had only deigned to come, as
Clarimond well knew, at the eager so
Hcitation of the princess They were
mostly men past middle age, and their
young king had horrifed them by his
hberalisms. They held his person sa-
cred, and were infexible in their feaIty
20 him, never forgetting that their an
cestsrs, through centuries back, had
fought and died in the service Of his
But they abhorred his mOdeFuitY Of
ideas, and had suffered keen pangs at
the audaciOus changes wrought in their
land. Political no less than social
and physical, these changes had affect
ed them with mingled melancholy and
horror. Two or three OF them had
chosen to hide their chagrin amid the
gayeties of Paris, where their great
wealth and princely Saltravian birth
had secured welcomes for them among
the most exclusive sets. One Of these
latter, a man about fOfCy years old,
with black, flashing eyes. olive skin and
little curly beard and mOustache, held
an exceptional position as cousin twice
removed from the king. His fortune
was very large, and ne passed most OF
his year in the French capital, whence
he had but lately returned, He had
been for long time past one Of the bit
terest Of the malcontents; he was iras-
chile, and nOtOriOusly naughty to all
interiors While the king had made
his first tour through the ballroom
every eye had sought his own and every
head had bowed. But it had struck
him, however vaguely, that this partic-
lar nobleman had bowed with a certain
distinct stiffness. As ClarimOnd now
drew near his mother, he fixed his eyes
full on the handsome, swarthy face at
her side, and said, with An accent Of
quiet good humor:
''Ah, Philibert, so you're back once
again?" At the same moment he put
forth his hand.
Prince Philibert advanced, and taking
the kings hand IN his own with a rev
erent droOP Of the head, firmly, even res
onantly, kissed it. A smile OF proud
pleasure swept over the face of
Princess Brindisi. This was the imme-
morial usage of the Saltravian court
for a peer or peeress, on returning
after an absence and being addressed
by the king, to give his hand an obeissnt
kiss.
But CIairmond, meanwhile, grew
white with anger. He had long ago
forbidden all such forms Of self-humili-
alton on the part of his cOurtiers.
Prince PhiIibert well knew this fact,
and what he had just done favored OF
the most overt defiance.
The crystaI-gray eyes of the king met
the dark and brilliant ones of his sub
jeet. Prince" he said, with some
curtness, 7 supposed you were aware
that dislike, and indeed have vetoed,
all this flourish on the part of my
friends"
Philibert, while he stood moveless as
a statue with both hands behind him,
and while he looked, in his evening
/ dress, decorated by several orders that
betokened his great rank, a figure OF
striking distinction, answered. com
/ POsedly and gravcly:
Pardon me, your majesty, but only
fulfilled usage that is many centuries
old
/ This answer, in the circumstances,
bristled with clear revolt. The king
started, and looked at his mother, who
+ gently inclined her head, as if in com
/ plete approval of the words just
+ uttered.
| Taking few quick steps toward the
4 princess, and passing Philibert's IN
/ stirred figure, CIurimOnd leaned his
/ lips close to the lady's cheek and shot
out one low, determined sentence:
you have gone too far, madam-tOo
/ far, as you will perceived"
In another moment he turned and
/ spoke to Philibert.
you are insolent,' 50 he's said, ''and most
{ meaninFly So"
| Inc prince gave SllEELlE 6nuQQeTg and
! seemed about to respond.
mot vord!' commanded the king,
and his voice, though loud, was wholly
/ calm. q dismiss you from the palace.
/ Do not presume to enter 1t again, on
pain of exile"
/ PhiIbert stood as if irresolute, and
then, growing almost ghastly, STAN
mered forth in reply;
''If I wore sword, as my fore
. Is
the fragments at your majestY's feet"
With glittering eyes, the king curled
his lip. Better if you thought less
/ about depOrting yourself like the pet
tenor in a French grand opera, mon
sieur, and spent your herOics in a
more wholesome form There are
thrOngs Of hungry beings in Saltravia
that need the forty thousand francs I
am told you flung away on a single
night, last month, at a Partisan gaming
table"
These words, pronounced with bell
like clearness. penetrated far The
guests who heard them rapidly
whispered them to others who had not
heard A dead silence followed, while
the ladies huddled together in alarm,
and the gentlemen (mostly all quite
ready to thFOw themselves between
Philibert and the king If any treason
able act were attempted by this noble
OF such renowned bad temper) gathered
nesFer to the scene of dispute.
In Prince Philibert tyvho would in
stantly have decided to challenge any
equal and almost any inferior who
should thus have assailed hiHn), this re
proach from his king produced only n
sort OF Erief-stricIzen disnay. He
clasped both hands together like q ter
rified woman and then, with a look OF
infinite reprOach from his splendid
duslzy eyes, hurried almost reelingly
away.
Clarimond at once called out to the
asssmblage, in tones vibrant, high
pitched, yet full of extreme dignity;
Ladies and gentlemen, ask your par
don FOR what has occurred, and beg that
you viii now do me the kindness OF
leaving me alone with my mother, the
princess, to whom I must speak n few
private words
He stood as he spoke at the side of
the chaiz into which his mother had
sunk. He was the picture Of perfect
self-cOntrol, and, though paier than any
one present had ever before seen him,
the tingIiness OF his bearing had never
T h. a. -u-