Evening star., 1903-09-12

"As soon as what?"
"As soon as the crown prince can over
come the fear that mis- condition might be-
come hopeless
He lives in this fear?"
Constantly"
He lives in this fear since he learned
what is the matter with us all?"
Since that day"
I exclaimed passionately:
Then the crown prince was driven know
ingly into this fear that may become his
slayer! Sir, do you know that a crime has
been perpetrated against my brother?"
1t was considered necessary to apprise
the crown prince of the matter"
THE result of that mad decision is that
my brother imagines his condition to be
hopeless, although 1t is not so Have YOU
not assured him of this7'
II have sworn 1t to his royal highness"
And the crown prince does not believe
your"
NO
I thought of my brothers visit to me,
when we met like brothers and mortals
for the first time in our lives. remem-
bered his words:
Il have no right to marry. The mar
riage of a man like me"
Suddenly a terrible thought came to me-
stood still before the doctor and ex-
claimed:
My brother would like to renounce his
claim to the throner'
Your royal highnessv'
Il know itr
THE crown prince cannot be permitted
to retire"
But he wishes tor"
Yes"
l suppressed cry. I became dizzy.
AS in a vision 1 saw my brother flee the
throne, escape the curse Of our house. And
l saw myseif taking the burden of the
heritage, saw myself crowned on the
throne, felt the curse on my own head
When l looked at the doctor again l
saw ms eyes upon me. met his glance, pen
etrating and fixed. most remarkably pene-
tratfng and fixed.
why must my brother not be permitted
to retire?"
!! stroda toward the man, whose gaze
stirred something within me for which 1
cannot find a name even now II was
something inimical something like hate.
Have you not heard me? 1 asked why
the crown prince must not be permitted to
retlre. You put a strong, most remarka-
bly, strong. infection on the word. would
it be misfortune for the land IL l suo-
ceeded to the throne? Am l. who feels
himself strong and healthy. whom the peo-
pie love, am 1. without having suspected
1t, my fathers truest son? 1 have no fear
of the phantom of our house. I have fear
only of the one thing-that my brother
might retire. although he should not At
any rate, 1 should never accept the throne.
why 90 you fix your eyes upon me con-
stantly2"
must have become pale as a corpse un
der the piercing glance of the uncanny
man, and began to tremble violently. Sud
denly fell into a chair concealed NV face
In my hands and began to Sob
Something swept over me like fit
felt as If 1 were sinking into bottomless
depths My sense vanished in night
The first that l felt again was the face
of the great physician. once more fixed
steadily upon me. But he seemed to have
new expression: l saw his eyes close to
me. looked deep into them and his glance
was soft and sad, sad without end. And
still | retained the dull sense: This man
| Is your enemy and you hate him."
But must have dreamed all this For
when my senses returned, the privy coun-
cillor stood in respectful, official distance
from me, with a face as If 1 had con-
versed about the most trivial matters In the
world with him.
His sick majesty is to be received with
| great ceremony. The royal boats are cover
| ed with flowers, the royal house is covered
| with wreaths. The hunters must fire their
! guns and in the evening fires of joy will
be lit on all the peaks 1t is the joy of a
| loving people-by order of the royal mar
shal The welcome will be told of in all
| the papers and will serve as a document
| proving the love of the faithful people"
| for their monarch.
| The love of the faithful people
| I listen to the voice that tells me, softlv
softly, secretly. secretly:
The faithful people hate their ruler
| They do not hate his successor. vet thew
| do not love him. The faithful people love
you!"
My peoples love
How could the word escape me? I do not
wish to be loved by my people, as 1 thank
| God on my knees for the mercy that has
| saved me from the misfortune of having
to become the ruler of faithful people
The misfortune? Surely! For they say
that 1t will be a misfortune for the nation
If l.
| How can a person retain his sanity over
such matters?
10 .
| The king has arrived.
Since yesterday the whole lake has been
| surrounded with police. The king must
not know 1t. hence they are disguised as
boatmen. hunters ard wood choppers.
No-I will not believe I'll will not be-
lieye that M father ia ul-nOf ~ with suoh