The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-09-10

1 ssa to s, the n ssa!s W|
honor from his royal master.
When the late king succeeded tt
the throne there were three WIT
knew Of this passageway. The kine
was one: Giovanni Strozzi was an
other, and the wife of Giovanni Stroz
I'll was the third.
Now, in those days and in the half
savage little countries upon which the
Carpathians look down it was pre-
eminently the duty of prime ministers
| to find out the secrets of other people
So 1t came to pass that once the
king, coming all unattended, passed
through this secret passagcWay, and
entered the boudoir Of the fair lady
! who preferred handsome young king
to a rather elderly prime minister.
And the king, finding the lady watt
ing for him, indeed, but cutie dead,
fastened with all stealth back to the
royal palace,
Strozzi, it was declared by his en-
emies, held that all true statecraft
was embodied in Machaveli's
Prince This had been tod the
King, and it increased his respect for
his minister. Moreover, when he read
The Prince quite through and alb
sorbed all of the chapters on the
rights of vengeance and the best
methods Of obtaining the same, it
made him just little bit afraid. The
face of Ser Giovanni was always a
smiling mask and one could never
guess what knowledge his fertile
brain might own.
Thus for time the king feared a
little and then less, and then not at
all.
And in the due course of time,
thanks to the willy diplomacy of this
model prime minister, whose devo.
ton to his country and his royal mas.
ter was the talk Of the chancelleries
OF Europe, the many troubles of An.
coma came to an end. This took twen-
ty years, and the king was very tired
of being king. So he consulted with
his prime minister and decided that
ne would abdicate in favor of his son.
IN these later years the secret Of
the passageway had been discovered
by very discreet ard devoted laclzey
IN the service of Strozzi and was, of
course, duly reported by the prime
to the king. So it was nat
ural that it was now used by the
two.
On the eve of the day upon which
the abdication was to be announced
to the people, the king came through
inc passageway and talked long with
MS prime minister. This was in the
room which Strozzi called his library.
The king noted that it contained but
two volumes. One Of these was "The
Prince; the other purported to be
the secret history of the Nedici. He
remembered that the Nedici had been
very skillful in the art of administer.
ing poison and the juxtaposition Of the
was unpleasant to his nerves.
tie note ] with pleasure that tonight
the smile of the prime minister had
In 1t less of that chill for which it was
noted.
Talk OF the future leads ever to
ak OF the past, and they drank much
vine. But, presently, the king es.
'ayed to rise nd found that he could
not do SO. Nor could he speak. His
brain was quite clear and he could
hear Strozzi distinctly.
Complete paralysis" the manner
u the prime minister was that OF a
scientific experimenter who ho, 40.
,omplished his desire. The ewes Of
he king were piteous.
twenty years l have waited" said
ne old statesman. His smile was 40.
'uaiiy warm now. There was real
oenevolence in it. Twenty years. nv
lege. You were necessary to Ancona
ma you cannot say, sire, that | have
lot always served my country to tho
Jest OF my ability. 1t is but right
nat l take interest for those twentv
ears. gave her death-sentle ner.
'ilui death. You see, | loved her v,rl
IRE, and would not cause her min
sui you-why, sire, it may well be- th,t
.ou Will live twenty years m7ra
lWenty years of living death s;ro
10 voice to betray the secret Won and
must share between US, no power of
lani to write out an accusation,
mink that even he who wrote Tho
'rlnce" would approve NV ron
'eu
SO the prime minister passe1 On.
Il me chamber to summon tho sorr
'nts who would bear the king irto hi. (
wn palace. first empty.ng the wine !
rom the goblet of the king
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