We escorted His Majesty with the same ceremony. The Marquis followed and his bowed head, divided into two halves by the part in his reddish hair, and his red face bore the expression of hunger and constant failure.... Ah, he has so frequently and so fruitlessly orated about that 'misunderstanding'! The King, apparently, also recalled at that moment his vain knocking about at other thresholds: his bloodless face again filled with grayish ennui and in reply to my parting bow, he opened wide his eyes, as if in astonishment, with the expression: what more does this fool want? Ah, yes, he has money. And lazily he asked:
"And so, you'll not forget, Mr....friend!" And his automobile was magnificent and just as magnificent was the huge chauffeur, resembling a gendarme, attired for the new rôle. When we had reascended the stairs (our respectful lackeys meanwhile gazing upon me as on a royal personage) and entered our apartments, Magnus fell into a long, ironic silence. I asked:
"Didn't you know, Wondergood? That's bad. He is 32 years old. Perhaps less."
"Did the Cardinal really speak of him and ask you to give him money?"
"Yes,--from what you may have left after the Cardinal's wants are attended to."
"That is probably due to the fact that the monarchist form of government is also in vogue in heaven. Can you conceive of a republic of saints and the administration of the world on the basis of popular representation? Think of it: even devils will then receive the vote. A King is most necessary, Wondergood. Believe me."
"Nonsense! This is not worthy even of a jest."
"I am not jesting. You are mistaken. And pardon me for being so direct, my friend: in his discussion about kings _he_ was above you, this time. You saw only a creature, a countenance of purely material limitations and ridiculous. _He_ conceived himself to be a symbol. That is why he is so calm and there is no doubt that he will return to his beloved people."
"And will do a little shooting. And will throw a little scare into them. Ah, Wondergood, how stubborn you are in your refusal to part with the multiplication table! Your republic is a simple table, while a king--do you realize it?--is a _miracle_! What can there be simpler, sillier and more hopeless than a million bearded men, governing themselves,--and how wonderful, how miraculous when this million of bearded fellows are governed by a creature! That is a miracle! And what possibilities it gives rise to! It seemed very funny to me when you spoke with so much warmth about the law, this dream of the devil. A king is necessary for the precise purpose of _breaking_ the law, in order that the _will_ may be _above_ the law!"