Volume VII - Modernist Magazines Project

By Henry Harland 35 ,That was in '82. But he never came back. For, before histhree years of military service were completed, the half-dozencousins and the brother who stood between him and the throne,had one by one died off, and Theodore himself had succeeded tothe dignity of Basilitcb^—as they call their Heir Presumptive. In1886 he married. And, finally, in '88, his great-uncle Paul alsodied—at the age of ninety-seven, if you please—and Theodore wasduly proclaimed Basile.He didn't forget his ancient cronies, though ; and I was onlyone of those whom he invited to come and stay with him in hisPalace. I came, and staid .... eleven months ! That seemsegregious ; but what will you say of another of us, Arthur Fleet(or Florimond, as their Majesties have nicknamed him), whocame at the same time, and has staid ever since ? The fact is,the King is a tenacious as well as a delightful host; if he oncegets you within his portals, he won't let you go without astruggle. " We do bore ourselves so improbably out here, youknow," he explains. " The society of a Christian is a thing we'dcommit a crime for."Theodore's consort, Aneli Isabella, Bastlitsa Tchermnogory—vide the Almanack de Gotha—is the third daughter of the latePrince Maximilian of Wittenburg -, sister, therefore, to that youngPrince Waldemar who comes almost every year to England, andwith whose name and exploits as a yachtsman all conscientiousstudents of the daily press will be familiar ; and cousin to thereigning Grand Duke Ernest.Theoretically German, she is, however, to all intents andpurposes, French; for her mother, the Princess Celestine (ofBourbon-Morbihan), was a Frenchwoman, and, until her marriage,I fancy that more than half of Aneli's life was passed betweenNice