Volume VII - Modernist Magazines Project

By Henry Harland 61was prepared, in which Aneli's name had been substituted forStephen's. On Saturday morning it was presented to the King." Shall I sign ? " he asked. " Yes, sign," said she. And hesigned.« Ouf ! " she cried. " Thafs settled."And she hardly once changed her mind again until Sundaynight y and even then she only half changed it."If it weren't too late," she announced, " do you know, Ibelieve I'd decide to go with you, in spite of everything ? But ofcourse I never could get ready to start by to-morrow morning.You couldn't wait till Tuesday ? "The King said he couldn't."And now, my dears" (as Florimond, who loves to tellthe story, is wont to begin it), " no sooner was her poor confidinghusband's back a-turned, than what do you suppose this deep,designing, unprincipled, high-handed young woman up anddid ? "Almost the last words Theodore spoke to her were, " Do, forheaven's sake, try to get on pleasantly with Tsargradev. Don'ttreat him too much as if he were the dust under your feet. Allyou'll have to do is to sign your name at the end of the bills he'llbring you. Sign and ask no questions, and all will be well."And the very first act of Aneli's Regency was to degrade M.Tsargardev from office and to place him under arrest.We bade the King good-bye on the deck of the royal yachtNemlsa^ which was to bear him to Belgrade, the first stage of hisjourney. Cannon bellowed from the citadel ; the bells of all thechurches in the town were clanging in jubilant discord ; the riverwas gay with fluttering bunting, and the King resplendent in agold-laced uniform, with the stars and crosses of I don't know howmany