had not got up my
subject.

"The royal tax, sire, is the one which empties the purses of the
subjects to swell the coffers of the sovereign."

"And that is the ruinous one, you say?"

"Always, sire, for it stops the circulation of money, which is the
soul of commerce and the backbone of the state."

"Yet, you consider the army tax necessary?"

"Unfortunately necessary, for war is a dire calamity."

"Perhaps. And how about the popular tax?"

"It is always excellent, for what the king takes from his people with
one hand, he gives them back with the other, turning it into useful
channels, protecting science and art, and so contributing to the
general social well-being; in fact, the king adds to general happiness
by employing the money drawn from the taxes as his wisdom dictates."

"There is a good deal of truth in what you say. No doubt you know
Calsabigi?"

"I ought to know him, sire, for we established the Genoese lottery in
Paris together, seven years ago."

"And under what head would you class that tax, if you admit it to be
one?"

"It is one, sire, and not one of the least important. It is a good
tax, if the king spends the profits in a useful manner."

"But supposing he loses?"

"One chance in fifty, sire."

"Is that the result of an exact calculation?"

"As exact, sire, as all political calculations."

"They are often wrong."

"They are never wrong, sire, if God remains neutral."

"Why drag the Deity into such a question?"

"Let us say then, sire, luck, or destiny."

"That is better. Perhaps I agree with you about the moral
calculations, but I do not like your Genoese lottery. It seems to me a
mere swindle, and I would not have anything to do with it, even if I
were certain to win always."

"Your majesty is right, for the public would never support lotteries
were they not led away by false security."

Then he tried one or two other points, but I met him without
flinching. Suddenly he stopt short and looked me over from head to
foot.

"Do you know that you are a very handsome man?"

"Is it possible, sire, that after a long scientific dissertation,
your majesty can credit me with merely the qualities which distinguish
your majesty's grenadiers?"

The king smiled with kind malice, then said: "As it seems that Lord
Keith knows you, I will speak to him about you."

He then took off his hat again, for he was never chary of his bows,
and I, making him a profound reverence, withdrew.

T