doubtful.

"It wouldn't matter when she was quite young," she concluded. "But I'm
nearly fourteen. Augustin, will you ask mother to send Krak away when
I'm fifteen?"

"No," said I. I had a wholesome dread of straining the prerogative.

"Then when I'm sixteen?"

"I don't see what I've got to do with it," said I restlessly.

Victoria became huffy.

"You're king, and you could do it if you liked," she said. "If I was
king, I should like to do things for people, for my sister anyhow." She
pouted in much vexation.

"Well, perhaps I'll try some day," said I reluctantly.

"Oh, you dear boy!" cried Victoria, and she immediately gave me three
kisses.

I was certainly on my way to learn the secret of popularity. In my
experience Victoria's conception of the kingly office is a very common
one, and Victoria's conduct in view of a refusal to forward her views,
and of consent, extremely typical. For Victoria took no account of my
labours, or of the probable trouble I should undergo, or of the snub I
should incur. She called me a dear boy, gave me three kisses, and went
off to bed in much better spirits. And all the while my own secret
opinion was that Krak was rather good for Victoria. It has generally
been my secret opinion that people had no business to receive the things
which they have asked me to give to or procure for them. When the merits
are good the King's help is unnecessary.

CHAPTER IV.

TWO OF MY MAKERS.

Physically my parents' child, with my father's tall stature and my
mother's clean-cut features, intellectually I was more son to
Hammerfeldt than to any one else. From the day when my brain began to
develop, his was the preponderating influence. I had a governor, a good
soldier, General von Vohrenlorf; I had masters; I had one tutor, of whom
more presently (he for a time bade fair to dispute the Prince's
supremacy); but above them all, moulding me and controlling them, was
this remarkable old man. At this time he was seventy years old; he had
been a soldier till thirty, since then a diplomatist and politician. I
do not think in all things as Hammerfeldt thought; time moves, and each
man's mind has its own cast; but I will make no claim to originality at
the cost of depreciating what I learned from him. He was a solitary man;
once he had taken a wife; she left him after two years; he used to talk
about her as though she had died at the date when she ran away, without
bitterness, with an indulgent