t and the sacredness
of property; everything else goes with it. The hereditary principle has
in its keeping all that makes for stability, continuity, and tradition;
nothing can adequately take its place."

"Do not forget, sir," said his son, "that if we follow our heredity back
far enough, ours is an elected monarchy. And if once you admit election
you must admit also the right of the to-be-elected one to offer or
refuse his candidature. The nation cannot play fast and loose, as it has
done, with the principle of male primogeniture, and at the same time
impose upon us, its candidates for election, an unavoidable obligation
to accept the burden of heredity. No; let us have the matter quite
clear. If the people--as they have done by others in the past--claim the
right to reject me, should I prove myself an outrageous and impossible
character, I equally claim the right to reject them; and I must see them
capable of making a reasonable use of my services before I will consent
to be made use of."

"Well," said the King, breathing in resignation, "I suppose I ought not
to mind too much. 'After me the Deluge,' is a wise enough saying when
one has no power to prevent it."

"'After me the Deluge,'" said Max, "has come down to us with a muddled
application. If monarchy would only adopt it as its motto, monarchy
would be good for another thousand years. Louis XV said it; and Louis
XVI failed to give it effect. Had he but placed himself at the head of
the Deluge, in the very forefront of its rush and roar, waved his hat to
it and cried: 'After me!' like a captain to his company, and started off
at a gallop, it would have obeyed and followed him. 'After me the
Deluge!' should be the rallying cry of the monarchy for the renewal of
its youth, not the quavering note of its dotage. That is the motto I am
going to put on the title-page of my book."

"Good gracious!" cried the King.

Max was pleased to see what an impression he had made: he did not
usually get so good a listener. "And to think," said he, "that all this
talk came of your having asked me a question on a matter that is already
five years old. I am sorry to have taken up so much time explaining
myself."

"On the contrary," said the King, "I am glad. Five years? Yes, I am very
glad to know that." He got up and moving to the table made a call on his
private telephone. "Would you mind waiting a few minutes," he went on,
"perhaps I shall need your countenance."

A secret