ons, an alliance within
those artificially prohibited degrees imposed on royalty will lessen the
influence of the Crown by a straw's weight, or quicken its demise by an
hour? This country, like all civilized countries, is moving towards some
form of republican government. If we are sufficiently human, if we show
ourselves determined to call our souls our own--it is not merely
possible, it is probable, that when the change comes we shall be called
on by popular acclaim to provide the country with its first President.
If we did we could secure for that presidency a greater power and
prestige than any bureaucratic government would willingly concede. It
may be that the real counter-stroke to the present increase of Cabinet
control can most effectively be administered by a monarch who is not too
careful to preserve the outward forms of monarchy. When that is done, by
you, or by me, or by one who comes after us, I am confident that there
will be the sound of a people's rejoicing."

"You have strange ideas," said the King, "for one who calls himself a
monarchist."

"I am a republican," said the young man.

The King stared at him as though at some strange animal. "You don't say
so!" he murmured half aghast. "Supposing the Prime Minister were to find
out."

"He will soon," said the Prince. "I shall be sending him a copy of my
book on the day of publication."

The King shook his head warningly. Then he smiled, a shy nervous smile.
"It would be very awkward," he said slowly, "very awkward indeed, if you
happened to come to the throne just now. I really don't know what
Brasshay would do. But it's too late for me to begin that sort of
thing--far too late now."

CHAPTER V

CHURCH AND STATE

I

All this while other swan-songs were in preparation to be forced down
other throats (and thence presently to be rejected); forced with that
gentle air of persuasion which rears its lying front over all forms of
"peaceful picketing." Starvation and stuffing were the two methods to be
employed.

While the Government was picketing the King with threats of withdrawal
from office, and the Labor Party the Government with threats of a
national strike, the Government was preparing to picket the Bishops by a
process of forcible feeding--a plethora of their own kind be thrust upon
them--of their own kind but of a very different persuasion. And now at
last the Bishops understood that the doubling of their dioceses was but
a devi