the green light in his
tail to red--or was it red to begin with? but it is no use! Those
proletarian forces descending upon him from the rear are quite blind in
their purpose: it is merely dead weight and impetus that send them
along." And then he pulled up abruptly, astonished to find that he was
talking in Max's manner. Was it so catching?

"Not wholly blind, sir," said the Professor; "believe me, they mean
well--mainly to themselves, no doubt: that is only human nature. Every
body in the community, whether energized or sluggish, has some weight
attached to it; and the more that bodies can agree to combine the
greater is their weight politically. One has to recognize that consensus
of opinion carries with it a certain moral as well as physical force.
Out of that springs the evolution of our governing system."

"Only I," said the King, "in the nature of things have always to stand
alone."

"Sir, you have all history!" said the Professor.

"Which, as you have reminded me, I do not know."

"May I inquire, sir, whether you have a real wish to know?"

"Why, naturally!" exclaimed the King. Whereupon the Professor, as though
laying aside something of his officialdom, took up an easier attitude
and addressed himself to the point.

"It would, I think, sir, be quite compatible with my duty to my
colleagues were I to send your Majesty a few volumes of constitutional
history with certain appropriate passages marked. It would interest me
very greatly to hear the argument developed on the lines you have
already laid down. The history I would venture to send is a thoroughly
reliable and standard authority, written by an eminent jurist to whose
words we later historians still bow. As I said, sir, _pace_ is to-day
the thing which really matters; beyond a given pace we, certainly, are
not able to go. Luckily for our present plans there is no source from
which any forcing of the pace seems probable. I do not think this or any
other ministry dare attempt it. Speaking for ourselves any increase of
the present pace would, I conceive, become a grave embarrassment. If,
therefore, your Majesty has been apprehensive of our adopting any
increase of speed, I think you may be reassured. After the
constitutional readjustment our pace is scarcely likely to grow
dangerous."

The Professor had managed to indicate that these were--if so it might be
allowed--his last words. The King rose.

"I shall be much obliged, Professor," said he, "if