st. I, at any rate, am
not afraid to register an emphatic protest against my King's marriage
with a lady, no matter how estimable personally, whose presence in
Delgratz as our Queen would be a national calamity. If I speak strongly,
it is because I feel so strongly in this matter. The rulers of States
such as ours cannot afford to be swayed by sentiment. When your Majesty
weds, you ought to choose your wife among the Princesses of Montenegro.
Had I the slightest inkling of any other design on your part, I should
have stipulated this before we left Paris."

"Ah," said Alec thoughtfully, "it is too late now, General, to talk of
stipulations that were not made. And, indeed, one might reasonably ask
who empowered you to make them?"

"God's bones! who should speak for Kosnovia if not I?"

"Your patriotism has never been questioned, General," said Alec with a
friendly smile; but Stampoff was not to be placated, being of the fiery
type of reformer who refuses to listen to any opinion that runs counter
to his own.

He too rose and faced the Council. "What has palsied your tongues?" he
cried. "You were all ready enough to declare your convictions before the
King arrived. He is here now. Tell him, then, do you approve of his
proposed marriage--yes or no!"

Heads were shaken. A few cried "No." Alec saw clearly that he could not
count on the support of one among those present. He did not shirk the
issue. He determined that it should be dealt with at once if possible.
If not, he had already decided on his own line of action.

"I am sorry that in such a matter, affecting, as it does, the whole of
my future life," he said, "I should be so completely at variance with
what is evidently the common view of my trusted friends in this Council;
but I cannot forget that, for good or ill, I am King of Kosnovia, while
you may rest assured, gentlemen, that no consideration you can urge will
prevent me from marrying the lady of my choice. Of course, it is
conceivable that my kingship and my marriage may clash. In that event I
shall take the consequences of my action; I must even justify myself to
the Assembly, if need be. It is well that the President should have made
me acquainted with the views you all hold with such apparent unanimity.
It is also well that you should be aware of my decision. Very often,
when men think they have reached absolute disagreement, a way opens
itself unexpectedly whereby the difficulties vanish. In this instanc