's disposition for the settlement of
accounts. Your Majesty will excuse our sub-director for not having come
himself to take your orders as it is his pleasure and honor generally to
do, but he has been ill for several days and that is why I have begged
permission for this audience with your Majesty."

Fandor with difficulty repressed his desire to laugh and congratulated
himself that he had escaped the danger of being shown up by the
sub-director who knew the real King. The Secretary brought with him a
large sum of money which he placed at the disposal of the sovereign. For
a moment Fandor was tempted to accept the money but his scruples held
him back. If things should turn out badly it would not do to lay himself
open to the charge of usurping the Royal funds as well as the
personality of the King. So he limited himself to handing over the hotel
bill, saying:

"Kindly settle this without delay and don't stint yourself with the
tips."

A little later a porter entered with newspapers. Fandor seized them
eagerly, but after a single glance he could not repress a movement of
impatience.

"These idiots," he growled to himself, "always bring me the Hesse-Weimar
papers, and I don't know a confounded word of German. What I would like
to get hold of is a copy of _La Capitale_."

He rang the bell intending to give the order for a copy to be sent up,
but at that moment a servant announced:

"Mlle. Marie Pascal is here, your Majesty."

"What does she want?"

The servant handed Fandor a letter.

"Your Majesty has granted an interview to her."

Without thinking the journalist asked: "Is she pretty?"

The employe of the Royal Palace kept a straight face. He was too much in
the habit of dealing with royal patrons. The King might joke as much as
he pleased, but the same liberty was not granted to others. He therefore
made a deep bow and said with a tone of profound deference:

"I will send Marie Pascal to your Majesty."

CHAPTER VIII

MARIE PASCAL

Now that he had become a King and was obliged to receive unexpected
visits in that capacity, Fandor had adopted the wise precaution of
making his visitors wait in the main Salon, while he retired to the
adjoining study. From there, thanks to a large mirror, he could see them
without being seen himself. Following this precaution he waited for the
appearance of his visitor and scarcely had she set foot in the Salon
when he experienced an agreeable surprise.

"Ah, t