Temporal Power: A Study in Supremacy

ents in the west wing of the palace, where the next most trusted personage to himself in the confidence of the King, had his domicile,-Professo

reasing distinction offered him in his native Germany, accepted the comparatively retired and private position he now occupied. Some said it was a disappointment in love which had caused his abrupt departure from the Fatherland,-others declared it was irritation at the severe manner in which his surgical successes had been handled by the medical critics,-but whatever the cause, it soon became evident that he had turned his back on the country of his birth for ever, and that he was apparently entirely satisfied with the lot he had chosen. H

evidently hungry at the moment Eve tempted him. As soon as he had satisfied his inner man, he thought of his outer,-and his next idea was, naturally, tailoring. From this simple conjunction of suggestions, combined with what 'God' would have to say to him concerning his food-experiment and fig-leaf apron, man has drawn all his religi

a soldier than a doctor, and was proud of his resemblance to the earlier portraits of Bismarck. To see him in his own particular 'sanctum' surrounded by weird-looking diagrams of sundry parts of the human frame, mysterious phials and stoppered flasks containing various liquids and crystals, and all the modern appliances for closely examining the fearful yet beautiful secrets of the living organism, was as if one should look upon a rough and burly gia

d with anyone!" he was wont to say-"Everybody suffers so much and so undeservedl

in their very differences of opinion on men and matters in general. De Launay, being younger, was more hasty of judgment and quick in action; but Von Glauben too had been known to draw his sword with unexpected rapidity on occasion, to the discomfiture of those who deemed him only at home with the scalpel. Just now, however, he was in a particularly

om those interesting creatures!" and he pointed with the stem of his pipe to the bottled animalculae-"They are never bored,-never weary of doing mischief! They are just now living under the pleasing delusion t

ing animalculae," said De Launa

are really quite as int

lauben, I want yo

the Professor-"Even when I laugh, I laugh s

d De Launay-"of a king who fre

inly deserve my respect, and he should have it. Even if the laws of etique

id De Launay-"It will save you the trouble of cont

blankly at the ceiling for a few moments in silence

me inscrutable reason or other he has suddenly adopte

ou have something to tell me. Which, judging from yo

moment. The Professo

confidence," he said composedly-"In the brief affairs of this life, it

ady, it soon will be made so. That is where the mischief comes in,-or so I think. Judge for yourself!" And in a few wor

disguise truth that it shall be no more recognisable. Myself, I believe the Jesuits to be the lineal descendants of those priests who served Bel and the Dragon. The art of conjuring and deception is in their very blood. It is for the Jesuits that I have invented a beautiful new verb,-'To hypocrise.' It sounds well. Here is the

mpatience, and flung away the

s shoulders to the lobes of one's ears, and waste nearly the half of an exceedingly expe

osing himself to unnecessary danger. And I know what you do not yet know, but what this letter will no doubt inform you,"-and he drew an envelope bearing the Royal seal from his pocket and handed it to the Pro

pon, shaking himself out of his recumbent position, like a great lion rolling out of his lair, he stood upright, and breaking the seal of the envelope

ping-"There is no other way; not for me at least. I shall most assuredly be at the appointed place, at the

e King'

e! It is a bad conscience which invites mischief. I am a great believer in the law of attraction. The good attracts the good

g-" again be

you! Our business is to guard and defend him-with our own lives, if necessary,-we shall do that with a will, Roger, shall we not?" And with an impulsive quickness of action, he took a sword from a stand of weapons near him, drew it from its scabbard and kissing the hilt, held it out to

t height and squared his shoul

roved groundless. Remember, Court life is excessively dull,-truly the dullest form of existence on earth,-

th a vengeance, if the King continues in

cency of a certain successful Minister may be somewhat seriously dis

or if any mischance happen to the King,

pen countenance. He looked fixedly at Sir

-he said slow

interposed

He is a very honest young man indeed. It is unfortunate that he i

ay was

mething else to do than to look after them,"-and he took up the glass vessel containing the animalculae he had been watching, and cast it with its contents into a small stove burning dimly at one end of the apartment,-"Gone are th

ment, as if in deep thought. Then

ing, and speak with him

ts in the world will not turn a man from having his own way if he has once made up his own mind. Advice from me on the p

ng the humorous twinkle in his ey

t may only prove an amusing one," he

And such a tragedy! My God! Horrible-monstrous-cruel beyond conc

ing with strong emotion. De Launay glanc

ty-strong men killed in their thousands to gain a little additional gold, an extra slice of empire,-then you see the tragic, the ine

in his usual q

night, then

Launay,-"Unless you receive fur

r for changing the sentry. "Sunset already!" said Von Glauben, walking to the window and throwing back

surrounded by mountainous heights of orange and purple cloud, began to touch the water-line with a thousand arrowy darts of flame. The white-sailed vessel on

De Launay, "his Royal Highness is punct

d Von Glauben, "and it is possible

inaudible in answer, and tu

at him with an affe

uld go to confession,-and her confessor would tell a bishop,-and a bishop would tell a cardinal,-and a cardinal would tell a confidential monsignor,-and the co

d De Launay's bronzed

t on, "which have so chanced to me that I shall never marry." He paused again-then added-"I must

g his eyes very wide, "The Prince is

not pleased with his son's frequent absences from C

ben look

re," he said, with a half sigh-"Ach! W

times of peace. We want no dissension with either

n Glauben, whereupon Sir Roger with

ach of the Prince's yacht, which came towards the shore with such swift and

be nothing to regret-and yet-! Well! The mischief was done before poor Heinrich von Glauben was consulted; and if poor Heinrich w