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THE KING'S MIRROR
A NOVEL
BY ANTHONY HOPE
Author of The Chronicles of Count Antonio--The Prisoner of Zenda--The
God in the Car--Phroso--Rupert of Hentzau, etc.
[Illustration: INTER FOLIA FRUCTIS]
NEW YORK
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
1899
COPYRIGHT, 1898, 1899,
BY ANTHONY HOPE HAWKINS.
_All rights reserved_.
[Illustration: "I'm not a king for my own pleasure." (See page 14.)]
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I.--A PIOUS HYPERBOLE 1
II.--A BIRD WITHOUT WINGS 11
III.--SOME SECRET OPINIONS 22
IV.--TWO OF MY MAKERS 34
V.--SOMETHING ABOUT VICTORIA 47
VI.--A STUDENT OF LOVE AFFAIRS 60
VII.--THINGS NOT TO BE NOTICED 73
VIII.--DESTINY IN A PINAFORE 84
IX.--JUST WHAT WOULD HAPPEN 96
X.--OF A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT 109
XI.--AN ACT OF ABDICATION 122
XII.--KING AT A PRICE 136
XIII.--I PROMISE NOT TO LAUGH 151
XIV.--PLEASURE TAKES LEAVE TO PROTEST 165
XV.--THE HAIR-DRESSER WAITS 179
XVI.--A CHASE OF TWO PHANTOMS 193
XVII.--DECIDEDLY MEDIÆVAL 207
XVIII.--WILLIAM ADOLPHUS HITS THE MARK 219
XIX.--GREAT PROMOTION 233
XX.--AN INTERESTING PARALLEL 248
XXI.--ON THE ART OF FALLING SOFT 261
XXII.--UT PUTO, VESTIS FIO 275
XXIII.--A PARADOX OF SENSIBILITY 290
XXIV.--WHAT A QUESTION! 304
XXV.--A SMACK OF REPETITION 318
XXVI.--THE SECRET OF THE COUNTESS 334
XXVII.--OF GRAZES ON THE KNEE 349
XXVIII.--AS BEDERHOF ARRANGED 363
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
"I'm not a king for my own pleasure" _Frontispiece_
Hammerfeldt came to me and kissed my hand 43
The firelight played on the hand that held the screen 102
"My ransom," said I. "The price of my freedom" 148
"On my honour, a pure accident," said Varvilliers 215
"Why, what brings you here?" I cried 262
"My dear friend, have you forgotten me?" 293
"I'll try--I'll try to make you happy" 342
THE KING'S MIRROR.
CHAPTER I.
A PIOUS HYPERBOLE.
Before my coronation there was no event in childhood that impressed
itself on my memory with marked or singular distinction. My father's
death, the result of a chill contracted during a hunting excursion,
meant no more to me than a week of rooms gloomy and games forbidden; the
decease of King Augustin, my uncle, appeared at the first instant of
even less importance. I recollect the news coming. The King, having been
always in frail health, had never married; seeing clearly but not far,
he was a sad man: the fate that struck down his brother increased his
natural melancholy; he became almost a recluse, withdrew himself from
the capital to a retired residence, and henceforward was little more
than a name in which Prince von Hammerfeldt conducted the business of
the country. Now and then my mother visited him; once she brought back
to me a letter from him, little of which I understood then, although I
have since read often the touching words of his message. When he died,
there was the same gloom as when my father left us; but it seemed to me
that I was treated a little differently; the servants stared at me, my
mother would look long at me with a half-admiring, half-amused
expression, and Victoria let me have all her toys. In Baroness von
Krakenstein (or Krak, as we called her) alone, there was no difference;
yet the explanation came from her, for when that evening I reached out
my little hand and snatched a bit of cake from the dish, Krak caught my
wrist, saying gravely,
"Kings must not snatch, Augustin."
"Victoria, what do you get when you are a king?" I asked my sister that
night. I was hardly eight, she nearing ten, and her worldly wisdom
seemed great.
"Oh, you have just what you want, and do what you like, and kill people
that you don't like," said she. "Don't you remember the Arabian Nights?"
"Could I kill Krak?" I asked, choosing a concrete and tempting
illustration of despotic power.
Victoria was puzzled.
"She'd have to do something first, I suppose," she answered vaguely. "I
should have been queen if you hadn't been born, Augustin." Her tone now
became rather plaintive.
"But nobody has a queen if they can get a king," said I serenely.
It is the coronation day that stands out in memory; the months that
elapsed between my accession and that event are merged in a vague
dimness. I think little difference was made in our household while we
mourned the dead King. Krak was still sharp, imperious, and exacting.
She had been my mother's governess, and came with her from Styria. I
suppose she had learned the necessity of sternness from her previous
experience with Princess Gertrude, for that lady, my mother, a fair,
small, slim woman, who preserved her girlishness of appearance till the
approach of middle age, was of a strong and masterful temper. Only Krak
and Hammerfeldt had any power over her; Krak's seemed the result of
ancient domination, the Prince's was won by a suave and coaxing
deference that changed once a year or thereabouts to stern and
uncompromising opposition. But with my early upbringing, and with
Victoria's, Hammerfeldt had nothing to do; my mother presided, and Krak
executed. The spirit of Styria reigned in the nursery, rather than the
softer code of our more Western country; I doubt whether discipline were
stricter in any house in Forstadt than in the royal palace.
They roused me at eight on my coronation day. My mother herself came to
my bedside, and knelt down for a few minutes by it. Krak stood in the
background, grim and gloomy. I was a little frightened, and asked what
was afoot.
"You're to be crowned to-day, Augustin," said my mother. "You must be a
good boy."
"Am I to be crowned king, mother?"
"Yes, dear, in the cathedral. Will you be a good king?"
"I'll be a great king, mother," said I. The Arabian Nights were still in
my head.
She laughed and rose to her feet.
"Have him ready by ten o'clock, Baroness," she said. "I must go and have
my coffee and then dress. And I must see that Victoria is properly
dressed too."
"Are you going to be crowned, mother?" I asked.
"No," she said. "I shall be only Princess Heinrich still."
I looked at her with curiosity. A king is greater than a princess;
should I be greater than my mother? And my mother was greater than Krak!
Why, then--but Krak ended my musings by whisking me out of bed.
It was fine fun to ride in the carriage by my mother's side, with
Victoria and old Hammerfeldt opposite. Hammerfeldt was President of the
Council of Regency; but I, knowing nothing of that, supposed my mother
had asked him into our carriage because he amused us and gave us
chocolates. My mother was very prettily dressed, and so was Victoria. I
was very glad that Krak was in another vehicle. There were crowds of
people in the street, cheering us more than they ever had before; I was
taking off my hat all the time. Once or twice I held up my sword for
them to see, but everybody laughed, and I would not do it any more. It
was the first time that I had worn a sword, but I did not see why they
should laugh. Victoria laughed most of all; indeed, at last my mother
scolded her, saying that swords were proper for men, and that I should
be a man soon.
We reached the cathedral, and with my hand in my mother's I was led up
the nave, till we came to the front of the High Altar. There was a very
long service; I did not care about or heed much of it, until the
archbishop came down on to the lowest step, and my mother took my hand
again and led me to him, and he put the crown on my head. I liked that,
and turned round to see if the people were looking, and was just going
to laugh at Victoria, when I saw Krak frowning at me; so I turned back
and listened to the archbishop. He was a nice old man, but I did not
understand very much of what he said. He talked about my uncle, my
father, and the country, and what a king ought to do; at last he leaned
down toward me, and told me in a low but very distinct voice that
henceforward God was the only Power above me, and I had no lord except
the King of kings. He was a very old man with white hair, and when he
had said this he seemed not to be able to go on for a minute. Perhaps he
was tired, or did not know what to say next. Then he laid his hand on my
head--they had taken the crown off because it was so heavy for me--and
said in a whisper, "Poor child!" but then he raised his voice, so that
it rang all through the cathedral, and blessed me. Then my mother made
me get up and turn and face the people; she put the crown on my head
again; then she knelt and kissed my hand. I was very much surprised, and
I saw Victoria trying hard not to laugh--because Krak was just by her.
But I didn't want to laugh; I was too much surprised.
So far memory carries me; the rest is blurred, until I found myself back
in our own home divested of my military costume, but allowed, as a
special treat, to have my sword beside me when we sat down to tea. We
had many good things for tea, and even Krak was thawed into amiability;
she told me that I had behaved very well in the cathedral, and that I
should see the fireworks from the window presently. It was winter and
soon dark. The fireworks began at seven; I remember them very well.
Above all, I recollect the fine excitement of seeing my own name in
great long golden letters, with a word after them that Krak told me I
ought to know meant "king," and was of the third declension. "_Rex,
Regis_," said Krak, and told poor Victoria to go on. Victoria was far
too excited, and Krak said we must both learn it to-morrow; but we were
clapping our hands, and didn't pay much heed. Then Hammerfeldt came in
and held me up at the window for a few minutes, telling me to kiss my
hand to the people. I did as he told me; then the crowd began to go
away, and Krak said it was bedtime.
Now here I might conclude the story of my coronation day; but an episode
remains trivial and ludicrous enough, yet most firmly embedded in my
memory. Indeed, it has always for me a significance quite independent of
its obvious import; it seems to symbolize the truth which the experience
of all my life has taught me. Perhaps I throw dignity to the winds in
recording it; I intend to do the like all through what I write; for, to
my thinking, when dignity comes in at the door sincerity flies out of
the window. I was not tired after the day, or I was too excited to feel
tired. My small brain was agog; my little head was turned. Amidst all
that I did not understand I understood enough to conceive that I had
become a great man. I saw Victoria led off to bed, and going meekly. But
I was not as Victoria; she was not a king as I was; mother had not knelt
before her; the archbishop had not told Victoria that she had no lord
except the King of kings. Perhaps I was hardly to blame when I took his
words as excluding the domination of women, of Krak, even of the mother
who had knelt and kissed my hand. At any rate, I was in a wilful mood.
Old Anna, the nurse, had put Victoria to bed, and now came through the
door that divided our rooms and proposed to assist me in my undressing.
I was wilful and defiant; I refused most flatly to go to bed. Anna was
perplexed; unquestionably a new and reverential air was perceptible in
Anna; the detection of it was fuel to my fires of rebellion. Anna sent
for Krak; in the interval before the governess's arrival I grew uneasy.
I half wished I had gone to bed quietly, but now I was in for the
battle. Had there been any meaning in what the archbishop said, or had
there not? Was it true, or had he misled me? I had believed him, and was
minded to try the issue; I sat in my chair attempting to whistle as my
groom had taught me. Krak came; I whistled on; there was a whispered
consultation between Anna and Krak; then Krak told me that I was to go
to bed, and bade me begin the process by taking off my shoes. I looked
her full and fair in the face.
"I won't till I choose," said I. "I'm king now"; and then I quoted to
Krak what the archbishop had said. She lifted her hands in amazement and
wrath.
"I shall have to fetch your mother," she said.
"I'm above my mother; she knelt to me," I retorted triumphantly.
Krak advanced toward me.
"Augustin, take off your shoes," said she.
I had no love for Krak. Dearest of all gifts of sovereignty would be the
power of defying Krak.
"Do you really want me to take them off?" I asked.
"This instant," commanded Krak.
I do not justify my action; yet, perhaps, the archbishop should have
been more careful of what he said. My answer to Krak was, "Take them,
then." And I snatched off one of them and threw it at Krak. It missed
most narrowly the end of her long nose, and lodged, harmlessly enough,
on Anna's broad bosom. I sat there exultant, fearful, and defiant.
Krak spoke to Anna in a low whisper; then they both went out, leaving me
alone in the big room. I grew afraid, partly because I was alone, partly
for what I had done. I could undress myself, although I was not, as a
rule, allowed to. I tumbled quickly out of my clothes, and had just
slipped on my nightshirt, when the door opened, and my mother entered,
followed by Krak. My mother looked very young and pretty, but she also
looked severe.
"Is this true, Augustin?" she asked, sitting down by the fire.
"Yes, mother," said I, arrested in my flight toward bed.
"You refused to obey the Baroness?"
"Yes. I'm king now."
"And threw your shoe at her?"
"The archbishop said----" I began.
"Be quiet," said my mother, and she turned her head and listened to
Krak, who began to whisper in her ear. A moment later she turned to me.
"You must do as you are told," she said; "and you must apologize to the
Baroness."
"I'd have taken them off if she had asked me," I said, "but she ordered
me."
"She has a right to order you."
"Is she God?" I asked, pointing scornfully at Krak. Really the
archbishop must bear some of the responsibility.
Krak whispered again; again my mother turned to me.
"Will you apologize, Augustin?" she said.
"No," said I stubbornly.
Krak whispered again. I heard my mother say, with a little laugh, "But
to-day, Baroness!" Then she sighed and looked round at me.
"Do apologize, Augustin," said she.
"I'll apologize to you, not to her," I said.
She looked at the Baroness, then at me, then back to the Baroness; then
she smiled and sighed.
"I suppose so. He must learn it. But not much to-night, Baroness. Just
enough to--to show him."
Krak came toward me; a moment later I occupied a position which, to my
lively discomfort, I had filled once or twice before in my short life,
but which I had not supposed that I should fill again after what the
archbishop had said. I set my teeth to endure; I was full of
bewilderment, surprise, and anger. The archbishop had played me terribly
false; the Arabian Nights were no less delusive. Krak was as unmoved and
business-like as usual. I was determined not to cry--not to-night. I was
not very hard tried; almost directly my mother said, "That will do."
There was a pause; no doubt Krak's face expressed a surprised protest.
"Yes, that's enough to-day," said my mother, and she added, "Get into
bed, Augustin. You must learn to be an obedient boy before you can be a
good king."
The moment I was released I ran and leaped into bed, hiding my face
under the clothes. I heard my mother come and say, "Won't you kiss me?"
but I was very angry; I did not understand why they made me a king, and
then beat me, because I behaved like all the kings I had been told or
read about. Moreover, I had begun to cry now, and I would have been
killed sooner than let Krak see that. So presently my mother went away,
and Krak too. Then Anna came and tried to turn down the clothes, but I
would not let her. I hung on to them hard, for I was still crying. I
heard Anna sigh, "Poor dearie!" then she went away; but directly after
Victoria's voice came, saying, "Anna says I may come in with you. May I,
please, Augustin?" I let her move the bedclothes and get in with me; and
I put my arms round her neck. Victoria comforted me as best she could.
"You'll be a real king when you grow up," she said.
A thought struck me--a rapturous thought, born of the Arabian Nights.
(In the archbishop lay no comfort at all.)
"Yes," I cried, "and then I'll bastinado Krak!" With this comforting
thought I fell asleep.
A strange day, this of my coronation, odd to pass through, to the
highest degree illuminating in retrospect. I did not live to bastinado
Krak; nor would I now had I the power. What they did was perhaps a
little cruel, a little Styrian, as Victoria and I used covertly to say
of such harsh measures; but how valuable a lesson on the state and
fortune of kings! The King is one, the man another. The King is crowned,
the man is lashed; they give us greatness in words: in fact, we are our
servants' servants. Little as I liked the thing at the time, I can not
now regret that I was chastised on my coronation day. I was thus put
into an attitude eminently conducive to the perception of truth, and to
a realization of the facts of my position. I forgive thee the blows,
Krak--Lo, I forgive thee!