The King laughed. "There is no need for us to mince words--the matter is
perfectly evident. Under the Law, here, it needs but my Decree to make
you eligible to the Crown; and that necessarily would displace Lotzen and
make you Heir Presumptive. How do you think he would view it?"
"How would any man view it?" I asked.
"But what have Lotzen's views to do with the matter?" Frederick asked
sharply. "I am the King; here are the Laws. What Dalberg would dispute
them?"
"But, Your Majesty, Lotzen might not be alone in disputing them--the Army
and the House of Nobles might join him. And, assuming that you would
never intend to displace Lotzen by me, nevertheless, you would be put
into the embarrassing position of seeming to be coerced by your subjects."
"Coerced! Coerced!" said Frederick, flinging his cigar savagely into the
grate. "Do I hear a Dalberg fear that for his King?"
"Nay, Sire," I protested, "I did not say that."
But the anger had already passed. "Nonsense, lad, I understand you," he
said; "only, I know my Kingdom better than you do--yet," and he laughed.
But I protested again. "Would it not be wiser for me to consider the
question only upon the hypothesis that Lotzen shall not be
displaced----?"
"Don't be a fool, Armand," Frederick cut in.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100