"
I laughed, "Of course, steel vests are such ordinary articles of
attire they can be purchased in any shop."
"I'll supply the vest," he answered, "if Your Highness will use it."
"It seems absurd," I declared.
"It's a wise precaution, sir," Moore urged.
"One might suppose we were back in the days or the Guises," I said.
"However, bring your coat of mail around to-night and I'll look it
over. But, I warn you, it will have to be a very snug fit."
"I will answer for that, also," said Bernheim.
Later in the afternoon, I rode over to the Field of Mars--a huge piece
of ground on the Lake front--for the evening parade of the Cuirassiers
of the Guard. This was their one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, and
on every one of them it had been the unbroken custom for the then
governor of Dornlitz to be present and pass the Regiment in
Review--saving, of course, in war-time, when it chanced to be in active
service in the field.
The crowd of spectators was enormous. The Valerians seem to have a
genuine love for their Army--largely, I fancy, because the Army is not
permitted to tyrannize over the citizen. Because a man wore the King's
uniform gave him no privilege to insult or to maltreat those who did
not; and conferred no immunity from proper and adequate punishment if
he did.
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