e."

"Ah, you can't call it to mind! No, you can't call it to mind. It seems
to me that there is a difference, then, between politicians and kings."

Madame Briande was moving about the room in evident discomfort. Wetter
was sitting with his hand clenched on the table and his eyes downcast.

Coralie looked long and intently at him. Then she turned her eyes on me.
I took out a cigarette, lit it, and smiled at her.

"You--you would get under the table?" she asked me.

"You catch my meaning perfectly."

"Then aren't you ashamed to sit at it?"

"Yes," said I, and laughed.

"Ah!" she cried, shaking her fist at me, and herself laughing. Then she
leaned over toward me and whispered, "You shall retract that."

Wetter looked up and saw her whispering to me, and laughing as she
whispered. He frowned, and I saw his hand tremble on the table. Though I
laughed and fenced with her and defied her, I was myself in some
excitement. I seemed to be playing a match; and I had confidence in my
game.

Wetter spoke abruptly in a harsh but carefully restrained voice.

"It is not for me to question the King's account of himself," he said,
"but so far as I am concerned your question did me a wrong. Openly I
come here, openly I leave here. All know why I come, and what I desire
in coming. I ask nothing better than to declare it before all the city."

She rose and made him a curtsey, then she gave a slight yawn and
observed:

"So now we know just where we are."

"The King has defined his position with great accuracy," said Wetter
with an open sneer.

"Yes? What is it?" she asked.

"His own words are enough; mine could add no clearness--and--"

"Might give offence?" she asked.

"It is possible," said he.

"Then we come to this: which is better, a king under the table or a
politician at it?" She burst out laughing.

Madame Briande had fled to a remote corner. Wetter was in the throes of
excitement. A strange coolness and recklessness now possessed me. I was
insensible of everything at this moment except the impulse of rivalry
and the desire for victory. Nothing in the scene had power to repel me,
my eyes were blind to everything of ugly aspect in it.

"To define the question, mademoiselle, should be but a preliminary to
answering it," said I, with a bow.

"I would answer it this minute, sire, but----"

"You hesitate, perhaps?"

"Oh, no; but my hair-dresser is waiting for me."

"Let no such trifle detain you then," I c