abian 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