save their
lives it would be as well that you should leave the palace and start on
your journey at once. There is no saying how soon the mob may be here,
and then escape may be impossible."

On hearing this my mother rose from her chair. All traces of the
agitation I had noticed earlier that evening had left her, and she was
as calm and collected as ever I had seen her.

"We are quite ready," she said. "If your Majesty will give the necessary
orders, there need be no further delay."

"So be it," remarked my father. Then turning to Max, who had been
listening attentively to all that passed between them, he added, in his
usual cynical fashion, "I had once hoped, my boy, to have had the
pleasure of abdicating in your favour. It would appear that even kings
may be mistaken. It is only the Sovereign people who are invariably
right. Now, Marquart, if you are quite ready, let us bid the Capital
good-bye."

With Bathony leading, my father and Max following close behind him, my
mother and I, hand-in-hand, coming next, and Marquart bringing up the
rear, we left the audience chamber and passed across the great hall,
under the staring statues, many of which had looked down on at least
three generations of our race, and which were destined to be hurled from
their pedestals and smashed to atoms within a few hours of our
departure. Then out by a side door into the walled-in space called the
Guard's Parade, from the fact that on sunny mornings the band of the
Household Regiment was wont to play there. On opening the door we were
assailed by the cold blast, which, blowing across the snow, gave us a
foretaste of what our journey would be like. The night was fine, and
overhead the stars shone brilliantly. The glow of the city lights could
be seen on every hand, while in the distance the low hum of the mob fell
upon our ears like a wild beast roaring for its prey. This alone served
to make us quicken our pace towards a gate on the opposite side of the
courtyard, which Bathony unlocked, and which, when we had passed through
it, he again secured behind him. Only once in my memory have I heard of
a reigning family leaving their palace in so unostentatious a fashion.

Twenty yards or so from the gate, two carriages were drawn up. Towards
the first of these Marquart hurried us. The other was for my mother's
maid and my father's faithful valet, and also for our luggage, of which
we could not carry very much. The leave-taking of the two men