The Mayor. I was taught by my parents, of blessed memory--

The King. Oh, so they are "of blessed memory" too, are they? Well, what
did they teach you?

The Mayor. To fear God, honour the King--

The King.--and love the brotherhood! You are a public official, Mr.
Mayor. That is what a Christian is, nowadays. (To BANG.) And you?

Bang. Of late I have been able to go so little to church, because of my
cough. And in that unwholesome atmosphere--

The King.--you go to sleep. But you are a Christian?

Bang. Undoubtedly!

The King (to the Priest). And you are one, of course?

The Priest. By the grace of God I hope so!

The King (snapping his fingers). Yes, that is the regulation formula,
my good fellow! You all answer by the card! Very well, then--you are
a community of Christians; and it is not my fault if such a
community refuses to take any serious interest in what really affects
Christianity. Tell it from me that it ought to keep an eye on the
monarchy.

The Priest. Christianity has nothing to do with such things. It concerns
only the souls of men!

The King (aside). That voice. (Aloud.) I know--it does not concern
itself with the air a patient breathes, but only with his lungs!
Excellent!--All the same, Christianity ought to keep an eye on the
monarchy. Ought to tear the falsehood away from it! Ought not to go in
crowds to stare at a coronation in a church, like apes grinning at a
peacock! I know what I felt at that moment. I had rehearsed it all once
that morning already--ha, ha! Ask your Christianity if it may not be
about time for it to interest itself a little in the monarchy? It
seems to me that it scarcely ought any longer to allow monarchy, like
a seductive harlot, to keep militarism before the people's eyes as
an ideal--seeing that that is exactly contrary to the teachings of
Christianity, or to encourage class divisions, luxury, hypocrisy and
vanity. Monarchy has become so all-pervading a lie that it infects even
the most upright of men.

The Mayor. But I don't understand, your Majesty!

The King. Don't you? You are an upright man yourself, Mr. Mayor--a most
worthy man.

The Mayor. I do not know whether your Majesty is pleased to jest again?

The King. In sober earnest, I say you are one of the most upright of
men.

The Mayor. I cannot tell your Majesty how flattered I am to hear your
Majesty say so!

The King. Have you any decorations?

The Mayor. Your Majesty's government has not, s