those are not the things
that one forgets, are they, Miss Liston?"

"Then I wish Sep could know somebody who would make him remember,"
answered Miriam, half closing the book in her hand; for she was very
quick and had seen Colville's affable glance take it in in passing, as
it took in everything within sight.

"A King, for instance," he said, slowly. "A King of France.
Others--prophets and righteous men--have desired to see that, Miss
Liston."

It seemed, however, that he had seen enough to know the period which
they were studying.

"I suppose," he said, after a pause, "that in this studious house you
talk and think history, and more especially French history. It must
be very quiet and peaceful. Much more restful than acting in it as my
friend de Gemosac has done all his life, as I myself have done in a
small way. For France takes her history so much more violently than you
do in England. France is tossed about by it, while England stands and
is hammered on the anvil of Time, as it were, and remains just the same
shape as before."

He broke off and turned to Sep.

"Do you know the story of the little boy who was a King?" he asked,
abruptly. "They put him in prison and he escaped. He was carried out in
a clothes-basket. Funny, is it not? And he escaped from his enemies and
reached another country, where he became a sailor. He grew to be a man
and he married a woman of that country, and she died, leaving him with
a little boy. And then he died himself and left the little boy, who was
taken care of by his English relations, who never knew that he was
a King. But he was; for his father was a King before him, and his
grandfathers--far, far back. Back to the beginning of the book that
Miss Liston holds in her hand. The little boy--he was an orphan, you
see--became a sailor. He never knew that he was a King--the Hope of his
country, of all the old men and the wise men in it--the holder of the
fate of nations. Think of that."

The story pleased Sep, who sat with open lips and eager eyes, listening
to it.

"Do you think it is an interesting story? What do you think is the end
of it?"

"I don't know," answered Sep, gravely.

"Neither do I. No one knows the end of that story yet. But if you were
a King--if you were that boy--what would you do? Would you go and be a
King, or would you be afraid?"

"No. I should go and be a King. And fight battles."

"But you would have to leave everybody. You would have to leave y