ould be in their hands, and he
had always heard how unscrupulous they were.

"Only one or two," declared Charlotte, "and they won't tell unless I
tell them to. They are wonderful people, papa!"

The King sighed; for the very name of them had become a weariness to
him. The whole agitation, with its dim confused scufflings against law
and order, and its demonstrations idiotically recurring at the most
inopportune moments, had profoundly vexed him. Years ago he had received
the bland assurance of his ministers that the whole thing would soon die
down and cease; but it was still going on, and was now taking to itself
worse forms than ever.

"What is it that they want?" he exclaimed, not quite meaning it as a
question; rather as expressing the opinion that the subject was a
hopeless one.

"They want a great many things," said his daughter; "they've got what
they call 'grievances'; I know very little about them; they may be right
or wrong--that isn't the point. The only thing that concerns you, papa,
is that they want to come and see you; and they are not allowed to."

"Come and see me?"

"Yes; bring you a petition."

"What about?"

"To have their grievances looked into."

"_I_ can't look into their grievances."

"No; but you can say that they shall be."

The King shook his head. Charlotte did not know what she was talking
about.

"Yes, papa, that is the position. Of course you haven't the right to
make laws or levy taxes, but you can send word to Parliament to say
something has got to be considered and decided. And about this,
Parliament won't consider and won't decide. And that is why they are
trying to get to you with a petition; so that you shall say that it is
to be looked into."

"But I can't say that sort of thing, my dear."

"Yes, you can, papa! It's an old right; the right of unrepresented
people to come direct to their sovereign and tell him that his ministers
are refusing to do things for them. And your ministers are trying to
keep you from knowing about it, to keep you from knowing even that you
have such a power; and by not knowing it they are making you break your
Coronation oath. Oh, papa, isn't that dreadful to think of?"

"My dear, if that were true----"

"But it is true, papa! These women are trying to bring you their
petition, and they are prevented. The ministers say that you have
nothing to do with it; so they go to the ministers--they take their
petition to the ministers, and ask th