y duty towards Greece, I am departing from my beloved
country with my heir, leaving my son Alexander on the throne. I beg
you to accept my decision with serenity, trusting to God, whose
blessing I invoke on the nation. And that this sacrifice may not be in
vain, I adjure all of you, if you love God, if you love your country,
if, lastly, you love me, not to make any disturbance, but to remain
submissive. The least disorder, even if prompted by a lofty sentiment,
may to-day lead to the most terrible disasters. At this moment the
greatest solace for the Queen and myself lies in the affection and
devotion which you have always shown to us, in the happy days as in the
unhappy. May God protect Greece.--Constantine R." [25] Motionless and
silent groups read this message; but the crowd outside the Palace went
on crying, monotonously: "No! No!" and "He mustn't go!"

These things began to fill the emissary of the Protecting Powers with
uneasiness. He felt that a clear manifestation of the fact that the
King had been superseded must be given to the populace.[26] A
proclamation in King Alexander's name was accordingly issued.
Simultaneously, a notice, the text of which, it is affirmed, had been
settled between the Government and M. Jonnart, was published. It ran:
"To-day at noon, after the administration of the oath to King
Alexander, M. Jonnart by a special messenger announced to the Greek
Government that it could send at once authorities to Salonica, since
the Provisional {198} Government is henceforward dissolved. It is
equally well-known that M. Venizelos shall not by any means come to
Athens, and that the Powers have no ulterior design to establish him in
power. Greece is nowise bound to pursue the policy of the Triumvirate,
but is free to adhere to her neutrality." [27]

For all that, the people continued restive. The King's departure had
been fixed for noon; but in face of the popular unwillingness to let
him go, the departure seemed impossible. It became evident that the
methods of persuasion which sufficed for the Premier did not suffice
for the people. Something more effective than the march into distant
Thessaly and the landing at remote Corinth was needed. Accordingly,
the destroyers came into Phaleron Bay, and French troops began to
disembark.[28] The Athenians, however, did not seem to be cowed even
when they saw that the French troops advanced close to Athens. What
was to be done? Was M. Jonnart,