vernments, M. Zaimis and M. Venizelos,
to enter into direct conversations: he offering to act as a simple
{203} adviser, mediator, at most arbitrator. Both seized on the
invitation.[11]

The main question had already been settled between M. Jonnart and M.
Venizelos: the latter should return to power at once. But, legally he
could only return by a parliamentary election, and, as he could not
hope for a majority, neither he nor M. Jonnart wanted an election. It
was accordingly decided that, since no reliance could be placed on the
popular will of the present, an appeal should be made to the popular
will of the past: the Chamber of 13 June, 1915, in which M. Venizelos
had a majority, should be recalled to life, on the ground that its
dissolution, in their opinion, was illegal. This decision--so well
calculated to preserve externals with all the reverence which
expediency permitted--was, on 24 June, formally conveyed by the High
Commissioner to M. Zaimis, who, doing what was expected of him,
tendered his resignation. The High Commissioner thanked him and
promptly obtained from King Alexander a declaration that he was ready
to entrust the Government to M. Venizelos, who only asked for a delay
of two days to fetch his Cabinet from Salonica.[12]

Meanwhile, the news that M. Venizelos was coming had spread, and the
return at that delicate moment of the yacht _Sphacteria_ which had
carried King Constantine away added fuel to the flame. In the evening
(24 June), the crew of the boat, joined by students and reservists,
paraded the streets with a portrait of the King and cried "Long live
Constantine!" The column of demonstrators grew as it went along--the
police being unable or unwilling to check it. Without a doubt, M.
Venizelos was right: the _epuration_ of the capital had not gone far
enough. To prevent surprises, General Regnault, commander of the
landing forces, immediately took the measures which he had carefully
planned in advance. By dawn of 25 June, French troops with artillery
had occupied all the heights round the town: they were to stay there as
long as M. Venizelos wanted them--and, perhaps, even longer.[13]

{204}

Under such conditions the People's Chosen formed his Ministry (26
June), and nerved himself to face the people. Every preparation for
his entry into the capital had been made. Nothing remained but to fix
the hour. But this he evaded doing in a manner which puzzled and
exasperated the Frenc