e
order of the Imperial Orb? Or was the house of deputies right? Would it
be a good thing to place a restriction upon absolute sovereignty? It was
difficult to decide.... The inundations: "It is heartrending to see all
this and to be able to do so little.... An expanse of water all the way
to Lycilia, a cluster of corpses in the embrace of death...."

It lightened.

Dull, heavy rumblings rolled through the sky; thick drops fell hard as
liquid hail upon the leaves of the plane-trees; the whole park seemed to
shiver, dreading the threatening cloud-burst. Helene rose and closed the
open window.

Then Othomar heard a strange sound: Syria.... Had they ceased talking of
the house of peers? Syria, Syria....

"The king and queen were to have come next week, but they have now
postponed their visit," said the empress.

"Because of the inundations," added Thera. "They are going to
Constantinople first. I only wish they would remain with the sultan...."

"This visit seems to me at least to be something of an infliction," said
Herman, laughing. "And how long do they stay, aunt?"

The empress raised her shoulders to say that she did not know: the
approaching visit of the King and Queen of Syria pleased neither her nor
the emperor, but it was not to be avoided.... However, not wishing to
say much on this subject before Helene, she replied:

"All the court festivities are now postponed, as you know, Herman,
because of these terrible disasters. You will have a quiet time, my boy.
You had better go with Othomar to Count Myxila's this evening...."

Count Myxila, the imperial chancellor, was that day keeping his sixtieth
birthday. He was the emperor's principal favourite. That morning he had
been to the empress to receive her congratulations. The crown-prince
was, by the emperor's desire, to appear for a moment at the reception in
the chancellor's palace.

Prince Herman glanced at Othomar enquiringly, as though expecting a word
from him too.

"Of course," the Duke of Zara hastened to say. "Myxila will reckon on
seeing Herman...."

3

When, at half-past ten in the evening, Othomar and Herman returned from
the chancellor's palace in a downpour of rain, it was known among the
empress' entourage also that the government had resigned; the princes
had met the ministers at Count Myxila's; the crisis had thrilled through
the outward ceremonial of the reception like a threatening shudder of
fever. Also there was a telegram from