the people," said the king, "and has
your experience satisfied you that the popular mind (or, in other
words, popular simplicity in thought and manners) is the divinely
appointed corrective of the errors of a higher civilization?"

Gunther looked up as if amazed. Was the question an idle one, or did a
deeper significance underlie it? Had the king not succeeded in
conquering his dislike of popular verdicts? Or did he--as a proof of
returning royal favor--merely intend to afford the man whom he had so
deeply injured, an opportunity to gratify his vanity by ventilating his
opinions?

Quick as lightning, these thoughts flashed through his mind. After a
short pause, he replied:

"With Your Majesty's permission, let me, before proceeding to answer
you, state the question more distinctly."

"Pray do so."

A pause ensued, just as if they were trying and tuning inner
instruments which, coming from unequal temperatures, had not yet been
brought into harmony with each other; for although both men were calm
and self-controlled, their moods were not in accord.

"If by the term 'popular mind,' you mean those views and states of
feeling which are not based upon scientific laws or art traditions, but
which seem as fixed and unchangeable as the forces of nature; and if,
on the other hand, you apply the term 'corrective' to that which
separates us from all that is alien or effete, and leads us, as it
were, back to nature--I am prepared to answer your question as well as
I know how."

"I am entirely satisfied with the form in which you put the question,"
replied the king. "I often think that discussions are barren of
results, simply because the question was vaguely or imperfectly stated
at the start."

Gunther nodded a smiling approval of these words.

"And now for the answer," asked the king, all attention.

"Although I may seem to wander from the point, I shall soon return to
it. The event from which it dates, forms a turning point in the history
of mankind. Unlike all that went before, the central figure which later
generations have idealized, and from which they have drawn inspiration,
was not born on Olympic heights. Jesus was born in a manger, and yet
kings performed pious pilgrimages to the spot. The fact that the Spirit
which is innate with the pure man, could even be born in a manger,
among the dumb animals devoted to domestic use, is an enduring proof of
pure democracy, or of nobility in that which is lowly. If, ho