Part 47 (1/2)

The great square was black with citizens, and from it rose a faint but angry drone that was unpleasantly suggestive of the results of pitching a large stone into a hornets' nest.

”I expect,” remarked Queen Selina, ”they're all busy discussing this engagement of Clarence's. If we drive out this afternoon we mustn't forget to take at _least_ two sacks of gold with us.”

”I doubt if we can afford to drive out at _all_ just now,” said Edna.

”Perhaps,” agreed her mother, ”it _would_ be wiser to wait till things have settled down a little. Why they should get so excited about it I can't think. It's _most_ inconsiderate and troublesome of them--at a time, too, when, goodness knows, I've enough to worry about!”

Just then she was chiefly hara.s.sed by a doubt whether she had been wholly wise in accepting the Marshal as a confederate, and especially in committing her secret instructions to writing. What if he knew or guessed her real reasons for getting rid of Miss Heritage? But, even if that were so, he had probably acted as he had out of goodwill and desire to maintain the dynasty. He had never shown the slightest jealousy or chagrin at having been deprived of the Regency. No, on the whole, she thought he could be trusted to be silent--if only because he could not betray her without admitting his own complicity. Still, there was a danger that he might presume on his knowledge--which would be disagreeable enough. If their Majesties were reluctant to show themselves just then to the populace, the populace on the other hand were determined to be both seen and heard. The proclamation of Clarence's betrothal had served as the breaking strain to the attenuated links that still attached them to the Throne. They had murmured against the enfranchis.e.m.e.nt of the Yellow Gnomes; their deception in the matter of the self-supplying tables had weakened their loyalty seriously for a time; the projected alliance of the Princess Edna with the surviving member of a race whose scutcheon bore the taint of Ogreism had aroused their bitter resentment. But all these grievances had been redressed, and the amiable easygoing Marchenlanders were willing to forgive and forget them. Now they were called upon to put up with a humiliation beyond all endurance. The prospect of seeing the throne occupied in days to come by a creature who was not only of dubious extraction, but probably did not possess so much as the rudiments of a soul, infuriated them to madness.

So much so that the Royal Family had scarcely finished lunch when they were startled by news that the people were once more advancing _en ma.s.se_ up the road to the Palace, and would soon be battering at the gates for admittance.

”I can't see 'em,” said King Sidney peevishly, plucking at his auburn moustache. ”What am I to say to them about this engagement? There's nothing _to_ say except that it's most----”

”If you say that again, Sidney,” said the Queen, ”I shall throw something at you! Tell them the truth.”

”I--I'd rather the Council explained it to them, my dear,” he said.

”The Council have been sitting tight with closed doors all the morning,”

said Clarence, ”like a bally lot of broody hens. I don't know, of course, but I've a notion they're discussing a Republic or something.”

”If _you_ won't speak to the people, Sidney,” declared the Queen, with the courage of despair, ”I must order the guards to close the Courtyard gates, and tell the mob that, if they promise to be quiet and behave themselves, I'll come out and talk to them myself.”

”Good egg, Mater!” cried Clarence, ”I'll come with you. It's really _my_ show!”

”You'll only make them worse! Much better keep indoors and take no notice. More dignified,” said the King. But as his wife and son paid no attention to him, he followed them out for very shame.

As they came down the front steps and advanced to within hearing distance of the crowd, which had not attempted as yet to break through the closed gates, they were received with yells and howls of execration, frantic shaking of fists and brandis.h.i.+ng of improvised weapons. The strength of the gates and the presence of the guards gave the Queen more confidence than she might otherwise have felt.

”Now, good people!” she said in rather a tremulous voice, ”it's quite impossible to speak while you're making all this noise!”

She had sent up for her crown, and perhaps this impressed them unconsciously, though she had been too nervous to put it on straight.

Gradually silence was obtained.

”I know why you've come,” she began, ”and we _quite_ understand your feelings about our son's engagement. In fact we _share_ them.” This provoked a renewal of the uproar and a vehement desire to know why, if that were so, the union had ever been contracted.

”If you'll only listen, I'll tell you,” said the Queen. ”We shouldn't have consented to it at all but for the sake of our beloved people.” At this the beloved people very nearly had the gates down. ”You don't understand,” she shouted. ”Even now, if you insist on the marriage being broken off, we are quite willing--indeed we shall be only too happy--to put a stop to it.”

Here there were shouts of ”We do! We do insist! Stop it! No marriage!”

”Very well then,” said Queen Selina with more a.s.surance, ”only I am bound to tell you what the consequences will be. The Crystal Lake will overflow till the whole of Marchenland is under water. At least that's what the Lake King threatens. _You_ know best whether he can do it or not.”

Her hearers knew too well, and the cries and murmurs took an altered tone at once, though some voices cursed the Prince whose weakness and folly had brought them to such a dilemma.

”Weakness and folly!” cried the Queen indignantly. ”How can you be so wretchedly ungrateful? When my poor, n.o.ble, unselfish boy is sacrificing himself--for you don't suppose he can have any affection for a Water-nixie?--sacrificing himself on--on the altar of his country!”

”Mater!” whispered Clarence in admiration, ”you're the limit!”

”And all the reward he gets,” the Queen went on, pressing her advantage, ”all the reward _we_ get--for providing that you can sleep safe and warm in your beds--instead of being drowned in them--is violence and rude remarks! Really, if you have any consciences left you ought to be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves!”

They undoubtedly were. For a moment or two there was a hush, and then the whole mob broke into tumultuous cheers--for the Queen, the King, and more particularly the Crown Prince. Never since their accession had the Royal Family been so popular.