"And so I am convinced," said the king. "I have no need of further proofs. Let us pass on to the future."
Benedict looked with great attention at the king's hand. He hesitated a moment and asked for a magnifying glass, to see more distinctly. It was brought.
"Sire," he said, "you are about to be drawn into a great war. One of your nearest neighbours will not only betray, but will despoil you; and notwithstanding—look, monseigneur!" he said to the prince, "the line of the Sun shows victory: but an empty victory, useless, without fruit."
"And then?" asked the king.
"Oh, sire, what do I read in this hand!"
"Good tidings, or bad?"
"You told me to keep nothing from you, sire."
"And I repeat it. Tell me then; this victory—"
"This victory, as I have told Your Majesty, leads to nothing. Here is the Line of the Sun broken off above the Line of the Head by a line starting from Mars which also cuts the Mount of Jupiter."
"And that foretells?"