General Dartnoff stood in front of his officers, and he did not hesitate. The cloud had passed from his face.
“Your Majesty,” he said. “We accept. Yet with your permission I would ask you this question. No man in Theos loves his country better than Nicholas of Reist. If he should desire to recall his words——?”
The King held out his hand.
“I would offer it to him,” he said, “as freely as I offer it now to you.”
The cloud passed in substance away. Metterbee—a senior officer—respectfully intervened.
“Your Majesty,” he said, “there is Reist’s command.”
The King looked around him.
“I am going to make one more demand upon your loyalty,” he said gravely. “General Dartnoff, it is my wish that you take over the command of the Duke of Reist’s corps. The chief command I am prepared to assume in person.”
General Dartnoff smiled.
“If your Majesty makes no more serious demands upon our loyalty than this he will be well served,” he answered. “There is no one more fit to command than you, sir. The present admirable disposition of our forces is yours, not mine; so far I have been no more than a figurehead. Your plan of entrenchments has been a revelation to all of us.”