With characteristic energy, the victor set to work to restore complete order, and to efface the after-effects of the general disturbance. Thanks to the wonderful tact and discernment he brought to bear upon this delicate task, affairs settled down far more quickly than had at first seemed possible. It was but a few weeks ere King Ivanta returned in triumph to his 'palace in the clouds,' again the undisputed ruler of his vast realm, his supremacy once more unchallenged throughout his dominions.
Then commenced the further task of judging and punishing his vanquished foes. This was a longer and more tedious business, involving much journeying to and fro, and the holding of numerous local inquiries and state trials.
Here again King Ivanta surprised even his own friends, and heaped coals of fire upon the heads of his enemies, by the nature of the treatment he meted out. Firm and determined in arriving at exact facts, discriminating in apportioning blame, he showed himself generous and magnanimous almost to a fault in regard to punishment. Only those who, like Agrando and Kazzaro, had been guilty of acts of deliberate cruelty or injustice were severely dealt with; all others were let off far more lightly than they had any right to expect.
'I feel, my friend,' said Ivanta to Armeath, at the very beginning of the inquiries, 'that I myself have been much to blame in ever introducing among my people the costly toys you call diamonds and other precious stones. In the future they shall be unknown here, even as they were before I first visited your planet. They have been the means of fostering greed and avarice, increasing vanity and envy, exciting evil passions, and creating discord where peace and goodwill reigned before. Every one—every stone, large or small—shall be collected. I will compel my subjects to give up those they have, and I will return them, including all that Zuanstroom brought—with Zuanstroom himself—to the world whence they came. Henceforth I will have none of them; my subjects—our globe—shall know them no more!'
This reference to the Diamond King is sufficient to indicate the extreme leniency exhibited towards even the most blameworthy of those who had rebelled against the Martian monarch. Zuanstroom was, indeed, imprisoned for the remainder of his visit; but no suggestion of any severer punishment seemed to have entered King Ivanta's thoughts. And even the imprisonment was more nominal than real; the captive's son and nephew were allowed free access to him, and they were allowed to make occasional excursions together, under the escort of his jailers.
'He's being treated a jolly sight better than he deserves, and so are many others,' observed practical-minded Jack. 'They intended to kill him, and us too, if they had succeeded in their plans. I doubt if such leniency will turn out to be altogether the wisest course for King Ivanta's own security in the future.'
'I don't agree with you, Jack. You are taking a wrong view of it. To my mind, the king is only acting just as I should have expected him to do,' cried Gerald enthusiastically. 'What did I always say of him, from the very first time I set eyes upon him? I knew—yes, knew—something seemed to tell me—how high-minded, how truly noble he was! I always declared it! But at that time it was only a feeling in my mind, a sort of instinct. Now we have before us proofs such as every one can see for himself.— What do you think, sir?' he added, addressing his guardian.
'Truly, my son, your instinct in this case led you aright,' returned Armeath, nodding his head and smiling. 'It is a goodly lesson for all of us; a grand example, one worthy to be remembered and pondered for the rest of our lives!'
It was a great time for the two chums and their guardian, that which followed. As the honoured guests of the king, and the special friends and companions of the amiable prince his son, they travelled about continually. Sometimes in the Ivenia, at others in the prince's splendid air-yacht, they made numerous journeys; and everywhere they met with cordial receptions from the rulers and nobles of the various nations, visited everything that was worth seeing, and enjoyed to the full all the varied entertainments provided for their amusement.
One day there was a great assembly of nobles and dignitaries at the 'palace in the clouds,' the special occasion being—so it had been given out—to do honour to some of those whom King Ivanta wished to reward. Foremost amongst these he placed the outlaw-chief Fumenta, and the young stranger Malto, who had now quite recovered from his wound.