And this he said to Me...or did the whole street know that my throne was vacant? I bowed my head respectfully and said:
“Permit me to be the first to greet you...Your Majesty.”
Magnus turned on me in wild wrath, gnashing his teeth, like a dog over a contested bone. And this angry atom wants to be Satan! This handful of earth, hardly enough for one whiff for the Devil, is dreaming to be crowned with my crown! I bowed my head still lower and dropped my eyes: I felt the gleaming flame of contempt and divine laughter blazing forth within them. I realized that it must not be given to my honored ward to know this laughter. I do not know how long we remained silent, but when our eyes met again they were clear, pure and innocent, like two bright rays in the shade. Magnus was the first to speak:
“And so?” he said.
“And so?” I replied.
“Will you order money for the king?”
“The money is at your disposal, my dear friend.”
Magnus looked at me thoughtfully.
“It’s not worth while,” he decided. “This miracle is old stuff. It requires too many police to compel belief. We shall perform a better miracle.”
“Oh, undoubtedly. We shall contrive a better device. In two weeks?”