“Would he go and fight for the country?” enquired Gloria.
“In person? No. He would not be allowed to do that. His life would be endangered——”
“Of course!” interrupted the girl with a touch of contempt; “But if he would allow himself to be ruled by others in such a matter, I do not call him brave!”
The Professor drew out his spectacles, and fixing them on his nose with much care, regarded her through them with bland and kindly interest.
“Very simple and primitive reasoning, my princess!” he said; “And from an early historic point of view, your idea is correct. In the olden times kings went themselves to battle, and led their soldiers on to victory in person. It was very fine; much finer than our modern ways of warfare. But it has perhaps never occurred to you that a king’s life nowadays is always in danger? He can do nothing more completely courageous than to show himself in public!”
“Are kings then so hated?” she asked.
“They are not loved, it must be confessed,” returned Von Glauben, taking off his spectacles again; “But that is quite their own fault. They seldom do anything to deserve the respect,—much less the affection of their subjects. But this king—this man you have just seen—certainly deserves both.”
“Why, what has he done?” asked Gloria wonderingly. “I have heard people say he is very wicked—that he takes other men’s wives away from them—”
The Professor coughed discreetly.
“My princess, let me suggest to you that he could scarcely take other men’s wives away from them, unless those wives were perfectly willing to go!”