"I know I shall not ask in vain."
A low murmur rose from the crowd, while the King spoke. The people, on the edge of the crowd nearest to the palace, repeated what he said, to those behind them. They repeated it again. And so, in this almost miraculous way, something of what he said reached to the furthest limits of the immense crowd, and even spread beyond, through the thronged streets of the city.
There was a tense, breathless pause, when the King had finished speaking—
Then the bandmaster, down below in the palace quadrangle, had an inspiration.
He raised his baton.
A moment later the massed band of the Guards began to play "God Save the King."
For a time, the huge crowd still hesitated. Then some one began to sing. Next moment the whole crowd was singing, with a deep volume of sound, like the sound of many waters—
"Long to reign over us:
"God save the King"—
Over and over again, the band played the national melody. Over and over again, the crowd sang the familiar words, finding in them, at last, an outlet for all their pent-up passions—