For
Nature, as green as she looks, rests everywhere on dread foundations,
and Pan, to whose music the Nymphs dance, has a cry in him that can
drive all men distracted!'
In such distraction, and with such wild cry, the night of Pequita's
long-looked-for dance before the King swept stormily on towards day.
CHAPTER XXVIII
"FATE GIVES--THE KING!"
News of this fresh and more violent disturbance among the people
brought the soldiery out in hot haste, who galloped down to the scene
of excitement, only to find the mounted police before them, headed by
General Bernhoff, who careering to and fro, cool and composed, forbade,
'in the name of the King!' any attempt to drive the mob out of the
square. Swaying uneasily round and round, the populace yelled and
groaned, and cheered and hissed; not knowing exactly whereunto they
were so wildly moved, but evidently waiting for a fresh 'lead.' The
house of Carl Perousse, with its handsome exterior and stately marble
portico, offered itself as a tempting target to the more excitable
roughs, and a stone sent crashing through one of the windows would have
certainly been the signal for a general onslaught had not a man's
figure suddenly climbed the pedestal which supported the statue of the
late King in the centre of the square, and lifted its living visible
identity against the frowning cold stone image of the dead.
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