An electric thrill of
chivalrous enthusiasm pulsated through the entire country; and the
unanimous vote of the people was returned to the King in entire favour
of the Crown Prince and his chosen bride. Perhaps no one was more
astonished at this than the King himself. He had been prepared for
considerable friction; he had been quite sure of opposition on the part
of 'Society,' but, Society, moved for once from its usual selfishness
by the boldness and daring of a heroic king, had ranked itself entirely
on his side, and was ready and even anxious to accept in Prince Humphry
a new kind of 'Cophetua,' even if he had chosen to wed a beggar-maid!
And it so chanced that there were many persons who had seen Gloria,--
and among these was Sergius Thord, He had not only seen her, but known
her;--he had studied her character and qualities,--and was aware that
she possessed one of the most pure and beautiful of womanly souls;--and
though taken by surprise at the discovery that the young 'sailor' she
had wedded was no other than the Crown Prince, yet, after the
experience he had personally gone through with one 'Pasquin Leroy,' he
could scarcely feel that any news, even of the most wonderful kind, was
so wonderful after all! So that, as soon as he learned the truth, he
brought all his enormous 'following' into unanimity as regarded the
Prince's romantic love-story; and ere long there was not one in the
metropolis at least, who did not consider the marriage a good thing,
and likely to weld even more closely together the harmonious
relationship between people and Throne.
Pages:
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673