Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/181

167 presiding over a meeting of the Cabinet he had appointed the previous day. Some of these high functionaries were seated on the Dictator's bed, others on the table, and one on a bundle of soiled linen.

They were received more than courteously. Garcia, who was in his shirt-sleeves, and shaving, ran toward the Marquis with both hands outstretched, scattering white flakes from his shaving-brush as he came.

"Forgive me, señor," he said. "Antique simplicity! Antique simplicity!… I receive you as I would a friend … for I trust you come as a friend, as a friend of the new Government. Let me introduce you."

He began with the Minister of War, who was astride the bolster, and finished up with the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, a hideous half-breed chewing cocoa-nut leaves.

"No fuss, you see," babbled on Garcia. "Antique simplicity. Cato, and all that sort of thing…. Nothing like antiquity, sir, to make men…. The good padres taught us that, and I took the lesson to heart." He laughed. "All that show is for outside … the crowds like it You must amuse the crowd!… Did you see my review? Splendid, wasn't it?… Magnificent soldiers…. And the rain. Did you see what I did? Effective, eh?"