Page:The Fall of Maximilan's Empire.djvu/88

 and, besides, what is the reason of your insult to my person this evening? As long as I am compelled to remain in this ship I will consider myself a prisoner.

.—(Angrily, and rising) I have acted as I thought proper. I have no more explanations to make.

.—Will you use force against me? I have no rifled cannons, and consequently you have me completely in your power.

.—Good-night, General; you have my room to rest in, and you can call for what you want. (And taking off his cap he bowed politely.)

The general passed a sleepless night, not stirring from the chair he had taken on first entering the cabin. He had indeed food for bitter reflection, over the complete frustration of all his plans, and the dashing of all his hopes of once more occupying the presidential chair. A gaudy, decorated uniform displayed through the awkwardness (?) of the cabin steward, showed how complete had been all his preparations, even in such matters of detail. His reception at the castle, and the demonstrations that his officers had succeeded in eliciting from the turbulent part of the community on shore, had seemed to augur favorably for the success of this new attempt to seize the reins of government. But, at the eleventh hour, forcible intervention by the representative of a neutral power had put an end to it all, and his bright dreams were rudely dispelled.