Page:The Yellow Book - 07.djvu/60

 blood, and which he doubtless owed to the fusion of the two; and an unscrupulousness, a perfidy, a cruelty, and yet a surperficialsuperficial [sic] urbanity, that are perhaps not surprising in an ambitious politician, half an Oriental, who has got to carry the double handicap of a repulsive personal appearance and a bastard birth. Now, the Government of Monterosso, as the King has sometimes been heard to stigmatise it, is deplorably constitutional. By the Constitution of 1869, practically the whole legislative power is vested in the Soviete, a parliament elected by the votes of all male subjects who have completed three years of military service. And, in the early days of the reign of Theodore IV, M. Tsargradev was leader of the Soviete, with a majority of three to one at his back.

This redoubtable personage stood foremost in the ranks of those whom our fiery little Queen Anéli "could not endure."

"His horrible soapy smile! His servile, insinuating manner! It makes you feel as if he were plotting your assassination," she declared. "His voice—ugh! It's exactly like lukewarm oil. He makes my flesh creep, like some frightful, bloated reptile."

"There was a Queen in Thule," hummed Florimond, "who had a marvellous command of invective. 'Eaving help your reputation, if you fell under her illustrious displeasure."

"I don't see why you make fun of me. I'm sure you think as I do—that he's a monster of low cunning, and cynicism, and craft, and treachery, and everything that's vile and revolting. Don't you?" the Queen demanded.

"To be sure I do. I think he's a bold, bad, dreadful person. I lie awake half the night, counting up his iniquities in my mind. And if just now I laughed, it was only to keep from crying."

"This sort of talk is all very well," put in the King; "but the fact remains that Tsargradev is the master of Monterosso. He could