Page:The world set free.djvu/173

 "Well," said the king, with his hands about his knees, "We shall be the government."

"The conference?" exclaimed Firmin.

"Who else?" asked the king simply.

"It's perfectly simple," he added to Firmin's tremendous silence.

"But," cried Firmin, "you must have sanctions! Will there be no form of election, for example?"

"Why should there be?" asked the king, with intelligent curiosity.

"The consent of the governed."

"Firmin, we are just going to lay down our differences and take over government. Without any election at all. Without any sanction. The governed will show their consent by silence. If any effective opposition arises we shall ask it to come in and help. The true sanction of kingship is the grip upon the sceptre. We aren't going to worry people to vote for us. I'm certain the mass of men does not want to be bothered with such things We'll contrive a way for any one interested to join in. That's quite enough in the way of democracy. Perhaps later—when things don't matter We shall govern all right, Firmin. Government only becomes difficult when the lawyers get hold of it, and since these troubles began the lawyers are shy. Indeed,