"Breakfast at 6--inspection of infantry at
6:30--naval maneuvres at 8--reception of our officers at
10:30--reception of foreign officers at 11:30--reception of civilians
at 12--luncheon at 12:30--photographer from 1 to 3. We have made no
appointments after 3, Your Majesty."
"Then put down the punitive expedition for 3:15," said the war lord,
twisting his mustache in front of his eyes. "I propose to have this
whole nation kow-tow before me in unison before I leave their miserable
land. Take the necessary measures at once for the ceremony. Now I am
going to call out the whole garrison and see if they are kept in
readiness. You may go, and send me an aide-de-camp. You understand
that you must find me an enemy on whom I can wreak vengeance for all
these wrongs."
"I understand, Your Majesty," said the count, bending low before him.
"I accept this Gospel of Your Majesty's most blessed Person," and he
took his leave.
The expedition did not start promptly at 3:15, for unexpected
complications arose. The other powers wanted to send out punitive
expeditions too, and they sought to have it established that the
Porsslanese laugh was directed against all the fleets as well as
against the Emperor. A judicious distribution of decorations persuaded
all the armies to drop this pretension except the Anglian, and it was
finally arranged that the Tutonian and Anglian armies should cooperate
and take the field together under the Emperor's immediate command.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226