The Lad and the Lion by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Author:Edgar Rice Burroughs
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: www.gnivek.com, www.freemegalink.com
ISBN: 9780940724051
Publisher: FML Books
Published: 1964-12-14T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

THE PRINCESS MARIA'S FATHER WAS ONE OF THE RICHEST MONARCHS in Europe, in his own right. His kingdom was prosperous, too; but his people were not particularly warlike. They seemed to prefer hoes in their hands to bayonets in their bellies. Some people are like that, and it is always a matter of embarrassment to their rulers. Ferdinand's father, on the other hand, was poor; and his country in debt. His people were overtaxed; but they liked to goosestep and salute; and while they didn't particularly relish having bayonets poked into them, they were willing to take a chance for the sake of having an opportunity of poking their bayonets into other people. An alliance of the two houses, therefore, would give each what it lacked and wished.

In the capital of the Princess Maria's father, Ferdinand was wined and dined and banqueted and feted for a week. His entertainment was lavish and expensive. Nothing was left undone that might impress upon him the prosperity and wealth of his host and his host's country, and Ferdinand was impressed. For the first time he commenced to see the possibilities of the alliance. There were royal yachts and royal trains and royal other things that were far more royal than anything Ferdinand had ever seen before. He tried to forget that Maria was horsefaced and bucktoothed. He also tried to forget a certain promise he had made to Hilda de Groot.

The night before he was to leave for home, he found himself alone with Maria on a moon-bathed terrace. She didn't look quite so badly by moonlight, but he couldn't help thinking that she would have looked less badly had there been no moon. She was a difficult person to whom to make love-she was rather ugly, she was three years older than he, and she was all bones. However, it had to be done. Ferdinand took a deep breath and steeled himself, as one who is about to dive into very cold water. Finally he took the plunge.

"I have the honor," he said, "to ask your hand in marriage."

* * * * *

King Otto was far more contented than he had been for years. His son was to marry the daughter of his very rich neighbor. Otto was almost happy, for the world looked quite bright.

"The treaty," he said to Sarnya; "it should be signed at once."

"They will not sign it until after the marriage has taken place," replied Sarnya.

"And the loan?" asked Otto.

"That must wait, too."

"But why?" demanded the King.

"If they made the loan, it would strengthen us materially, for they know that most of it is to be spent on armament. They want Maria's influence with Ferdinand as assurance that we won't use that armament against them. Their attitude is quite correct. We should do the same under like circumstances. You must remember that in the last one hundred years we have made war on them twenty times and broken every treaty that we have signed. You can't blame them.

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