The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 91: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GOLD DELUGE, | 475 A chair noisily shoved recalled him to his surroundings, and he saw that the chancellor had arisen. ‘“No, you must not answer now—tomorrow or the day after, when you wish. Go home now; speak to your wife ; we will meet again.” So saying, the chancellor bowed and left the room. Erik went his way in acomplete daze. He, the son of a mechanic, had had a crown offered to him! It was not a dream; he was actually walking the streets of Berlin, and had just left one of the great men of Europe, who had shaken hands with him in the friendliest manner, and offered him a throne. If he stretched out his hand to take the scepter, however, it meant eternal silence in regard to his discovery, which would become the property of an- other. Germany would buy cannon therewith, and conquer the whole world. And when the whole world was made tributary to Germany, how could in- significant Bulgaria continue to exist? What was to prevent Germany from taking back what it had just presented to him? Erik roused himself and straightened up. He looked about him, and saw the multitudes in carriages, on horseback and foot, streaming past him. Ah, now he saw it all clearly. ‘These masses would gape at him open mouthed if he, the citizen, were to be placed onathrone. Such athing had occurred before. But how quickly would it all be forgotten when the citizen was back in their ranks again! Who would know of him a hundred years hence? A few historians might perhaps tell the story on account of its peculiarity— how a German statesman, fora whim, madea low class citizen a king over an unimportant strip of land, and later, when the joke had gone far enough, struck the crown from his head ; that would be all. It took but little foresight to see to whom the arrangement would be most advantageous. But the chancellor was not totriumph. If history was to contain his—Erik Poulsen’s—name, after a thousand years, he preferred to be chronicled as the man who had despised the offer of a crown. Suddenly Erik felt some one tugging at his arm. His wife had started to meet him, being too nervous to wait for his return. She saw at once that something extraordinary had occurred. ‘‘ What did the chancellor wish?’’ she asked, falling into step with him. Erik tried hard to appear calm and collected. ‘“‘He offered the throne of Bulgaria to me for my discovery,’’ he replied with an assumed indifference. His wife gave one spasmodic tug at his arm, and stood still as though transfixed. She looked at him steadily. ‘“ And what did you say ?’’ she asked breathlessly. ‘“Nothing as yet; I wished to consider matters and talk them over with you. Perhaps he calculates that you, as a woman, will be vain enough to induce me to give an affirmative reply ; but don’t you think there is only one answer to make ?”’ ‘You mean—no ?”’ ‘* Certainly.’’ She looked straight before her, preoccupied, while he explained his reasons for declining the offer. ‘To refuse a crown was equal to taking one, and the kingdom of Bulgaria would certainly be a short lived joy. That could not GOMIIGHOOKSTEO