Today's Stichomancy for Sergio Leone

pray!"

Part 3

She had some idea of putting these subtle and difficult issues to the chaplain when she was warned of his advent. But she had not reckoned with the etiquette of Canongate. She got up, as she had been told to do, at his appearance, and he amazed her by sitting down, according to custom, on her stool. He still wore his hat, to show that the days of miracles and Christ being civil to sinners are over forever. She perceived that his countenance was only composed by a great effort, his features severely compressed. He was ruffled, and his ears were red, no doubt from

merely taken in the room at a glance and had seen her standing in precisely the same place beside the table.

He saw now that she was leaning heavily against it.

He raised his head and faced her with a sudden, bold stare, and his voice rang in tones of sharp command.

"Well?"

She tried to speak and failed. She had not yet sufficiently mastered her emotions.

"What's the matter?" he growled.

"Jim----" she gasped.

republic under a king? How are you going to have a republic at all, where the head of the government is absolute, holds his place forever, and has no parliament, no council to meddle or make in his affairs, nobody voted for, nobody elected, nobody in the whole universe with a voice in the government, nobody asked to take a hand in its matters, and nobody ALLOWED to do it? Fine republic, ain't it?"

"Well, yes - it IS a little different from the idea I had - but I thought I might go around and get acquainted with the grandees, anyway - not exactly splice the main-brace with them, you know, but shake hands and pass the time of day."