The Lady of the Shroud: Book VIII

Book VIII

THE FLASHING OF THE HANDJAR

PRIVATE MEMORANDUM OF THE MEETING OF VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL
COUNCIL, HELD AT THE STATE HOUSE OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AT PLAZAC ON
MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1907.
(Written by Cristoferos, Scribe of the Council, by instruction of
those present.)

When the private meeting of various Members of the National Council
had assembled in the Council Hall of the State House at Plazac, it
was as a preliminary decided unanimously that now or hereafter no
names of those present were to be mentioned, and that officials
appointed for the purposes of this meeting should be designated by
office only, the names of all being withheld.

The proceedings assumed the shape of a general conversation, quite
informal, and therefore not to be recorded. The nett outcome was the
unanimous expression of an opinion that the time, long contemplated
by very many persons throughout the nation, had now come when the
Constitution and machinery of the State should be changed; that the
present form of ruling by an Irregular Council was not sufficient,
and that a method more in accord with the spirit of the times should
be adopted. To this end Constitutional Monarchy, such as that
holding in Great Britain, seemed best adapted. Finally, it was
decided that each Member of the Council should make a personal
canvass of his district, talk over the matter with his electors, and
bring back to another meeting--or, rather, as it was amended, to this
meeting postponed for a week, until September 2nd--the opinions and
wishes received. Before separating, the individual to be appointed
King, in case the new idea should prove grateful to the nation, was
discussed. The consensus of opinion was entirely to the effect that
the Voivode Peter Vissarion should, if he would accept the high
office, be appointed. It was urged that, as his daughter, the
Voivodin Teuta, was now married to the Englishman, Rupert Sent Leger-
-called generally by the mountaineers "the Gospodar Rupert"--a
successor to follow the Voivode when God should call him would be at
hand--a successor worthy in every way to succeed to so illustrious a
post. It was urged by several speakers, with general acquiescence,
that already Mr. Sent Leger's services to the State were such that he
would be in himself a worthy person to begin the new Dynasty; but
that, as he was now allied to the Voivode Peter Vissarion, it was
becoming that the elder, born of the nation, should receive the first
honour.

THE SAME--Continued.

The adjourned meeting of certain members of the National Council was
resumed in the Hall of the State House at Plazac on Monday, September
2nd, 1907. By motion the same chairman was appointed, and the rule
regarding the record renewed.

Reports were made by the various members of the Council in turn,
according to the State Roll. Every district was represented. The
reports were unanimously in favour of the New Constitution, and it
was reported by each and all of the Councillors that the utmost
enthusiasm marked in every case the suggestion of the Voivode Peter
Vissarion as the first King to be crowned under the new Constitution,
and that remainder should be settled on the Gospodar Rupert (the
mountaineers would only receive his lawful name as an alternative;
one and all said that he would be "Rupert" to them and to the nation-
-for ever).

The above matter having been satisfactorily settled, it was decided
that a formal meeting of the National Council should be held at the
State House, Plazac, in one week from to-day, and that the Voivode
Peter Vissarion should be asked to be in the State House in readiness
to attend. It was also decided that instruction should be given to
the High Court of National Law to prepare and have ready, in skeleton
form, a rescript of the New Constitution to be adopted, the same to
be founded on the Constitution and Procedure of Great Britain, so far
as the same may be applicable to the traditional ideas of free
Government in the Land of the Blue Mountains.

By unanimous vote this private and irregular meeting of "Various
National Councillors" was then dissolved.

RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE LAND OF
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, HELD AT PLAZAC ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 1907, TO
CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF A NEW CONSTITUTION, AND TO GIVE PERMANENT
EFFECT TO THE SAME IF, AND WHEN, DECIDED UPON.
(Kept by the Monk Cristoferos, Scribe to the National Council.)

The adjourned meeting duly took place as arranged. There was a full
attendance of Members of the Council, together with the Vladika, the
Archbishop, the Archimandrites of Spazac, of Ispazar, of Domitan, and
Astrag; the Chancellor; the Lord of the Exchequer; the President of
the High Court of National Law; the President of the Council of
Justice; and such other high officials as it is customary to summon
to meetings of the National Council on occasions of great importance.
The names of all present will be found in the full report, wherein
are given the ipsissima verba of the various utterances made during
the consideration of the questions discussed, the same having been
taken down in shorthand by the humble scribe of this precis, which
has been made for the convenience of Members of the Council and
others.

The Voivode Peter Vissarion, obedient to the request of the Council,
was in attendance at the State House, waiting in the "Chamber of the
High Officers" until such time as he should be asked to come before
the Council.

The President put before the National Council the matter of the new
Constitution, outlining the headings of it as drawn up by the High
Court of National Law, and the Constitution having been formally
accepted nem. con. by the National Council on behalf of the people,
he proposed that the Crown should be offered to the Voivode Peter
Vissarion, with remainder to the "Gospodar Rupert" (legally, Rupert
Sent Leger), husband of his only child, the Voivodin Teuta. This
also was received with enthusiasm, and passed nem. con.

Thereupon the President of Council, the Archbishop, and the Vladika,
acting together as a deputation, went to pray the attention of the
Voivode Peter Vassarion.

When the Voivode entered, the whole Council and officials stood up,
and for a few seconds waited in respectful silence with heads bowed
down. Then, as if by a common impulse--for no word was spoken nor
any signal given--they all drew their handjars, and stood to
attention--with points raised and edges of the handjars to the front.

The Voivode stood very still. He seemed much moved, but controlled
himself admirably. The only time when be seemed to lose his self-
control was when, once again with a strange simultaneity, all present
raised their handjars on high, and shouted: "Hail, Peter, King!"
Then lowering their points till these almost touched the ground, they
once again stood with bowed heads.

When he had quite mastered himself, the Voivode Peter Vissarion
spoke:

"How can I, my brothers, sufficiently thank you, and, through you,
the people of the Blue Mountains, for the honour done to me this day?
In very truth it is not possible, and therefore I pray you to
consider it as done, measuring my gratitude in the greatness of your
own hearts. Such honour as you offer to me is not contemplated by
any man in whose mind a wholesome sanity rules, nor is it even the
dream of fervent imagination. So great is it, that I pray you, men
with hearts and minds like my own, to extend to me, as a further
measure of your generosity, a little time to think it over. I shall
not want long, for even already, with the blaze of honour fresh upon
me, I see the cool shadow of Duty, though his substance is yet hardly
visible. Give me but an hour of solitude--an hour at most--if it do
not prolong this your session unduly. It may be that a lesser time
will serve, but in any case I promise you that, when I can see a just
and fitting issue to my thought, I shall at once return."

The President of the Council looked around him, and, seeing
everywhere the bowing heads of acquiescence, spoke with a reverent
gravity:

"We shall wait in patience whatsoever time you will, and may the God
who rules all worthy hearts guide you to His Will!"

And so in silence the Voivode passed out of the hall.

From my seat near a window I could watch him go, as with measured
steps he passed up the hill which rises behind the State House, and
disappeared into the shadow of the forest. Then my work claimed me,
for I wished to record the proceedings so far whilst all was fresh in
my mind. In silence, as of the dead, the Council waited, no man
challenging opinion of his neighbour even by a glance.

Almost a full hour had elapsed when the Voivode came again to the
Council, moving with slow and stately gravity, as has always been his
wont since age began to hamper the movement which in youth had been
so notable. The Members of the Council all stood up uncovered, and
so remained while he made announcement of his conclusion. He spoke
slowly; and as his answer was to be a valued record of this Land and
its Race, I wrote down every word as uttered, leaving here and there
space for description or comment, which spaces I have since then
filled in.

"Lords of the National Council, Archbishop, Vladika, Lords of the
Council of Justice and of National Law, Archimandrites, and my
brothers all, I have, since I left you, held in the solitude of the
forest counsel with myself--and with God; and He, in His gracious
wisdom, has led my thinking to that conclusion which was from the
first moment of knowledge of your intent presaged in my heart.
Brothers, you know--or else a long life has been spent in vain--that
my heart and mind are all for the nation--my experience, my life, my
handjar. And when all is for her, why should I shrink to exercise on
her behalf my riper judgment though the same should have to combat my
own ambition? For ten centuries my race has not failed in its duty.
Ages ago the men of that time trusted in the hands of my ancestors
the Kingship, even as now you, their children, trust me. But to me
it would be base to betray that trust, even by the smallest tittle.
That would I do were I to take the honour of the crown which you have
tendered to me, so long as there is another more worthy to wear it.
Were there none other, I should place myself in your hands, and yield
myself over to blind obedience of your desires. But such an one
there is; dear to you already by his own deeds, now doubly dear to
me, since he is my son by my daughter's love. He is young, whereas I
am old. He is strong and brave and true; but my days of the
usefulness of strength and bravery are over. For myself, I have long
contemplated as the crown of my later years a quiet life in one of
our monasteries, where I can still watch the whirl of the world
around us on your behalf, and be a counsellor of younger men of more
active minds. Brothers, we are entering on stirring times. I can
see the signs of their coming all around us. North and South--the
Old Order and the New, are about to clash, and we lie between the
opposing forces. True it is that the Turk, after warring for a
thousand years, is fading into insignificance. But from the North
where conquests spring, have crept towards our Balkans the men of a
mightier composite Power. Their march has been steady; and as they
came, they fortified every step of the way. Now they are hard upon
us, and are already beginning to swallow up the regions that we have
helped to win from the dominion of Mahound. The Austrian is at our
very gates. Beaten back by the Irredentists of Italy, she has so
enmeshed herself with the Great Powers of Europe that she seems for
the moment to be impregnable to a foe of our stature. There is but
one hope for us--the uniting of the Balkan forces to turn a masterly
front to North and West as well as to South and East. Is that a task
for old hands to undertake? No; the hands must be young and supple;
and the brain subtle, as well as the heart be strong, of whomsoever
would dare such an accomplishment. Should I accept the crown, it
would only postpone the doing of that which must ultimately be done.
What avail would it be if, when the darkness closes over me, my
daughter should be Queen Consort to the first King of a new dynasty?
You know this man, and from your record I learn that you are already
willing to have him as King to follow me. Why not begin with him?
He comes of a great nation, wherein the principle of freedom is a
vital principle that quickens all things. That nation has more than
once shown to us its friendliness; and doubtless the very fact that
an Englishman would become our King, and could carry into our
Government the spirit and customs which have made his own country
great, would do much to restore the old friendship, and even to
create a new one, which would in times of trouble bring British
fleets to our waters, and British bayonets to support our own
handjars. It is within my own knowledge, though as yet unannounced
to you, that Rupert Sent Leger has already obtained a patent, signed
by the King of England himself, allowing him to be denaturalized in
England, so that he can at once apply for naturalization here. I
know also that he has brought hither a vast fortune, by aid of which
he is beginning to strengthen our hands for war, in case that sad
eventuality should arise. Witness his late ordering to be built nine
other warships of the class that has already done such effective
service in overthrowing the Turk--or the pirate, whichever he may
have been. He has undertaken the defence of the Blue Mouth at his
own cost in a way which will make it stronger than Gibraltar, and
secure us against whatever use to which the Austrian may apply the
vast forces already gathered in the Bocche di Cattaro. He is already
founding aerial stations on our highest peaks for use of the war
aeroplanes which are being built for him. It is such a man as this
who makes a nation great; and right sure I am that in his hands this
splendid land and our noble, freedom-loving people will flourish and
become a power in the world. Then, brothers, let me, as one to whom
this nation and its history and its future are dear, ask you to give
to the husband of my daughter the honour which you would confer on
me. For her I can speak as well as for myself. She shall suffer
nothing in dignity either. Were I indeed King, she, as my daughter,
would be a Princess of the world. As it will be, she shall be
companion and Queen of a great King, and her race, which is mine,
shall flourish in all the lustre of the new Dynasty.

"Therefore on all accounts, my brothers, for the sake of our dear
Land of the Blue Mountains, make the Gospodar Rupert, who has so
proved himself, your King. And make me happy in my retirement to the
cloister."

When the Voivode ceased to speak, all still remained silent and
standing. But there was no mistaking their acquiescence in his most
generous prayer. The President of the Council well interpreted the
general wish when he said:

"Lords of the National Council, Archbishop, Vladika, Lords of the
Councils of Justice and National Law, Archimandrites, and all who are
present, is it agreed that we prepare at leisure a fitting reply to
the Voivode Peter of the historic House of Vissarion, stating our
agreement with his wish?"

To which there was a unanimous answer:

"It is." He went on:

"Further. Shall we ask the Gospodar Rupert of the House of Sent
Leger, allied through his marriage to the Voivodin Teuta, daughter
and only child of the Voivode Peter of Vissarion, to come hither to-
morrow? And that, when he is amongst us, we confer on him the Crown
and Kingship of the Land of the Blue Mountains?"

Again came the answer: "It is."

But this time it rang out like the sound of a gigantic trumpet, and
the handjars flashed.

Whereupon the session was adjourned for the space of a day.

THE SAME--Continued.
September 10, 1907.

When the National Council met to-day the Voivode Peter Vissarion sat
with them, but well back, so that at first his presence was hardly
noticeable. After the necessary preliminaries had been gone through,
they requested the presence of the Gospodar Rupert--Mr. Rupert Sent
Leger--who was reported as waiting in the "Chamber of the High
Officers." He at once accompanied back to the Hall the deputation
sent to conduct him. As he made his appearance in the doorway the
Councillors stood up. There was a burst of enthusiasm, and the
handjars flashed. For an instant he stood silent, with lifted hand,
as though indicating that he wished to speak. So soon as this was
recognized, silence fell on the assembly, and he spoke:

"I pray you, may the Voivodin Teuta of Vissarion, who has accompanied
me hither, appear with me to hear your wishes?" There was an
immediate and enthusiastic acquiescence, and, after bowing his
thanks, he retired to conduct her.

Her appearance was received with an ovation similar to that given to
Gospodar Rupert, to which she bowed with dignified sweetness. She,
with her husband, was conducted to the top of the Hall by the
President, who came down to escort them. In the meantime another
chair had been placed beside that prepared for the Gospodar, and
these two sat.

The President then made the formal statement conveying to the
"Gospodar Rupert" the wishes of the Council, on behalf of the nation,
to offer to him the Crown and Kingship of the Land of the Blue
Mountains. The message was couched in almost the same words as had
been used the previous day in making the offer to the Voivode Peter
Vissarion, only differing to meet the special circumstances. The
Gospodar Rupert listened in grave silence. The whole thing was
manifestly quite new to him, but he preserved a self-control
wonderful under the circumstances. When, having been made aware of
the previous offer to the Voivode and the declared wish of the
latter, he rose to speak, there was stillness in the Hall. He
commenced with a few broken words of thanks; then he grew suddenly
and strangely calm as he went on:

"But before I can even attempt to make a fitting reply, I should know
if it is contemplated to join with me in this great honour my dear
wife the Voivodin Teuta of Vissarion, who has so splendidly proved
her worthiness to hold any place in the government of the Land. I
fain would . . . "

He was interrupted by the Voivodin, who, standing up beside him and
holding his left arm, said:

"Do not, President, and Lords all, think me wanting in that respect
of a wife for husband which in the Blue Mountains we hold so dear, if
I venture to interrupt my lord. I am here, not merely as a wife, but
as Voivodin of Vissarion, and by the memory of all the noble women of
that noble line I feel constrained to a great duty. We women of
Vissarion, in all the history of centuries, have never put ourselves
forward in rivalry of our lords. Well I know that my own dear lord
will forgive me as wife if I err; but I speak to you, the Council of
the nation, from another ground and with another tongue. My lord
does not, I fear, know as you do, and as I do too, that of old, in
the history of this Land, when Kingship was existent, that it was
ruled by that law of masculine supremacy which, centuries after,
became known as the Lex Salica. Lords of the Council of the Blue
Mountains, I am a wife of the Blue Mountains--as a wife young as yet,
but with the blood of forty generations of loyal women in my veins.
And it would ill become me, whom my husband honours--wife to the man
whom you would honour--to take a part in changing the ancient custom
which has been held in honour for all the thousand years, which is
the glory of Blue Mountain womanhood. What an example such would be
in an age when self-seeking women of other nations seek to forget
their womanhood in the struggle to vie in equality with men! Men of
the Blue Mountains, I speak for our women when I say that we hold of
greatest price the glory of our men. To be their companions is our
happiness; to be their wives is the completion of our lives; to be
mothers of their children is our share of the glory that is theirs.

"Therefore, I pray you, men of the Blue Mountains, let me but be as
any other wife in our land, equal to them in domestic happiness,
which is our woman's sphere; and if that priceless honour may be
vouchsafed to me, and I be worthy and able to bear it, an exemplar of
woman's rectitude." With a low, modest, graceful bow, she sat down.

There was no doubt as to the reception of her renunciation of Queenly
dignity. There was more honour to her in the quick, fierce shout
which arose, and the unanimous upward swing of the handjars, than in
the wearing of any crown which could adorn the head of woman.

The spontaneous action of the Gospodar Rupert was another source of
joy to all--a fitting corollary to what had gone before. He rose to
his feet, and, taking his wife in his arms, kissed her before all.
Then they sat down, with their chairs close, bashfully holding hands
like a pair of lovers.

Then Rupert arose--he is Rupert now; no lesser name is on the lips of
his people henceforth. With an intense earnestness which seemed to
glow in his face, he said simply:

"What can I say except that I am in all ways, now and for ever,
obedient to your wishes?" Then, raising his handjar and holding it
before him, he kissed the hilt, saying:

"Hereby I swear to be honest and just--to be, God helping me, such a
King as you would wish--in so far as the strength is given me.
Amen."

This ended the business of the Session, and the Council showed
unmeasured delight. Again and again the handjars flashed, as the
cheers rose "three times three" in British fashion.

When Rupert--I am told I must not write him down as "King Rupert"
until after the formal crowning, which is ordained for Wednesday,
October 16th,--and Teuta had withdrawn, the Voivode Peter Vissarion,
the President and Council conferred in committee with the Presidents
of the High Courts of National Law and of Justice as to the
formalities to be observed in the crowning of the King, and of the
formal notification to he given to foreign Powers. These proceedings
kept them far into the night.

FROM "The London Messenger."
CORONATION FESTIVITIES OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.
(From our Special Correspondent.)
PLAZAC,
October 14, 1907.

As I sat down to a poorly-equipped luncheon-table on board the
Austro-Orient liner Franz Joseph, I mourned in my heart (and I may
say incidentally in other portions of my internal economy) the
comfort and gastronomic luxury of the King and Emperor Hotel at
Trieste. A brief comparison between the menus of to-day's lunch and
yesterday's will afford to the reader a striking object-lesson:

Trieste. Steamer.
Eggs a la cocotte. Scrambled eggs on toast.
Stewed chicken, with paprika. Cold chicken.
Devilled slices of Westphalian ham Cold ham.
(boiled in wine). Bismarck herrings.
Tunny fish, pickled. Stewed apples.
Rice, burst in cream. Swiss cheese.
Guava jelly.

Consequence: Yesterday I was well and happy, and looked forward to a
good night's sleep, which came off. To-day I am dull and heavy, also
restless, and I am convinced that at sleeping-time my liver will have
it all its own way.

The journey to Ragusa, and thence to Plazac, is writ large with a
pigment of misery on at least one human heart. Let a silence fall
upon it! In such wise only can Justice and Mercy join hands.

Plazac is a miserable place. There is not a decent hotel in it. It
was perhaps on this account that the new King, Rupert, had erected
for the alleged convenience of his guests of the Press a series of
large temporary hotels, such as were in evidence at the St. Louis
Exposition. Here each guest was given a room to himself, somewhat
after the nature of the cribs in a Rowton house. From my first night
in it I am able to speak from experience of the sufferings of a
prisoner of the third class. I am, however, bound to say that the
dining and reception rooms were, though uncomfortably plain, adequate
for temporary use. Happily we shall not have to endure many more
meals here, as to-morrow we all dine with the King in the State
House; and as the cuisine is under the control of that cordon bleu,
Gaston de Faux Pas, who so long controlled the gastronomic (we might
almost say Gastonomic) destinies of the Rois des Diamants in the
Place Vendome, we may, I think, look forward to not going to bed
hungry. Indeed, the anticipations formed from a survey of our meagre
sleeping accommodation were not realized at dinnertime to-night. To
our intense astonishment, an excellent dinner was served, though, to
be sure, the cold dishes predominated (a thing I always find bad for
one's liver). Just as we were finishing, the King (nominated) came
amongst us in quite an informal way, and, having bidden us a hearty
welcome, asked that we should drink a glass of wine together. This
we did in an excellent (if rather sweet) glass of Cliquot '93. King
Rupert (nominated) then asked us to resume our seats. He walked
between the tables, now and again recognizing some journalistic
friend whom he had met early in life in his days of adventure. The
men spoken to seemed vastly pleased--with themselves probably.
Pretty bad form of them, I call it! For myself, I was glad I had not
previously met him in the same casual way, as it saved me from what I
should have felt a humiliation--the being patronized in that public
way by a prospective King who had not (in a Court sense) been born.
The writer, who is by profession a barrister-at-law, is satisfied at
being himself a county gentleman and heir to an historic estate in
the ancient county of Salop, which can boast a larger population than
the Land of the Blue Mountains.

EDITORIAL NOTE.--We must ask our readers to pardon the report in
yesterday's paper sent from Plazac. The writer was not on our
regular staff, but asked to be allowed to write the report, as he was
a kinsman of King Rupert of the Blue Mountains, and would therefore
be in a position to obtain special information and facilities of
description "from inside," as he puts it. On reading the paper, we
cabled his recall; we cabled also, in case he did not obey, to have
his ejectment effected forthwith.

We have also cabled Mr. Mordred Booth, the well-known correspondent,
who was, to our knowledge, in Plazac for his own purposes, to send us
full (and proper) details. We take it our readers will prefer a
graphic account of the ceremony to a farrago of cheap menus, comments
on his own liver, and a belittling of an Englishman of such noble
character and achievements that a rising nation has chosen him for
their King, and one whom our own nation loves to honour. We shall
not, of course, mention our abortive correspondent's name, unless
compelled thereto by any future utterance of his.

FROM "The London Messenger."
THE CORONATION OF KING RUPERT OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.
(By our Special Correspondent, Mordred Booth.)
PLAZAC,
October 17, 1907.

Plazac does not boast of a cathedral or any church of sufficient
dimensions for a coronation ceremony on an adequate scale. It was
therefore decided by the National Council, with the consent of the
King, that it should be held at the old church of St. Sava at
Vissarion--the former home of the Queen. Accordingly, arrangements
had been made to bring thither on the warships on the morning of the
coronation the whole of the nation's guests. In St. Sava's the
religious ceremony would take place, after which there would be a
banquet in the Castle of Vissarion. The guests would then return on
the warships to Plazac, where would be held what is called here the
"National Coronation."

In the Land of the Blue Mountains it was customary in the old days,
when there were Kings, to have two ceremonies--one carried out by the
official head of the national Church, the Greek Church; the other by
the people in a ritual adopted by themselves, on much the same basis
as the Germanic Folk-Moot. The Blue Mountains is a nation of
strangely loyal tendencies. What was a thousand years ago is to be
to-day--so far, of course, as is possible under the altered condition
of things.

The church of St. Sava is very old and very beautiful, built in the
manner of old Greek churches, full of monuments of bygone worthies of
the Blue Mountains. But, of course, neither it nor the ceremony held
in it to-day can compare in splendour with certain other ceremonials-
-for instance, the coronation of the penultimate Czar in Moscow, of
Alfonso XII. in Madrid, of Carlos I. in Lisbon.

The church was arranged much after the fashion of Westminster Abbey
for the coronation of King Edward VII., though, of course, not so
many persons present, nor so much individual splendour. Indeed, the
number of those present, outside those officially concerned and the
Press of the world, was very few.

The most striking figure present--next to King Rupert, who is seven
feet high and a magnificent man--was the Queen Consort, Teuta. She
sat in front of a small gallery erected for the purpose just opposite
the throne. She is a strikingly beautiful woman, tall and finely-
formed, with jet-black hair and eyes like black diamonds, but with
the unique quality that there are stars in them which seem to take
varied colour according to each strong emotion. But it was not even
her beauty or the stars in her eyes which drew the first glance of
all. These details showed on scrutiny, but from afar off the
attractive point was her dress. Surely never before did woman, be
she Queen or peasant, wear such a costume on a festive occasion.

She was dressed in a white Shroud, and in that only. I had heard
something of the story which goes behind that strange costume, and
shall later on send it to you. {2}

When the procession entered the church through the great western
door, the national song of the Blue Mountains, "Guide our feet
through darkness, O Jehovah," was sung by an unseen choir, in which
the organ, supplemented by martial instruments, joined. The
Archbishop was robed in readiness before the altar, and close around
him stood the Archimandrites of the four great monasteries. The
Vladika stood in front of the Members of the National Council. A
little to one side of this body was a group of high officials,
Presidents of the Councils of National Law and Justice, the
Chancellor, etc.--all in splendid robes of great antiquity--the High
Marshall of the Forces and the Lord high Admiral.

When all was ready for the ceremonial act of coronation, the
Archbishop raised his hand, whereupon the music ceased. Turning
around, so that he faced the Queen, who thereon stood up, the King
drew his handjar and saluted her in Blue Mountain fashion--the point
raised as high possible, and then dropped down till it almost touches
the ground. Every man in the church, ecclesiastics and all, wear the
handjar, and, following the King by the interval of a second, their
weapons flashed out. There was something symbolic, as well as
touching, in this truly royal salute, led by the King. His handjar
is a mighty blade, and held high in the hands of a man of his
stature, it overtowered everything in the church. It was an
inspiriting sight. No one who saw will ever forget that noble
flashing of blades in the thousand-year-old salute . . .

The coronation was short, simple, and impressive. Rupert knelt
whilst the Archbishop, after a short, fervent prayer, placed on his
head the bronze crown of the first King of the Blue Mountains, Peter.
This was handed to him by the Vladika, to whom it was brought from
the National Treasury by a procession of the high officers. A
blessing of the new King and his Queen Teuta concluded the ceremony.
Rupert's first act on rising from his knees was to draw his handjar
and salute his people.

After the ceremony in St. Sava, the procession was reformed, and took
its way to the Castle of Vissarion, which is some distance off across
a picturesque creek, bounded on either side by noble cliffs of vast
height. The King led the way, the Queen walking with him and holding
his hand . . . The Castle of Vissarion is of great antiquity, and
picturesque beyond belief. I am sending later on, as a special
article, a description of it . . .

The "Coronation Feast," as it was called on the menu, was held in the
Great Hall, which is of noble proportions. I enclose copy of the
menu, as our readers may wish to know something of the details of
such a feast in this part of the world.

One feature of the banquet was specially noticeable. As the National
Officials were guests of the King and Queen, they were waited on and
served by the King and Queen in person. The rest of the guests,
including us of the Press, were served by the King's household, not
the servants--none of that cult were visible--but by the ladies and
gentlemen of the Court.

There was only one toast, and that was given by the King, all
standing: "The Land of the Blue Mountains, and may we all do our
duty to the Land we love!" Before drinking, his mighty handjar
flashed out again, and in an instant every table at which the Blue
Mountaineers sat was ringed with flashing steel. I may add
parenthetically that the handjar is essentially the national weapon.
I do not know if the Blue Mountaineers take it to bed with them, but
they certainly wear it everywhere else. Its drawing seems to
emphasize everything in national life . . .

We embarked again on the warships--one a huge, steel-plated
Dreadnought, up to date in every particular, the other an armoured
yacht most complete in every way, and of unique speed. The King and
Queen, the Lords of the Council, together with the various high
ecclesiastics and great officials, went on the yacht, which the Lord
High Admiral, a man of remarkably masterful physiognomy, himself
steered. The rest of those present at the Coronation came on the
warship. The latter went fast, but the yacht showed her heels all
the way. However, the King's party waited in the dock in the Blue
Mouth. From this a new cable-line took us all to the State House at
Plazac. Here the procession was reformed, and wound its way to a
bare hill in the immediate vicinity. The King and Queen--the King
still wearing the ancient bronze crown with which the Archbishop had
invested him at St. Sava's--the Archbishop, the Vladika, and the four
Archimandrites stood together at the top of the hill, the King and
Queen being, of course, in the front. A courteous young gentleman,
to whom I had been accredited at the beginning of the day--all guests
were so attended--explained to me that, as this was the national as
opposed to the religious ceremony, the Vladika, who is the official
representative of the laity, took command here. The ecclesiastics
were put prominently forward, simply out of courtesy, in obedience to
the wish of the people, by whom they were all greatly beloved.

Then commenced another unique ceremony, which, indeed, might well
find a place in our Western countries. As far as ever we could see
were masses of men roughly grouped, not in any uniform, but all in
national costume, and armed only with the handjar. In the front of
each of these groups or bodies stood the National Councillor for that
district, distinguishable by his official robe and chain. There were
in all seventeen of these bodies. These were unequal in numbers,
some of them predominating enormously over others, as, indeed, might
be expected in so mountainous a country. In all there were present,
I was told, over a hundred thousand men. So far as I can judge from
long experience of looking at great bodies of men, the estimate was a
just one. I was a little surprised to see so many, for the
population of the Blue Mountains is never accredited in books of
geography as a large one. When I made inquiry as to how the frontier
guard was being for the time maintained, I was told:

"By the women mainly. But, all the same, we have also a male guard
which covers the whole frontier except that to seaward. Each man has
with him six women, so that the whole line is unbroken. Moreover,
sir, you must bear in mind that in the Blue Mountains our women are
trained to arms as well as our men--ay, and they could give a good
account of themselves, too, against any foe that should assail us.
Our history shows what women can do in defence. I tell you, the
Turkish population would be bigger to-day but for the women who on
our frontier fought of old for defence of their homes!"

"No wonder this nation has kept her freedom for a thousand years!" I
said.

At a signal given by the President of the National Council one of the
Divisions moved forwards. It was not an ordinary movement, but an
intense rush made with all the elan and vigour of hardy and highly-
trained men. They came on, not merely at the double, but as if
delivering an attack. Handjar in hand, they rushed forward. I can
only compare their rush to an artillery charge or to an attack of
massed cavalry battalions. It was my fortune to see the former at
Magenta and the latter at Sadowa, so that I know what such
illustration means. I may also say that I saw the relief column
which Roberts organized rush through a town on its way to relieve
Mafeking; and no one who had the delight of seeing that inspiring
progress of a flying army on their way to relieve their comrades
needs to be told what a rush of armed men can be. With speed which
was simply desperate they ran up the hill, and, circling to the left,
made a ring round the topmost plateau, where stood the King. When
the ring was complete, the stream went on lapping round and round
till the whole tally was exhausted. In the meantime another Division
had followed, its leader joining close behind the end of the first.
Then came another and another. An unbroken line circled and circled
round the hill in seeming endless array, till the whole slopes were
massed with moving men, dark in colour, and with countless glittering
points everywhere. When the whole of the Divisions had thus
surrounded the King, there was a moment's hush--a silence so still
that it almost seemed as if Nature stood still also. We who looked
on were almost afraid to breathe.

Then suddenly, without, so far as I could see, any fugleman or word
of command, the handjars of all that mighty array of men flashed
upward as one, and like thunder pealed the National cry:

"The Blue Mountains and Duty!"

After the cry there was a strange subsidence which made the onlooker
rub his eyes. It seemed as though the whole mass of fighting men had
partially sunk into the ground. Then the splendid truth burst upon
us--the whole nation was kneeling at the feet of their chosen King,
who stood upright.

Another moment of silence, as King Rupert, taking off his crown, held
it up in his left hand, and, holding his great handjar high in his
right, cried in a voice so strong that it came ringing over that
serried mass like a trumpet:

"To Freedom of our Nation, and to Freedom within it, I dedicate these
and myself. I swear!"

So saying, he, too, sank on his knees, whilst we all instinctively
uncovered.

The silence which followed lasted several seconds; then, without a
sign, as though one and all acted instinctively, the whole body stood
up. Thereupon was executed a movement which, with all my experience
of soldiers and war, I never saw equalled--not with the Russian Royal
Guard saluting the Czar at his Coronation, not with an impi of
Cetewayo's Zulus whirling through the opening of a kraal.

For a second or two the whole mass seemed to writhe or shudder, and
then, lo! the whole District Divisions were massed again in
completeness, its Councillors next the King, and the Divisions
radiating outwards down the hill like wedges.

This completed the ceremony, and everything broke up into units.
Later, I was told by my official friend that the King's last
movement--the oath as he sank to his knees--was an innovation of his
own. All I can say is, if, in the future, and for all time, it is
not taken for a precedent, and made an important part of the
Patriotic Coronation ceremony, the Blue Mountaineers will prove
themselves to be a much more stupid people than they seem at present
to be.

The conclusion of the Coronation festivities was a time of unalloyed
joy. It was the banquet given to the King and Queen by the nation;
the guests of the nation were included in the royal party. It was a
unique ceremony. Fancy a picnic-party of a hundred thousand persons,
nearly all men. There must have been made beforehand vast and
elaborate preparations, ramifying through the whole nation. Each
section had brought provisions sufficient for their own consumption
in addition to several special dishes for the guest-tables; but the
contribution of each section was not consumed by its own members.

It was evidently a part of the scheme that all should derive from a
common stock, so that the feeling of brotherhood and common property
should be preserved in this monumental fashion.

The guest-tables were the only tables to be seen. The bulk of the
feasters sat on the ground. The tables were brought forward by the
men themselves--no such thing as domestic service was known on this
day--from a wood close at hand, where they and the chairs had been
placed in readiness. The linen and crockery used had been sent for
the purpose from the households of every town and village. The
flowers were plucked in the mountains early that morning by the
children, and the gold and silver plate used for adornment were
supplied from the churches. Each dish at the guest-tables was served
by the men of each section in turn.

Over the whole array seemed to be spread an atmosphere of joyousness,
of peace, of brotherhood. It would be impossible to adequately
describe that amazing scene, a whole nation of splendid men
surrounding their new King and Queen, loving to honour and serve
them. Scattered about through that vast crowd were groups of
musicians, chosen from amongst themselves. The space covered by this
titanic picnic was so vast that there were few spots from which you
could hear music proceeding from different quarters.

After dinner we all sat and smoked; the music became rather vocal
than instrumental--indeed, presently we did not hear the sound of any
instrument at all. Only knowing a few words of Balkan, I could not
follow the meanings of the songs, but I gathered that they were all
legendary or historical. To those who could understand, as I was
informed by my tutelary young friend, who stayed beside me the whole
of this memorable day, we were listening to the history of the Land
of the Blue Mountains in ballad form. Somewhere or other throughout
that vast concourse each notable record of ten centuries was being
told to eager ears.

It was now late in the day. Slowly the sun had been dropping down
over the Calabrian Mountains, and the glamorous twilight was stealing
over the immediate scene. No one seemed to notice the coming of the
dark, which stole down on us with an unspeakable mystery. For long
we sat still, the clatter of many tongues becoming stilled into the
witchery of the scene. Lower the sun sank, till only the ruddiness
of the afterglow lit the expanse with rosy light; then this failed in
turn, and the night shut down quickly.

At last, when we could just discern the faces close to us, a
simultaneous movement began. Lights began to flash out in places all
over the hillside. At first these seemed as tiny as glow-worms seen
in a summer wood, but by degrees they grew till the space was set
with little circles of light. These in turn grew and grew in both
number and strength. Flames began to leap out from piles of wood,
torches were lighted and held high. Then the music began again,
softly at first, but then louder as the musicians began to gather to
the centre, where sat the King and Queen. The music was wild and
semi-barbaric, but full of sweet melody. It somehow seemed to bring
before us a distant past; one and all, according to the strength of
our imagination and the volume of our knowledge, saw episodes and
phases of bygone history come before us. There was a wonderful
rhythmic, almost choric, force in the time kept, which made it almost
impossible to sit still. It was an invitation to the dance such as I
had never before heard in any nation or at any time. Then the lights
began to gather round. Once more the mountaineers took something of
the same formation as at the crowning. Where the royal party sat was
a level mead, with crisp, short grass, and round it what one might
well call the Ring of the Nation was formed.

The music grew louder. Each mountaineer who had not a lit torch
already lighted one, and the whole rising hillside was a glory of
light. The Queen rose, and the King an instant after. As they rose
men stepped forward and carried away their chairs, or rather thrones.
The Queen gave the King her hand--this is, it seems, the privilege of
the wife as distinguished from any other woman. Their feet took the
time of the music, and they moved into the centre of the ring.

That dance was another thing to remember, won from the haunting
memories of that strange day. At first the King and Queen danced all
alone. They began with stately movement, but as the music quickened
their feet kept time, and the swing of their bodies with movements
kept growing more and more ecstatic at every beat till, in true
Balkan fashion, the dance became a very agony of passionate movement.

At this point the music slowed down again, and the mountaineers began
to join in the dance. At first slowly, one by one, they joined in,
the Vladika and the higher priests leading; then everywhere the whole
vast crowd began to dance, till the earth around us seemed to shake.
The lights quivered, flickered, blazed out again, and rose and fell
as that hundred thousand men, each holding a torch, rose and fell
with the rhythm of the dance. Quicker, quicker grew the music,
faster grew the rushing and pounding of the feet, till the whole
nation seemed now in an ecstasy.

I stood near the Vladika, and in the midst of this final wildness I
saw him draw from his belt a short, thin flute; then he put it to his
lips and blew a single note--a fierce, sharp note, which pierced the
volume of sound more surely than would the thunder of a cannon-shot.
On the instant everywhere each man put his torch under his foot.

There was complete and immediate darkness, for the fires, which had
by now fallen low, had evidently been trodden out in the measure of
the dance. The music still kept in its rhythmic beat, but slower
than it had yet been. Little by little this beat was pointed and
emphasized by the clapping of hands--at first only a few, but
spreading till everyone present was beating hands to the slow music
in the darkness. This lasted a little while, during which, looking
round, I noticed a faint light beginning to steal up behind the
hills. The moon was rising.

Again there came a note from the Vladika's flute--a single note,
sweet and subtle, which I can only compare with a note from a
nightingale, vastly increased in powers. It, too, won through the
thunder of the hand-claps, and on the second the sound ceased. The
sudden stillness, together with the darkness, was so impressive that
we could almost hear our hearts beating. And then came through the
darkness the most beautiful and impressive sound heard yet. That
mighty concourse, without fugleman of any sort, began, in low,
fervent voice, to sing the National Anthem. At first it was of so
low tone as to convey the idea of a mighty assembly of violinists
playing with the mutes on. But it gradually rose till the air above
us seemed to throb and quiver. Each syllable--each word--spoken in
unison by the vast throng was as clearly enunciated as though spoken
by a single voice:

"Guide our feet through darkness, O Jehovah."

This anthem, sung out of full hearts, remains on our minds as the
last perfection of a perfect day. For myself, I am not ashamed to
own that it made me weep like a child. Indeed, I cannot write of it
now as I would; it unmans me so!

* * *

In the early morning, whilst the mountains were still rather grey
than blue, the cable-line took us to the Blue Mouth, where we
embarked in the King's yacht, The Lady, which took us across the
Adriatic at a pace which I had hitherto considered impossible. The
King and Queen came to the landing to see us off. They stood
together at the right-hand side of the red-carpeted gangway, and
shook hands with each guest as he went on board. The instant the
last passenger had stepped on deck the gangway was withdrawn. The
Lord High Admiral, who stood on the bridge, raised his hand, and we
swept towards the mouth of the gulf. Of course, all hats were off,
and we cheered frantically. I can truly say that if King Rupert and
Queen Teuta should ever wish to found in the Blue Mountains a colony
of diplomatists and journalists, those who were their guests on this
great occasion will volunteer to a man. I think old Hempetch, who is
the doyen of English-speaking journalists, voiced our sentiments when
he said:

"May God bless them and theirs with every grace and happiness, and
send prosperity to the Land and the rule!" I think the King and
Queen heard us cheer, they turned to look at our flying ship again.

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