The Emperor had begun his speech almost before the words were uttered. `However unwilling to be Emperor--since you all wish me to be Emperor--you know how badly the late Warden managed things-- with such enthusiasm as you have shown--he persecuted you--he taxed you too heavily--you know who is fittest man to be Emperor--my brother had no sense--'

How long this curious speech might have lasted it is impossible to say, for just at this moment a hurricane shook the palace to its foundations, bursting open the windows, extinguishing some of the lamps, and filling the air with clouds of dust, which took strange shapes in the air, and seemed to form words.

But the storm subsided as suddenly as it had risen--the casements swung into their places again: the dust vanished: all was as it had been a minute ago--with the exception of the Emperor and Empress, over whom had come a wondrous change. The vacant stare, the meaningless smile, had passed away: all could see that these two strange beings had returned to their senses.

The Emperor continued his speech as if there had been no interruption. `And we have behaved--my wife and I--like two arrant Knaves. We deserve no better name. When my brother went away, you lost the best Warden you ever had. And I've been doing my best, wretched hypocrite that I am, to cheat you into making me an Emperor. Me! One that has hardly got the wits to be a shoe-black!'

The Lord Chancellor wrung his hands in despair. `He is mad, good people!' he was beginning. But both speeches stopped suddenly--and, in the dead silence that followed, a knocking was heard at the outer door.

`What is it?' was the general cry. People began running in and out. The excitement increased every moment. The Lord Chancellor, forgetting all the rules of Court-ceremony, ran full speed down the hall, and in a minute returned, pale and gasping for breath.