THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT
silenced by Kent, who turned toward him and said, "Steady! Steady, Baron. You needn't worry. You will be cared for later in this—this reconstruction."
"But—but—" hesitated the king, vastly distressed, "Baron Von Glutz has been my mentor since my boyhood, and was the chancellor of Marken under my father!"
"Doubtless his administrative excellence accounts for Marken's present peaceful condition; and also for our unexpected meeting across the border, then!" Kent said, suavely. "But as I understood you, sir"
Provarsk interrupted with a sneering laugh and exclaimed, "Pshaw! I might have known it. It is you who ask me to be chancellor, Eh? All right! I accept. Under you; but not under His Majesty. But pray tell me why I am thus honoured?"
"Honoured? Well, for several reasons. One that it's not so messy as to have you taken out and hanged. Another that you still represent to me a sporting proposition and I like fearless men who go out after a thing when they want it. It's been a long time since I have met such an interesting sort of a personage as you seem to be, and, inasmuch as His Majesty wants me to remain with him for a time as an advisor, I'd like to see what you can do whether you can get the best of us."
[141]
