The King read: 

“Section one-hundred twenty-first—­For inasmuch as our second son, Hugo, hath, in defiance of our specific prohibition, this day left our Kingdom and gone over Sea to the North American Colonies of Great Britain, there to join the forces of one, George Washington, who is leading a revolt against his lawful sovereign, the King of England, with whom I am at peace; It is hereby decreed that the said Hugo shall forfeit all titles and emoluments heretofore conferred, and his name is hereby stricken from the Family Roll.  From this day he ceaseth to be a Dalberg of Valeria.

“HENRY III, Rex.

“Ye 17th October, A.D., 1777.”

Frederick glanced up.  “That was the judgment,” said he.  “Listen, now, to the pardon:—­

“Section one-hundred twenty-fifth—­Whereas, we have learned that our second son, Hugo, hath served with much honour in the American Army under General Washington, and hath, since the termination of hostilities, married into a good family in one of the said American States, called Maryland, and hath assumed residence therein; and whereas he hath never sought aid from us nor sued for pardon; Now, therefore, in recognition of his valour and self-reliance and true Dalberg independence, it is decreed that Section one-hundred twenty-one, supra, be annulled; and Hugo’s name is hereby reinstated on the Family Roll in its proper place, the same as though never stricken therefrom.  And it is further decreed that the marriage of Hugo and the marriages of his descendants shall be deemed valid and lawful, the same as though their respective consorts were of the Blood Royal.”

“Is that sufficiently definite, sir?” the King asked.

“It is very extraordinary,” I said, in wonder.

“There is a bit more,” he said, and resumed reading: 

“The titles conferred upon Hugo shall, however, remain in abeyance until claimed anew by him or by his right heir male; nor shall the latter be eligible to the Crown unless hereinafter specifically decreed so to be—­or, in event of a vacancy in the royal dignity without such decree having been so made, then, by special Act of the House of Nobles.

“HENRY III., Rex,

“Ye 7th September, A.D. 1785.”

The King closed the book.  “That,” said he, “is the record,” and motioned me to sit down.

I obeyed mechanically.  Through my head was ringing those last few words that made possible the Crown of my ancestors.  Under the Decree I was, de jure, the eldest male after the King; it needed only his act to make me his successor.  A single line, sealed with his seal, in that big book just beside me, and plain Armand Dalberg, Major in the Army of the United States of America, would be Heir Presumptive to one of the great Kingdoms of Earth.  And Dehra!  I could get no further.  Crown and Kingdom faded and I saw only a woman’s face.——­

Then the King coughed, and I came sharply back to life, and visions fled.  But, even then, realities seemed almost visions, still.