Courtney laughed.  “That might be true of the American Army—­it’s nonsense in a Monarchy.  You forget you are of the Blood Royal—­an Archduke—­of mature years—­with some experience in actual war—­and, for all the Army and Court know, in line for the Crown.  You are, therefore, born to command.  There can be no jealousies against you.  On the contrary, it will bring you followers.  None but Lotzen and his circle will resent it, and they, already, are your enemies.  The Governorship will make them no more so.  Instead, it will keep them careful; for it will give you immense power to detect and foil their plots.”

“Plots!” I exclaimed.  “Do you fancy Lotzen would resort to murder?”

“Not at present—­not until everything else has failed.”

“You seem very sure,” I remarked.

“Precisely that.  You don’t seem to realize that you have likely both lost him his desired wife and jeopardized his succession to the Throne.  He might submit to losing the Princess, but the Crown, never.  He will eliminate you, by soft methods if he can, by violent ones, if need be.  Believe me, Major, I know the ways of Courts a little better than you.”

I took a turn up and down the room.  “I don’t know that Lotzen isn’t justified in using every means to defeat me.  I am a robber—­a highwayman, if you please.  I am, this instant, holding him up and trying to deprive him of his dearest inheritance.  And I’m doing it with calm deliberation, while, ostensibly, I’m his friend.  If I attempt to steal his watch he would be justified in shooting me on the spot—­why shouldn’t he do the same when I try to filch from him the Valerian Crown?”

“No reason in the world, my dear Major, except that to steal a watch is a vulgar crime—­but to plot for a throne is the privilege of Princes.  And Princes do not shoot their rivals.”

“With their own hands,” I added.

Courtney bowed low.  “Your Highness has it exactly,” he said.

I shrugged my shoulders.  “You flatter me.”

“I speak only in general terms; they do not apply to you, my dear Major.  You are not plotting to dethrone a King; you are simply trying, frankly and openly, to recover what is yours by birthright.  Lotzen’s real claim to the Crown is, in justice, subordinate to yours—­and he knows it—­and so does the King, or he would not have put you on probation, so to speak, with the implied promise to give you back your own again, if you prove worthy.”

“That’s one way to look at it,” said I, “and I reckon I shall have to accept it.  In fact, I’m remitted to it or to chucking the whole thing overboard.”

Courtney smiled approvingly.  “That’s the reasonable point of view.  Now, stick to it, and give Lotzen no quarter—­you may be sure he will give you none.”

“I shall countenance no violence,” I insisted.

“One is permitted to repel force by force.”

“I shall not hesitate to do that, you may be sure.”