The King of Alsander

KING OF ALSANDER

GRESSION ON THE EX

e sont pas

l F

ion). All the eyes seemed to be looking at him with such peering intentness that he began to believe that they were all unintentional and not intentional lunatics, and t

e continued, turning to a prominent Hebrew on his left, "that th

thes," said the Doctor, addressing the l

began Norman, i

nse, is more important than a sound physical condition. To judge of that condition it is imperative that you should take off your clothes. I may add," he co

med to him unlikely that a dozen lunatics possessed of a common mania should find such a facility of meeting together in solemn assembly, even in Alsander. The poet, whom he still believed t

lay strewn? upon the ground." However, at a word from the shopman, who seemed in authority, Norman was permitted to retain as much clothing as would satisfy the by-laws of a very free bathing resort. The Doctor then rose, came round the table, and,

room as he was and climb along the rope that dangled from t

ied Norman. "This joke has gone quite far enough, and though it may amuse you v

at of his excitement, noticed that, though he failed to notice that the youthful President's face (for the young shopkeeper seemed to be President, to judge from his central chair) re

I'll punch your head." And Norman, all but naked as he was, began to bend up a

disadvantage to be rude. I admit that our demands, coming from total strangers, seem both impertinent and extravagant, but I assure you that they are necessary, and I should like to impress you with the earnestnes

ouch me. I am an Englishman," retort

was under his hand, "that we shall have to give you immediate proof of th

and the supposed beggar pass into the palace the day of their memorable visit. Unfortunately for Norman, they wore no longer the air

rm the exercises demanded of

d Norman,

President quietly, but

make the slightest resistance, and he was swung

so to apologize?"

es

y quietly," sai

im? We cannot expect

ave the room without it," said Norman.

some form of Test by Verification, like the legendary Masonic hot poker. At least, I suppose it is legendary. But when from the tail of his eye he beheld from his undignified perch

y, how many? If, that is, he r

ose you must give him a dozen." The maniac examiners were quite capable, he had felt convinced, of beating him to death, and a dozen?

es to emphasize his unfitness for dignity? Norman hoped so, for to tell the truth, he didn't care a damn about the dignity, but he thought it would hurt less and was m

pedagogue to have been the mildest and most inefficient flagellator in

East, the golden East in the golden days-that was the world for whippings. In other climes and other times, whipping has been a symbol of degradation; in murderous Russia it has been, they say it is, something too foul for the philosopher to look at. But when there were Caliphs in Bagdad, then whipping was the joyous symbol of democracy. Are you rich and powerful, the Caliph's friend? Tread delicately on those rich carpets: the day comes when to put foot to the finest Bokhara may be a torment to make you howl. Are you a poor pedlar selling glasses from a tray? Repine not at your

nrise, O ocean

bies, O sapphire

verse off his saddle. All that splendour is smirching the bashful mud! Forgetting yourself, you rush to help him; your dirty, horny fingers pick up Perfection, careless of sacrilege. You wait and tremble, for Perfection is himself again. The Vizier is pale. The Monarch gives a sign to the blackest o

s inflicted on the famous, on Psyche by Venus, on Aristotle by Phyllis, on St Paul by the Romans, on-Henry Plantagenet by the monks, on Milton by his College, on

r, especially in all books that are an epitome of world life. From Apuleius to Don Quixote, from G

e torture we inflict. It is we who should be whipped, we who dread the dentist, we whose waistcoats bulge and blossom into gold watch chains. And criminals? O we flog them still, but only the poor, violent, rough fellow who does a bit of straightforward business. It is that

venly, till the victim's back looked like a sheet of music paper. Then he was abruptly let down and writhed for half a minute with rapidly decreasing pain. And about this let the philosopher say one word more. Whipping is

t seemed improbable that the brute who had ordered the whipping should be affected thereby to tears. When Norman was dressed the President said, "Follow me, I will let you out." Norman obeyed silently. They went alone together into the little shop. The boy had already begun

p. And somehow, for all that his back was still aching, the charm and beauty of the young

said Norman, like a rueful schoolboy. "You've

. "It's a pity we had to reject you." And opening a

e knew the receipts of Price's Bon Marché would not ha

not to take me for a shopkeeper again," and, opening the door in

estions that troubled his mind. "And where is the Old Poet? A

say one word, one little word, to a soul of what has happened to-night-there are worse things awaiting fo

n, bitterly, "of followi