Teuta was talking to me eagerly, with her dear beautiful brows all wrinkled, when Rupert who was reading a bulky document of some kind, looked up and said: "Of course, darling, you will wear your Shroud ?" "Capital!" she said, clapping her hands like a joyous child.

"The very thing, and our people will like it." I own that for a moment I was dismayed.

It was a horrible test of a woman's love and devotion.

At a time when she was entertaining Kings and notabilities in her own house--and be sure they would all be decked in their finery--to have to appear in such a garment! A plain thing with nothing even pretty, let alone gorgeous, about it! I expressed my views to Rupert, for I feared that Teuta might be disappointed, though she might not care to say so; but before he could say a word Teuta answered: "Oh, thank you so much, dear! I should love that above everything, but I did not like to suggest it, lest you should think me arrogant or presuming; for, indeed, Rupert, I am very proud of it, and of the way our people look on it." "Why not ?" said Rupert, in his direct way.

"It is a thing for us all to be proud of; the nation has already adopted it as a national emblem--our emblem of courage and devotion and patriotism, which will always, I hope, be treasured beyond price by the men and women of our Dynasty, the Nation, that is--of the Nation that is to be." Later on in the evening we had a strange endorsement of the national will.