Again there came a note from the Vladika's flute--a single note, sweet
and subtle, which I can only compare with a note from a nightingale,
vastly increased in powers. It, too, won through the thunder of the
hand-claps, and on the second the sound ceased. The sudden stillness,
together with the darkness, was so impressive that we could almost hear
our hearts beating. And then came through the darkness the most
beautiful and impressive sound heard yet. That mighty concourse, without
fugleman of any sort, began, in low, fervent voice, to sing the National
Anthem. At first it was of so low tone as to convey the idea of a mighty
assembly of violinists playing with the mutes on. But it gradually rose
till the air above us seemed to throb and quiver. Each syllable--each
word--spoken in unison by the vast throng was as clearly enunciated as
though spoken by a single voice:

"Guide our feet through darkness, O Jehovah." This anthem, sung out of full hearts, remains on our minds as the last
perfection of a perfect day. For myself, I am not ashamed to own that it
made me weep like a child. Indeed, I cannot write of it now as I would;
it unmans me so! * * * * *

In the early morning, whilst the mountains were still rather grey than
blue, the cable-line took us to the Blue Mouth, where we embarked in the
King's yacht, _The Lady_, which took us across the Adriatic at a pace
which I had hitherto considered impossible. The King and Queen came to
the landing to see us off. They stood together at the right-hand side of
the red-carpeted gangway, and shook hands with each guest as he went on
board. The instant the last passenger had stepped on deck the gangway
was withdrawn. The Lord High Admiral, who stood on the bridge, raised
his hand, and we swept towards the mouth of the gulf. Of course, all
hats were off, and we cheered frantically. I can truly say that if King
Rupert and Queen Teuta should ever wish to found in the Blue Mountains a
colony of diplomatists and journalists, those who were their guests on
this great occasion will volunteer to a man. I think old Hempetch, who
is the doyen of English-speaking journalists, voiced our sentiments when
he said:

"May God bless them and theirs with every grace and happiness, and send
prosperity to the Land and the rule!" I think the King and Queen heard
us cheer, they turned to look at our flying ship again. BOOK IX: BALKA


RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_ (_Longe Intervallo_). _February_ 10, 1908. It is so long since I even thought of this journal that I hardly know
where to begin. I always heard that a married man is a pretty busy man;
but since I became one, though it is a new life to me, and of a happiness
undreamt of, I _know_ what that life is. But I had no idea that this
King business was anything like what it is. Why, it never leaves me a
moment at all to myself--or, what is worse, to Teuta. If people who
condemn Kings had only a single month of my life in that capacity, they
would form an opinion different from that which they hold. It might be
useful to have a Professor of Kingship in the Anarchists'
College--whenever it is founded! Everything has gone on well with us, I am glad to say. Teuta is in
splendid health, though she has--but only very lately--practically given
up going on her own aeroplane. It was, I know, a great sacrifice to
make, just as she had become an expert at it. They say here that she is
one of the best drivers in the Blue Mountains--and that is in the world,
for we have made that form of movement our own. Ever since we found the
pitch-blende pockets in the Great Tunnel, and discovered the simple
process of extracting the radium from it, we have gone on by leaps and
bounds. When first Teuta told me she would "aero" no more for a while, I
thought she was wise, and backed her up in it: for driving an aeroplane
is trying work and hard on the nerves. I only learned then the reason
for her caution--the usual one of a young wife. That was three months
ago, and only this morning she told me she would not go sailing in the
air, even with me, till she could do so "without risk"--she did not mean
risk to herself. Aunt Janet knew what she meant, and counselled her
strongly to stick to her resolution. So for the next few months I am to
do my air-sailing alone. The public works which we began immediately after the Coronation are
going strong. We began at the very beginning on an elaborate system. The first thing was to adequately fortify the Blue Mouth. Whilst the
fortifications were being constructed we kept all the warships in the
gulf. But when the point of safety was reached, we made the ships do
sentry-go along the coast, whilst we trained men for service at sea. It
is our plan to take by degrees all the young men and teach them this
wise, so that at the end the whole population shall be trained for sea as
well as for land. And as we are teaching them the airship service, too,
they will be at home in all the elements--except fire, of course, though
if that should become a necessity, we shall tackle it too! We started the Great Tunnel at the farthest inland point of the Blue
Mouth, and ran it due east at an angle of 45 degrees, so that, when
complete, it would go right through the first line of hills, coming out
on the plateau Plazac. The plateau is not very wide--half a mile at
most--and the second tunnel begins on the eastern side of it. This new
tunnel is at a smaller angle, as it has to pierce the second hill--a
mountain this time. When it comes out on the east side of that, it will
tap the real productive belt. Here it is that our hardwood-trees are
finest, and where the greatest mineral deposits are found. This plateau
is of enormous length, and runs north arid south round the great bulk of
the central mountain, so that in time, when we put up a circular railway,
we can bring, at a merely nominal cost, all sorts of material up or down. It is on this level that we have built the great factories for war
material. We are tunnelling into the mountains, where are the great
deposits of coal. We run the trucks in and out on the level, and can get
perfect ventilation with little cost or labour. Already we are mining
all the coal which we consume within our own confines, and we can, if we
wish, within a year export largely. The great slopes of these tunnels
give us the necessary aid of specific gravity, and as we carry an endless
water-supply in great tubes that way also, we can do whatever we wish by
hydraulic power. As one by one the European and Asiatic nations began to
reduce their war preparations, we took over their disbanded workmen
though our agents, so that already we have a productive staff of skilled
workmen larger than anywhere else in the world.