I hate you for suggesting it.'
``The Chamberlain wrung his hands despairingly.
`` `But, your Majesty,' he wailed, `the people are
reverencing you as a saint, and the nobles are being
Christianized in batches, and neighbouring potentates of
that Faith are sending special envoys to welcome you as a
brother. There is some talk of making you the patron saint
of beehives, and a certain shade of honey-yellow has been
christened Vespalussian gold at the Emperor's Court. You
can't surely go back on all this.'
`` `I don't mind being reverenced and greeted and
honoured,' said Vespaluus; `I don't even mind being sainted
in moderation, as long as I'm not expected to be saintly as
well. But I wish you clearly and finally to understand that
I will not give up the worship of the august and auspicious
serpents.'
``There was a world of unspoken bear-pit in the way he
uttered those last words, and the mulberry-dark eyes flashed
dangerously.
`` `A new reign,' said the Chamberlain to himself, `but
the same old temper.'
``Finally, as a State necessity, the matter of the
religions was compromised. At stated intervals the king
appeared before his subjects in the national cathedral in
the character of St.
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