The tragedy of his nephew's career forced itself upon him, and it occurred to him that an early and shameful death had all along been inevitable for this good-natured, weak-purposed, unhappy child of a historic throne.

A little good fortune, and his character, so evenly balanced between right and wrong, might have followed the proper path, and Eugen might have figured at any rate with dignity on the European stage.

But now it appeared that all was over, the last stroke played.

And in this disaster Aribert saw the ruin of his own hopes.

For Aribert would have to occupy his nephew's throne, and he felt instinctively that nature had not cut him out for a throne.