IN THE STATE OF DENMARK 181 



of her singular privileges, while Estrup's low, mono- 

 tonous voice continued its disquisition on the Budget. 

 Wearying as the speech appeared to be to its audi- 

 ence, it was one of an historical series, the last, in 

 fact, of that strange epoch during which a Minister, 

 supported by the King and the Upper House, held 

 his own • against a majority of the Lower House. 

 Year after year the Folkething threw out his Budget, 

 year after year the Landsthing accepted it; but the 

 Landsthing having no power by itself, it became 

 necessary to collect the taxes by Royal decree, instead 

 of by Parliamentary order. It was absurd ; in the 

 eyes of the Socialists it was blasphemy, but, like the 

 curse of the Cardinal in the " Jackdaw of Rheims " — 



" What gave rise to no small surprise, 

 Nobody seemed one penny the worse ! " 



The country throve in its quiet way, while the 

 Royalties grew yearly deeper into the popular affec- 

 tion, till, for the sake of national self-respect, the 

 Radicals last year compromised with a good grace ; 

 and having passed his final Budget, Herr Estrup 

 retired victorious from the long contest, in the after- 

 glow of the enthusiasm that flared round the silver 

 wedding of the Crown Prince. 



We left him talking on among his sheaves of 

 statistics, and went upstairs to the Landsthing, 

 where everything was still more white and gold and 

 pillared than in the Folkething, and even more con- 

 spicuously like a steamer saloon. Here also the 

 lady reporter sat, and garnered at ease the murmurs 

 of a debate whose languid purport we have forgotten. 

 The members of the Landsthing are elected by voters 

 who must possess at least £130 a year; it may have 

 been trivial, but it was inevitable to note their 

 superiority in manner, in looks, in dress to the Lower 



