Article #411-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The King's Jackal, by Richard Harding Davis

"You have been gone over two weeks," he said. "I should like to see
you accomplish as much in as short a time," growled the other. "You
know Paris. You know how hard it is to get people to be serious there.
I had the devil's own time at first. You got my cablegram?"

"Yes; it wasn't encouraging."

"Well, I wasn't hopeful myself. They wouldn't believe a word of it at
first. They said Louis hadn't shown such great love for his country or
his people since his exile that they could feel any confidence in him,
and that his conduct in the last six years did not warrant their
joining any undertaking in which he was concerned. You can't blame
them. They've backed him so many times already, and they've been
bitten, and they're shy, naturally. But I swore he was repentant, that
he saw the error of his ways, that he wanted to sit once more before he
died on the throne of his ancestors, and that he felt it was due to his
son that he should make an effort to get him back his birthright. It
was the son won them. Exhibit A' I call him. None of them would hear of it until I spoke of the Prince. So when I saw that, I told them he was a fine little chap, healthy and manly and brave, and devoted to his priest, and all that rot, and they began to listen. At first they wanted his Majesty to abdicate, and give the boy a clear road to the crown, but of course I hushed that up. I told them we were acting advisedly, that we had reason to know that the common people of Messina were sick of the Republic, and wanted their King; that Louis loved the common people like a father; that he would re-establish the Church in all her power, and that Father Paul was working day and night for us, and that the Vatican was behind us. Then I dealt out decorations and a few titles, which Louis has made smell so confoundedly rank to Heaven that nobody would take them. It was like a game. I played one noble gentleman against another, and gave this one a portrait of the King one day, and the other a miniature of Exhibit A' the next and they grew
jealous, and met together, and talked it over, and finally unlocked
their pockets. They contributed about L9,000 between them. Then the
enthusiasm spread to the women, and they gave me their jewels, and a
lot of youngsters volunteered for the expedition, and six of them came
on with me in the train last night. I won two thousand francs from
that boy Cellini on the way down. They're all staying at the
Continental. I promised them an audience this morning."

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The King’s Jackal by Richard Harding Davis**

Context of the Source

Richard Harding Davis (1864–1916) was an American journalist and novelist known for his adventurous, often politically charged fiction. The King’s Jackal (1899) is a novel set in the fictional European kingdom of Messina, a thinly veiled critique of monarchist restoration movements in late 19th-century Europe. The story follows a group of schemers attempting to restore a deposed king, Louis, to his throne—a plot rife with political manipulation, propaganda, and cynical exploitation of public sentiment.

This excerpt depicts a conversation between two conspirators (likely the protagonist, an American named Richard Gratham, and another agent) discussing their efforts to secure financial and political support for the restoration of King Louis. The dialogue reveals the machinations behind monarchist intrigue, blending satire, realism, and dark humor.

Themes in the Excerpt

Political Manipulation & Propaganda
- The speaker is a master manipulator, using emotional appeals, flattery, and outright deception to sway potential backers. He exploits nostalgia ("the throne of his ancestors"), paternalism ("Louis loved the common people like a father"), and religious sentiment ("re-establish the Church in all her power") to justify the restoration.
- The reference to "Exhibit A" (the Prince) is particularly telling—he reduces the heir to a marketing tool, emphasizing his "healthy and manly and brave" qualities to tug at heartstrings.
Cynicism & Corruption
- The entire operation is transactional. The speaker admits that Louis’s past behavior makes him untrustworthy ("They said Louis hadn’t shown such great love for his country… that they could feel any confidence in him"), yet he still manages to extract money by playing on vanity and competition ("I played one noble gentleman against another").
- The distribution of decorations and titles—which Louis has "made smell so confoundedly rank to Heaven that nobody would take them"—highlights how honors have been devalued by previous failures. Yet, the speaker still uses them as bait.
Religious & Aristocratic Exploitation
- The mention of Father Paul and the Vatican suggests clerical involvement, a common tactic in 19th-century monarchist movements (e.g., the Catholic Church’s support for legitimist claims in France).
- The speaker exaggerates popular support ("the common people of Messina were sick of the Republic") to justify the coup, a classic appeal to false consensus.
Theatricality & Performance
- The restoration effort is framed as "a game"—the speaker treats politics like a con artist’s shell game, using portraits, miniatures, and jewels as props to manipulate emotions.
- The young volunteers (including Cellini, from whom he wins money) are romanticized pawns, eager for adventure but likely unaware of the scheme’s true nature.
Imperial Nostalgia & Legitimacy
- The speaker invokes divine right and heritage ("the throne of his ancestors") to legitimize Louis’s claim, despite his poor track record.
- The Prince’s "birthright" is framed as a moral duty, though the real motivation is power and money (the £9,000 contribution).

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

Dialogue as Exposition
- The entire excerpt is dramatic monologue, revealing the speaker’s cynicism and charm through his own words. His casual, conversational tone ("that rot," "hushed that up") makes his manipulation seem effortless and amusing—yet sinister.
Irony & Satire
- Situational Irony: The speaker admits Louis is untrustworthy, yet he successfully convinces others to trust him by exploiting their emotions.
- Dramatic Irony: The reader knows this is a scheme, but the noble backers (and possibly the young volunteers) do not.
- Verbal Irony: Phrases like "the devil’s own time" and "all that rot" undermine the gravity of the situation, making the political intrigue feel like a farce.
Metaphor & Symbolism
- "Exhibit A": The Prince is reduced to an object, a prop in a sales pitch, symbolizing how monarchy is commodified.
- "a game": Politics is gambling, not governance—the speaker even wins money from a volunteer on the train, reinforcing the casino-like nature of power struggles.
Characterization Through Speech
- The speaker is charismatic but morally bankrupt—he lies smoothly, flatters shamelessly, and plays on emotions without remorse.
- His pragmatism ("I hushed that up") contrasts with the idealism of the volunteers, highlighting the gap between romance and reality in political movements.
Historical Allusions
- The restoration of a deposed monarch mirrors real 19th-century events, such as:
  - The Bourbon Restoration in France (1814–30), where exiled royalty returned after Napoleon.
  - The Carlist Wars in Spain, where pretenders sought to reclaim the throne.
- The Vatican’s involvement reflects the Church’s role in legitimist movements, often backing monarchs to regain influence.

Significance of the Excerpt

Critique of Monarchist Movements
- Davis exposes the hollowness of royalist nostalgia, showing how sentiment and tradition are weaponized for political gain.
- The lack of genuine popular support ("the common people… wanted their King" is a lie) undermines the legitimacy of the restoration.
Exploration of Power & Persuasion
- The excerpt is a masterclass in manipulation, illustrating how emotion, competition, and religion can be exploited to mobilize resources.
- The young volunteers represent the naïve idealism that often fuels political movements, contrasting with the cynical operators pulling the strings.
Relevance to Political Realism
- The passage reflects Machiavellian realpolitik—where ends justify means, and morality is secondary to success.
- The transactional nature of loyalty (titles, decorations, jewels as bribes) mirrors modern political lobbying and corruption.
Satire of European Aristocracy
- The nobles are portrayed as vain and gullible, easily played against each other.
- The Church’s involvement is presented as opportunistic, not spiritual—Father Paul is a political operator, not a moral guide.

Conclusion: The Excerpt as a Microcosm of the Novel’s Themes

This passage encapsulates The King’s Jackal’s cynical view of power—where monarchy is a business, loyalty is a commodity, and idealism is a tool for exploitation. The speaker’s charming, unapologetic manipulation makes the scene darkly comedic, but beneath the humor lies a scathing indictment of:

The corruption of political movements
The exploitation of nostalgia and religion
The naivety of those who believe in "noble causes"

Davis, a journalist who covered real political upheavals, blends realism with satire, making the excerpt both entertaining and unsettling—a reminder that history is often written by con artists.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect (e.g., historical parallels, character analysis, or Davis’s journalistic influence)?

Questions

Question 1

The speaker’s description of the Prince as “Exhibit A” primarily serves to:

A. underscore the Prince’s symbolic role as the legitimate heir to a noble lineage.
B. highlight the speaker’s paternal affection for the young royal.
C. reveal the Prince’s function as a rhetorical device to manipulate emotional investment.
D. contrast the Prince’s innocence with the corruption of the monarchist scheme.
E. emphasize the religious significance of the Prince’s upbringing under a devoted priest.

Question 2

The speaker’s assertion that “it was the son won them” is most effectively interpreted as an example of:

A. an appeal to ethical duty, framing the restoration as a moral obligation to the next generation.
B. a strategic concession to republican sympathies by shifting focus from the King to his heir.
C. an admission of the King’s irredeemable flaws, necessitating a dynastic reset.
D. the exploitation of sentimental attachment to youth and continuity as a persuasive lever.
E. a calculated attempt to divide the opposition by offering a compromise candidate.

Question 3

The phrase “I played one noble gentleman against another” is best understood as illustrating:

A. the inherent competitiveness of aristocratic culture, which the speaker merely channels.
B. a critique of the nobles’ lack of patriotism, as they prioritize personal rivalry over national unity.
C. the speaker’s reduction of political allegiance to a transactional, game-like dynamic.
D. an ironic commentary on the democratization of monarchist support through meritocratic rewards.
E. the speaker’s frustration with the nobles’ reluctance to unite behind a common cause.

Question 4

The speaker’s claim that “the common people of Messina were sick of the Republic” is most plausibly intended to:

A. reflect an empirical observation of grassroots discontent with democratic governance.
B. expose the speaker’s genuine belief in the monarchy’s popular mandate.
C. signal a shift in the conversation toward socioeconomic arguments for restoration.
D. fabricate consensus as a rhetorical tool to legitimize the coup.
E. contrast the commoners’ loyalty with the nobles’ initial skepticism.

Question 5

The passage’s tone is primarily shaped by the interplay between:

A. reverence for tradition and disillusionment with modern politics.
B. detached amusement at the absurdity of the scheme and implicit condemnation of its cynicism.
C. nostalgia for monarchic grandeur and resentment toward republican upstarts.
D. admiration for the speaker’s tactical brilliance and pity for his gullible targets.
E. optimism about the restoration’s success and anxiety about its moral cost.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The term “Exhibit A” is legalistic and dehumanizing, framing the Prince as evidence rather than a person. The speaker admits that the nobles “wouldn’t hear of it until I spoke of the Prince,” confirming that the boy’s role is purely instrumental—a prop to elicit emotional and financial buy-in. This aligns with the passage’s broader critique of manipulation through sentimental appeals.