The Lady of the Shroud

Chapter 8

PRIVATE MEMORANDUM OF THE MEETING OF VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL

COUNCIL, HELD AT THE STATE HOUSE OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS AT PLAZAC ON

MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 1907.

(Written by Cristoferos, Scribe of the Council, by instruction of

those present.)

When the private meeting of various Members of the National Council had

assembled in the Council Hall of the State House at Plazac, it was as a

preliminary decided unanimously that now or hereafter no names of those

present were to be mentioned, and that officials appointed for the

purposes of this meeting should be designated by office only, the names

of all being withheld.

The proceedings assumed the shape of a general conversation, quite

informal, and therefore not to be recorded.  The nett outcome was the

unanimous expression of an opinion that the time, long contemplated by

very many persons throughout the nation, had now come when the

Constitution and machinery of the State should be changed; that the

present form of ruling by an Irregular Council was not sufficient, and

that a method more in accord with the spirit of the times should be

adopted.  To this end Constitutional Monarchy, such as that holding in

Great Britain, seemed best adapted.  Finally, it was decided that each

Member of the Council should make a personal canvass of his district,

talk over the matter with his electors, and bring back to another

meeting--or, rather, as it was amended, to this meeting postponed for a

week, until September 2nd--the opinions and wishes received.  Before

separating, the individual to be appointed King, in case the new idea

should prove grateful to the nation, was discussed.  The consensus of

opinion was entirely to the effect that the Voivode Peter Vissarion

should, if he would accept the high office, be appointed.  It was urged

that, as his daughter, the Voivodin Teuta, was now married to the

Englishman, Rupert Sent Leger--called generally by the mountaineers "the

Gospodar Rupert"--a successor to follow the Voivode when God should call

him would be at hand--a successor worthy in every way to succeed to so

illustrious a post.  It was urged by several speakers, with general

acquiescence, that already Mr. Sent Leger's services to the State were

such that he would be in himself a worthy person to begin the new

Dynasty; but that, as he was now allied to the Voivode Peter Vissarion,

it was becoming that the elder, born of the nation, should receive the

first honour.

The adjourned meeting of certain members of the National Council was