And I love you very much, papa, and I am
just as obedient as I can be. But it seems as though my good example
had made no difference with the other subjects. How comes that
about, papa king?"
"My son," answered Louis, "that comes because there are bad men who
have told the people that I do not love them. We have had to have
great wars, and wars cost a deal of money. And so I asked money of
my people--just as my ancestors always did."
"But, papa," cried the dauphin, "why did you do that? Why did you
not take my purse, and pay out of that? You know that I receive
every day my purse all filled with new francs, and--but then," he
interrupted himself, "there would be nothing left for the poor
children, to whom I always give money on my walks. And, oh! there
are so many poor children, so very many, that my purse is empty
every day, when I return from my walk, and yet I give to each child
only one poor franc-piece. So your people have money, more money
than you yourself?"
"My child, kings receive all that they have from their people, but
they give it all back to the people again; the king is the one
appointed by God to govern his people, and the people owe respect
and obedience to the king, and have to pay taxes to him. And so, if
he needs money, he is justified in asking his subjects for it, and
so does what is called 'laying taxes' upon them.
Pages:
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359