




The other kingdom finally puts its champions on a stage, and the king watches the whole field with one word of verdict. Every hand on the stage goes up at once, and he tells the realm exactly what he thinks it just watched them promise. At the summit of nations he sits down with the eastern emperor and comes away with a truce on the tariffs. Then he does what no king before him has done: he steps across the line into the closed kingdom, and calls it an honour. Three days abroad, and he counts them up as a triumph — with no idea what is waiting for him at home.
Readers' Corner
Letters from the readership on Week 211. Pick a pen name — no account needed.
Opening the mailbag…