




Four young lawmakers make themselves the loudest voices in the hall, and the king turns the whole weight of his attention on them. He tells them to go back and fix the places they came from — a sentence the whole realm will still be arguing over a week later. In the middle of the storm the great ledger breaks another ceiling, and he stops to salute it. He plants his flag on the argument and makes it a loyalty test: love it here, or go. The chamber erupts, and he demands the apology instead of giving one.
Readers' Corner
Letters from the readership on Week 213. Pick a pen name — no account needed.
Opening the mailbag…