the shining bull's eye of the court was gone, or it would have been the mark for a hurricane of national bullets. it had never been a good eye to see with had long had the mote in it of lucifer's pride, sardanapalus's luxury, and a mole's blindness but it had dropped out and was gone. the court, from that exclusive inner circle to its outermost rotten ring of intrigue, corruption, and dissimulation, was all gone together. royalty was gone; had been besieged in its palace and "suspended," when the last tidings came over.