प्रतिनिधि मंडल

Summary

Seven mine workers from the Selmec region decide to go directly to the king to present their grievances. They have endured long hours of underground labor with insufficient food, and their appeals to the engineer, manager, and director have been ignored. The director, a high-ranking official guarded by soldiers with drawn swords, refused to see them. Frustrated, the workers, led by George Klincow, resolve to take their complaint to the monarch himself. Their journey begins with a procession through the mining town. A brass band leads the way, followed by a flag bearer and the seven workers, dressed in black shirts with silk tassels and yellow-buckled belts, their velvet caps adorned with feathers. A crowd of men, women, children, and the elderly follows. The townspeople watch from windows, whispering about the audacity of the protesters. The workers travel by train, first on a small railway through mountains and forests, then transfer to a larger train at a junction in the vast Hungarian plain. They are awed by the immense, sandy landscape. During the journey, they discuss the king, imagining him in a golden throne and a sacred crown, though one suggests he lives simply. They believe the king will listen and bring change, perhaps even promoting them to foremen. Arriving in Vienna, they are overwhelmed by the city's lights, tall buildings, and crowds. The next morning, they nervously approach the palace. A strange man leads them past guards who salute, and the workers, thinking the salutes are for them, return the gesture. They ascend marble stairs, walking on red carpets past soldiers standing like statues. One worker, Masek, touches a soldier, thinking it a statue, then recoils in fear. They are led into a room, and the king enters. He wears no crown or robe, but his eyes and smile make them feel as if they have known him forever. Klincow kneels, and the others follow. The king tells them to rise. They stand, brushing their knees as they do in church. The king breaks