and your henchman," she said to
Rozel, and moved on to the antechapel, the Court following. Standing
still just inside the doorway, she motioned Buonespoir to come near.
The pirate, unconfused, undismayed, with his wide blue asking eyes,
came forward and dropped upon his knees. Elizabeth motioned Lempriere to
stand a little apart.

Thereupon she set a few questions to Buonespoir, whose replies,
truthfully given, showed that he had no real estimate of his crimes, and
was indifferent to what might be their penalties. He had no moral sense
on the one hand, on the other, no fear.

Suddenly she turned to Lempriere again. "You came, then, to speak for
this Michel de la Foret, the exile--?"

"And for the demoiselle Angele Aubert, who loves him, your Majesty."

"I sent for this gentleman exile a fortnight ago--" She turned towards
Leicester inquiringly.

"I have the papers here, your Majesty," said Leicester, and gave a
packet over.

"And where have you De la Foret?" said Elizabeth. "In durance, your
Majesty."

"When came he hither?"

"Three days gone," answered Leicester, a little gloomily, for there was
acerbity in Elizabeth's voice. Elizabeth seemed about to speak, then
dropped her eyes upon the papers, and glanced hastily at their contents.

"You will have this Michel de la Foret brought to my presence as fast
as horse can bring him, my Lord," she said to Leicester. "This rascal
of the sea--Buonespoir--you will have safe bestowed till I recall
his existence again," she said to a captain of men-at-arms; "and
you, Monsieur of Rozel, since you are my butler, will get you to my
dining-room, and do your duty--the office is not all perquisites,"
she added smoothly. She was about to move on, when a thought seemed to
strike her, and she added, "This Mademoiselle and her father whom you
brought hither-where are they?"

"They are even within the palace grounds, your imperial Majesty,"
answered Lempriere.

"You will summon them when I bid you," she said to the Seigneur; "and
you shall see that they have comforts and housing as befits their
station," she added to the Lord Chamberlain.

So did Elizabeth, out of a whimsical humour, set the highest in the land
to attend upon unknown, unconsidered exiles.

CHAPTER VIII

Five minutes later, Lempriere of Rozel, as butler to the Queen, saw a
sight of which he told to his dying day. When, after varied troubles
hereafter set down, he went back to Jersey, he made a speec