rning before him in
silver candlesticks. His face wore a very heavy and preoccupied look;
and I was astonished that he paid me no attention.

He finished at last, threw sand on the paper from the pounce-box, and
pushed it aside. Then he leaned his cheeks in his hands, and his elbows
on the table, and looked at me. But he did not speak unkindly.

"Here you are then," he said. "And I hear you bring news from the Old
Bailey?"

"I came from there half an hour ago, Sir."

"Ah! And the verdict was Guilty, Mr. Chiffinch tells me?"

"Yes, Sir."

"How did the people take it?"

"They applauded a great deal, Sir."

"They applauded, you say. At the end only, or all the while?"

"They applauded, Sir, whenever any of my Lords made a hit against the
Catholics."

"Were there any who did otherwise?"

"Not one, Sir, that I could hear."

"The Chief Justice. What did he say?"

"He made many protestations of devotion to your Majesty, Sir, and to the
Protestant Religion. He beat down the Catholics at every point. He
permitted none of their witnesses to speak freely."

The King was silent a moment. Then he went on again.

"And the prisoners. How did they bear themselves?"

"They bore themselves like gallant gentlemen, Sir. They fought every
point, so far as the Chief Justice would permit them."

"Did they shew any fear when the verdict was brought in?"

"None, Sir. They relied upon your Majesty's protection, no doubt."

Again His Majesty was silent. I still stood on the other side of the
table from him, waiting to say what I had to say. The King shewed no
sign of having heard what I had last said.

Then, to my astonishment he turned on me again very sharply.

"Mr. Mallock," he said, "I have a fault to find with you. Mr. Chiffinch
tells me that you were followed from the Court, and that a fellow was
asking after you at the gate. You say that you wish to serve me. Well,
those who serve me must be very discreet and very shrewd. Plainly, you
have not been so in this instance. You are a very young man; and I do
not wish to be severe. But you must remember, Mr. Mallock, that such a
thing as this must not happen any more."

My mouth was gone suddenly dry at this attack of His Majesty upon me. I
licked my lips with my tongue in readiness to answer; but before I could
speak, the King went on again.

"Now I had a little business to entrust to you; but I am not sure if it
be not best to give it to another hand."

He took u