But now for a bite; we have been riding since
noon."

It was very strange to go upstairs again after a mouthful or two, and a
glass of warm ale, and see my chamber again from which I had departed in
such unhappiness near a twelvemonth ago. James had made a little fire
for me, before which I drew off my boots and undressed myself. For it
was from this very chamber that I had gone forth in such despair, when
Dolly had said that she would not have me: and now, here I was in it
again, all glowing with my ride and my drink and my great content,
having kissed Dolly just now in her father's presence as a symbol of
our troth. And so I went to bed and dreamed and woke and dreamed again.

We had our talk out next morning, Tom pacing up and down the Great
Chamber, until I entreated him for God's sake to sit down and save my
stiff neck. He was very high at first; but I was astonished how quickly
he came down.

"That is very well," I said, "to speak now of better prospects for
Dolly. But you will do me the honour of remembering, my dear Cousin,
that in this very room once you spoke to me very differently. If you
have changed your mind, you might at least have told me so; for I have
not changed mine at all; and Dolly, it seems, is come round to my way of
thinking at last."

"But how did you do it?" asked he, stopping in his walk.

"I lost my temper altogether," said I; "and that is a very good way if
you have tried all the rest."

"But the King, man, the King! How did you get that paper out of him? Why
His Majesty himself, I am told, took particular notice--"

"Eh?" said I.

"That is no matter now," he said. "What were you going to say?"

"I must have that first," said I.

Tom began to pace the floor again.

"It is nothing at all, Cousin. It is that His Majesty spoke very kindly
to my daughter upon her first coming to Court."

"I am glad I did not know that," I said, "or I might have said more to
him."

"Well; but what did you say?"

Now I was in half a dozen minds as to what I should tell him. He knew
for certain nothing at all of my comings and goings and of what I did
for the King; yet I thought that he must have guessed a good deal. I
judged it safer, therefore, to tell him a little, to stop his month; but
not too much.

"Why," I said very carefully, "I have been of a little service to the
King; and His Majesty was good enough to ask me if there were any
little favour he could do me. So that is what I asked h