"What are these liberties which are so dear to you, sir?"
My tongue had got me into trouble enough for one day, so I set its music to a softer tune.
"Those which I see preserved and honoured by your Majesty," said I, bowing.
Monmouth laughed, and clapped me on the back; but the King proceeded gravely:
"And this Reformed Religion that you set above my orders?"
"The Faith, Sir, of which you are Defender."
"Come, Mr Dale," said he, rather surly, "if you had spoken to my brother as skilfully as you fence with me, he would not have been angry."
I do not know what came over me. I said it in all honest simplicity, meaning only to excuse myself for the disrespect I had shown to the Duke; but I phrased the sentence most vilely, for I said:
"When His Royal Highness questioned me, Sir, I had to speak the truth."
Monmouth burst into a roar, and a moment later the King followed with a more subdued but not less thorough merriment. When his mirth subsided he said,
"True, Mr Dale. I am a King, and no man is bound to speak truth to me.
Nor, by heaven--and there"s a compensation--I to any man!"
"Nor woman," said Monmouth, looking at the ceiling in apparent absence of mind.
"Nor even boy," added the King, with an amused glance at his son. "Well, Mr Dale, can you serve me and this conscience of yours also?"
"Indeed I cannot doubt it, Sir," said I.
"A man"s king should be his conscience," said the King.
"And what should be conscience to the King, Sir?" asked Monmouth.
"Why, James, a recognition of what evil things he may bring into the world, if he doesn"t mind his ways."
Monmouth saw the hit, and took it with pretty grace, bending and kissing the King"s hand.
"It is difficult, Mr Dale, to serve two masters," said the King, turning again to me.
"Your Majesty is my only master," I began; but the King interrupted me, going on with some amus.e.m.e.nt:
"Yet I should like to have seen my brother."
"Let him serve me, Sir," cried Monmouth. "For I am firm in my love of these liberties, aye, and of the Reformed Religion."
"I know, James, I know," nodded the King. "It is grievous and strange, however, that you should speak as though my brother were not." He smiled very maliciously at the young Duke, who flushed red. The King suddenly laughed, and fell to fondling the little dog again.
"Then, Sir," said Monmouth, "Mr Dale may come with me to Dover?"
My heart leapt, for all the talk now was of Dover, of the gaiety that would be there, and the corresponding dulness in London, when the King and the Duke were gone to meet Madame d"Orleans. I longed to go, and the little hope I had cherished that Darrell"s good offices with the Secretary of State would serve me to that end had vanished. Now I was full of joy, although I watched the King"s face anxiously.
For some reason the suggestion seemed to occasion him amus.e.m.e.nt; yet, although for the most part he laughed openly without respect of matter or person, he now bent over his little dog, as though he sought to hide the smile, and when he looked up again it hung about his lips like the mere ghost of mirth.
"Why not?" said he. "To Dover, by all means. Mr Dale can serve you, and me, and his principles, as well at Dover as in London."
I bent on one knee and kissed his hand for the favour. When I sought to do the like to Monmouth he was very ready, and received my homage most regally. As I rose, the King was smiling at the pair of us in a whimsical melancholy way.
"Be off with you, boys," said he, as though we were a pair of lads from the grammar school. "Ye are both fools; and James there is but indifferently honest. But every hour"s a chance, and every wench an angel to you. Do what you will, and G.o.d forgive your sins." And he lay back in his great chair with a good-humoured, lazy, weary smile, as he idly patted the little dog. In spite of all that all men knew of him, I felt my heart warm to him, and I knelt on my knee again, saying:
"G.o.d save your Majesty."
"G.o.d is omnipotent," said the King gravely. "I thank you, Mr Dale."
Thus dismissed, we walked off together, and I was awaiting the Duke"s pleasure to relieve him also of my company, when he turned to me with a smile, his white teeth gleaming:
"The Queen sends a maid of honour to wait on Madame," said he.
"Indeed, sir; it is very fitting."
"And the d.u.c.h.ess sends one also. If you could choose from among the d.u.c.h.ess"s--for I swear no man in his senses would choose any of Her Majesty"s--whom would you choose, Mr. Dale?"
"It is not for me to say, your Grace," I answered.
"Well," said he, regarding me drolly, "I would choose Mistress Barbara Quinton." And with a last laugh he ran off in hot pursuit of a lady who pa.s.sed at that moment and cast a very kindly glance at him.
Left alone, but in a good humour that the Duke"s last jest could not embitter, I stood watching the scene. The play had begun now on a stage at the end of the hall, but n.o.body seemed to heed it. They walked to and fro, talking always, ogling, quarrelling, love-making, and intriguing. I caught sight here of great ladies, there of beauties whose faces were their fortune--or their ruin, which you will. Buckingham went by, fine as a galley in full sail. The Duke of York pa.s.sed with Mr Hudleston; my salute went unacknowledged. Clifford came soon after; he bowed slightly when I bowed to him, but his heartiness was gone. A moment later Darrell was by my side; his ill-humour was over, but he lifted his hands in comical despair.
"Simon, Simon, you"re hard to help," said he. "Alas, I must go to Dover without you, my friend! Couldn"t you restrain your tongue?"
"My tongue has done me no great harm," said I, "and you needn"t go to Dover alone."
"What?" he cried, amazed.
"Unless the Duke of Monmouth and my Lord Arlington travel apart."
"The Duke of Monmouth? What have you to do with him?"
"I am to enter his service," I answered proudly; "and, moreover, I"m to go with him to Dover to meet Madame d"Orleans."
"Why, why? How comes this? How were you brought to his notice?"
I looked at him, wondering at his eagerness. Then I took him by the arm, and I said laughingly:
"Come, I am teachable, and I have learnt my lesson."
"What lesson do you mean?"
"To restrain my tongue," said I. "Let those who are curious as to the Duke of Monmouth"s reasons for his favour to me, ask the Duke."