Come, Mr Dale says in all things," he observed. "Do we need more,
sir?"

But the Duke was rather of the priest's temper than of the Minister's.

"Why, my lord," he answered, "I have never known Mr Hudleston ask a
question without a reason for it."

"By serving the King in all things, some mean in all things in which
they may be pleased to serve the King," said Hudleston gravely. "Is Mr
Dale one of these? Is it the King's pleasure or his own that sets the
limit to his duty and his services?"

They were all looking at me now, and it seemed as though we had passed
from courtly phrases, such as fall readily but with little import from a
man's lips, and had come to a graver matter. They were asking some
pledge of me, or their looks belied them. Why or to what end they
desired it, I could not tell; but Darrell, who stood behind the priest,
nodded his head to me with an anxious frown.

"I will obey the King in all things," I began.

"Well said, well said," murmured Arlington.

"Saving," I proceeded, thinking it my duty to make this addition, and
not conceiving that there could be harm in it, "the liberties of the
Kingdom and the safety of the Reformed Religion."

I felt Arlington's hand drawn half-away, but in an instant it was back,
and he smiled no less pleasantly than before. But the Duke, less able or
less careful to conceal his mood, frowned heavily, while Hudleston cried
impatiently,

"Reservations! Kings are not served with reservations, sir."

He made me angry. Had the Duke said what he did, I would have taken it
with a dutiful bow and a silent tongue. But who was this priest to rate
me in such a style? My temper banished my prudence, and, bending my head
towards him, I answered:

"Yet the Crown itself is worn with these reservations, sir, and the King
himself allows them."

For a moment nobody spoke. Then Arlington said,

"I fear, sir, Mr Dale is as yet less a courtier than an honest
gentleman."

The Duke rose to his feet.

"I have found no fault with Mr Dale," said he haughtily and coldly, and,
taking no more heed of me, he walked away, while Hudleston, having
bestowed on me an angry glance, followed him.

"Mr Dale, Mr Dale!" whispered Arlington, and with no more than that,
although still with a smile, he slipped his arm out of mine and left me,
beckoning Darrell to go with him. Darrell obeyed with a shrug of
despair. I was alone--and, as it seemed, ruined. Alas, why must I blurt
out my old lesso