ruth, I began to be a
little uneasy; there were cells under the Castle, and I had need to be
at large for the coming few days.

"For," said I, "they tell such lies concerning princes."

Now he turned towards me, saying,

"There you're right, sir. The King of France, is of middle size, about
my own height."

For the life of me I could not resist it. I said nothing with my tongue,
but for a moment I allowed my eyes to say, "But then you're short, sir."
He understood, and for the third time he flushed.

"I thought as much," said I, and with a bow I began to walk on.

But, as ill-luck would have it, I was not to come clear off from my
indiscretion. In a moment I should have been out of sight. But as I
started I saw a gentleman pass the guard, who stood at the salute. It
was the King; escape was impossible. He walked straight up to me, bowing
carelessly in response to M. de Perrencourt's deferential inclination of
his person.

"How come you here, Mr Dale?" he asked abruptly. "The guard tells me
that he informed you of my orders and that you insisted on passing."

M. de Perrencourt felt that his turn was come; he stood there smiling. I
found nothing to say; if I repeated my fiction of a message, the French
gentleman, justly enraged, would betray me.

"M. de Perrencourt seemed lonely, sir," I answered at last.

"A little loneliness hurts no man," said the King. He took out his
tablets and began to write. When he was done, he gave me the message,
adding, "Read it." I read, "Mr Simon Dale will remain under arrest in
his own apartment for twenty-four hours, and will not leave it except by
the express command of the King." I made a wry face.

"If the Duke of Monmouth wants me----" I began.

"He'll have to do without you, Mr Dale," interrupted the King. "Come, M.
de Perrencourt, will you give me your arm?" And off he went on the
French gentleman's arm, leaving me most utterly abashed, and cursing the
curiosity that had brought me to this trouble.

"So much for the Duke of Buckingham's 'long head,'" said I to myself
ruefully, as I made my way towards the Constable's Tower, in which his
Grace was lodged, and where I had my small quarters.

Indeed, I might well feel a fool; for the next twenty-four hours, during
which I was to be a prisoner, would in all likelihood see the issue in
which I was pledged to bear a part. Now I could do nothing. Yet at least
I must send speedy word to the town that I was no longer to be loo