ow----"
He could say no more; in spite of his desperate struggles, he was gagged
and stood silent, his eyes still burning with the message which his lips
were not suffered to utter. The King sank back in his seat, and cast a
furtive glance round the table. Then he sighed, as though in relief, and
wiped his brow. Monmouth's voice came clear, careless, confident.

"What's this madness?" he asked. "Who here is bartering God's Word? And
for what, pray?"

No answer was given to him; he glanced in insolent amusement at
Arlington and Clifford, then in insolent defiance at the Duke of York.

"Is not the religion of the country safe with the King?" he asked,
bowing to his father.

"So safe, James, that it does not need you to champion it," said the
King dryly; yet his voice trembled a little. Phineas raised that lean
forefinger at him again, and pointed. "Tie the fellow's arms to his
side," the King commanded in hasty irritation; he sighed again when the
finger could no longer point at him, and his eyes again furtively sought
Monmouth's face. The young Duke leant back with a scornful smile, and
the consciousness of the King's regard did not lead him to school his
face to any more seemly expression. My wits had come back now, although
my head ached fiercely and my body was full of acute pain; but I
watched all that passed, and I knew that, come what might, they would
not let Phineas speak. Yet Phineas could know nothing. Nay, but the
shafts of madness, often wide, may once hit the mark. The paper that had
lain between the King and M. de Perrencourt was hidden.

Again the French gentleman bent and whispered in the King's ear. He
spoke long this time, and all kept silence while he spoke--Phineas
because he must, the lieutenant with surprised eyes, the rest in that
seeming indifference which, as I knew, masked their real deference. At
last the King looked up, nodded, and smiled. His air grew calmer and
more assured, and the trembling was gone from his voice as he spoke.

"Come, gentlemen," said he, "while we talk this ruffian who has escaped
us makes good pace from Dover. Let the Duke of Monmouth and the Duke of
Buckingham each take a dozen men and scour the country for him. I shall
be greatly in the debt of either who brings him to me."

The two Dukes started. The service which the King demanded of them
entailed an absence of several hours from the Castle. It might be that
they, or one of them, would learn something from Jon