where the King loved, even as
I drank of his cup."

"I know, Mr Dale. But you say 'once.'"

"It is gone by, Sir."

"But, yesterday?" he exclaimed abruptly.

"She is a great comedian, Sir; but I fear I seconded her efforts badly."

He did not answer for a moment, but began again to play with the dog.
Then raising his eyes to mine he said:

"You were well enough; she played divinely, Mr Dale."

"She played for life, Sir."

"Ay, poor Nelly loves me," said he softly. "I had been cruel to her. But
I won't weary you with my affairs. What would you?"

"Mistress Gwyn, Sir, has been very kind to me."

"So I believe," remarked the King.

"But my heart, Sir, is now and has been for long irrevocably set on
another."

"On my faith, Mr Dale, and speaking as one man to another, I'm glad to
hear it. Was it so at Canterbury?"

"More than ever before, Sir. For she was there and----"

"I know she was there."

"Nay, Sir, I mean the other, her whom I love, her whom I now woo. I mean
Mistress Barbara Quinton, Sir."

The King looked down and frowned; he patted his dog, he looked up again,
frowning still. Then a queer smile bent his lips and he said in a voice
which was most grave, for all his smile,

"You remember M. de Perrencourt?"

"I remember M. de Perrencourt very well, Sir."

"It was by his choice, not mine, Mr Dale, that you set out for Calais."

"So I understood at the time, Sir."

"And he is believed, both by himself and others, to choose his
men--perhaps you will allow me to say his instruments, Mr Dale--better
than any Prince in Christendom. So you would wed Mistress Quinton? Well,
sir, she is above your station."

"I was to have been made her husband, Sir."

"Nay, but she's above your station," he repeated, smiling at my retort,
but conceiving that it needed no answer.

"She's not above your Majesty's persuasion, or, rather, her father is
not. She needs none."

"You do not err in modesty, Mr Dale."

"How should I, Sir, I who have drunk of the King's cup?"

"So that we should be friends."

"And known what the King hid?"

"So that we must stand or fall together?"

"And loved where the King loved?"

He made no answer to that, but sat silent for a great while. I was
conscious that many eyes were on us, in wonder that I was so long with
him, in speculation on what our business might be and whence came the
favour that gained me such distinction. I paid little heed, for I was
seeking to follow t