e the task I should dress myself
like a--like a--like a--"

"Minstrel, Sire," cried Denis excitedly, "like the English King Alfred."

"Or Richard Coeur de Lion," shouted Saint Simon, striving not to be
beaten in the race.

"Here, hallo!" cried the King, "that won't do! I do know better than
that. It was Richard's minstrel who went in disguise."

"Yes, Sire," cried Denis eagerly, while Leoni, with his eyelids nearly
closed, glanced from one to the other with a look of contempt.

"That will not do," said the King gruffly. "There is no instrument that
I could play; but I must go as something."

"Is your Majesty seriously determined to go in disguise?" said the
doctor.

"Yes, old Wisdom. Now then, what do you propose?"

"I can only think of one way, Sire, and that is that I should go as what
I am--a doctor--a part, I believe, that I could worthily play."

"Of course," said the King. "There is not a better doctor in the
world."

Leoni's eyes flashed, as he bowed his head gravely.

"But you are not going," said the King decisively.

"No, Sire, unless your Majesty thought it wise that I should go, and
take you as my servant."

"What!" shouted the King.

"In disguise, of course, Sire."

"That I won't!" cried the King. "Either in disguise or out of it. Bah!
Pish! The idea is absurd. Go as your servant! Are you growing into
your dotage, man?"

The two young men exchanged glances, brothers once again in combination
against their rival for the King's favour, who seemed to be coming to
the front and leaving them behind.

"Pardon me, Sire," said the doctor humbly. "I proposed that, as it
seemed an easy way to achieve your ends."

"I would sooner give up the project, Master Leoni," said the King
haughtily. "Propose something else."

The doctor spread his hands apart in the most self-abasing way, but the
King was not appeased.

"Picture me, the eldest son of Holy Church, His Most Christian Majesty,
masquerading as the servant of a leech! Have a care, Master Leoni. You
have a way of handling a lancet and letting your patients' blood.
Recollect that kings have a way too of treating patients so that they
never bleed again."

"I am your Majesty's humble slave," said Leoni, in low, deprecating
tones; but Denis noticed that there was no humility in the half veiled
eyes as they were lowered to the ground; "You are forgiven," said the
King. "But have a care. By the Faith! It brought the blood hotly