ed. He has suffered. It is,
as the English say in the game of golf 'lie as you like.' Let us forgive
and regret."

"I do not regret," said Madame, "except that I did not kick with both
feet. I do not regret, and I will not forgive."

"The trouble is," said Gorman, "that the dentist won't forgive either.
He's talking of a thousand pounds damage."

Madame's face softened.

"If he will pay a thousand pounds--" she said. "It is not much. It is
not enough. Still, if he pays at once----"

"You've got it wrong," said Gorman. "He thinks you ought to pay. He's
going to law about it."

"Law!" said Madame. "Pouf! What is your law? I spit at it. It is to
laugh at, the law."

The king took a different view. He knew by painful experience something
about law, chiefly that part of the law which deals with the relations
of creditor and debtor. He was seriously alarmed at what Gorman said.

"Alas, Corinne," he said, "in Megalia, yes. But in England, no. The
English law is to me a black beast. With the law I am always the
escaping goat who does not escape. Gorman, I love your England. But
there is, as you say, a shift in the flute. In England there is too much
law. Do not, do not let the dentist go to law. Rather would I----"

"I will not pay," said Madame.

"Corinne," said the king reproachfully, "would I ask it? No. But if the
dentist seeks revenge I will submit. He may kick me."

"That's rot of course," said Gorman. "It wouldn't be the slightest
satisfaction to Scarsby to kick you. What I was going to suggest----"

"Good!" said the king. "Right-O! O.K.! Put it there. You suggest.
Always, Gorman, you suggest, and when you suggest, it is all over except
to shout."

"I don't know about that," said Gorman. "My plan may not work, and
anyway you won't like it. It's not an agreeable plan at all. The only
thing to be said for it is that it's better than paying or having any
more kicking. You'll have to put yourself in my hands absolutely."

"Gorman, my friend," said the king, "I go in your hands. In both hands
or in one hand. Rather than be plaintiff-defendant I say, 'Gorman, I will
go in your pocket.'"

"In your hands," said Madame, "or in your arms. Sir Gorman, I trust you.
I give you my Konrad into your hands. I fling myself into your arms if
you wish it."

"I don't wish it in the least," said Gorman. "In fact it will complicate
things horribly if you do."

Three days later Gorman called on Dane-Latimer at his office.