n her own
feudal kingdom.

The King, seeing no termination to the debate, gently reminded the
Countess that her Majesty would be jealous if he detained her ladyship
longer, and offered her his hand to conduct her back to the company.
This she was under the necessity of accepting, and returned accordingly
to the apartments of state, where an event occurred immediately
afterwards, which must be transferred to the next chapter.

CHAPTER XLVI

Here stand I tight and trim,
Quick of eye, though little of limb;
He who denieth the word I have spoken,
Betwixt him and me shall lances be broken.
--LAY OF THE LITTLE JOHN DE SAINTRE.

When Charles had reconducted the Countess of Derby into the
presence-chamber, before he parted with her, he entreated her, in a
whisper, to be governed by good counsel, and to regard her own safety;
and then turned easily from her, as if to distribute his attentions
equally among the other guests.

These were a good deal circumscribed at the instant, by the arrival of
a party of five or six musicians; one of whom, a German, under the
patronage of the Duke of Buckingham, was particularly renowned for his
performance on the violoncello, but had been detained in inactivity in
the antechamber by the non-arrival of his instrument, which had now at
length made its appearance.

The domestic who placed it before the owner, shrouded as it was within
its wooden case, seemed heartily glad to be rid of his load, and
lingered for a moment, as if interested in discovering what sort of
instrument was to be produced that could weigh so heavily. His curiosity
was satisfied, and in a most extraordinary manner; for, while the
musician was fumbling with the key, the case being for his greater
convenience placed upright against the wall, the case and instrument
itself at once flew open, and out started the dwarf, Geoffrey
Hudson,--at sight of whose unearthly appearance, thus suddenly
introduced, the ladies shrieked, and ran backwards; the gentlemen
started, and the poor German, on seeing the portentous delivery of his
fiddle-case, tumbled on the floor in an agony, supposing, it might be,
that his instrument was metamorphosed into the strange figure which
supplied its place. So soon, however, as he recovered, he glided out of
the apartment, and was followed by most of his companions.

"Hudson!" said the King--"My little old f