keeping it; it is your
duty to speak the truth--if you are afraid of Buckingham, the Duke shall
withdraw."

"I have no reason to fear the Duke of Buckingham," said Peveril; "that I
had an affair with one of his household, was the man's own fault and not
mine."

"Oddsfish!" said the King, "the light begins to break in on me--I
thought I remembered thy physiognomy. Wert thou not the very fellow whom
I met at Chiffinch's yonder morning?--The matter escaped me since; but
now I recollect thou saidst then, that thou wert the son of that jolly
old three-bottle Baronet yonder."

"It is true," said Julian, "that I met your Majesty at Master
Chiffinch's, and I am afraid had the misfortune to displease you;
but----"

"No more of that, young man--no more of that--But I recollect you had
with you that beautiful dancing siren.--Buckingham, I will hold you gold
to silver, that she was the intended tenant of that bass-fiddle?"

"Your Majesty has rightly guessed it," said the Duke; "and I suspect
she has put a trick upon me, by substituting the dwarf in her place; for
Christian thinks----"

"Damn Christian!" said the King hastily--"I wish they would bring
him hither, that universal referee."--And as the wish was uttered,
Christian's arrival was announced. "Let him attend," said the King: "But
hark--a thought strikes me.--Here, Master Peveril--yonder dancing maiden
that introduced you to us by the singular agility of her performance, is
she not, by your account, a dependent of the Countess of Derby?"

"I have known her such for years," answered Julian.

"Then will we call the Countess hither," said the King: "It is fit
we should learn who this little fairy really is; and if she be now
so absolutely at the beck of Buckingham, and this Master Christian of
his--why I think it would be but charity to let her ladyship know so
much, since I question if she will wish, in that case, to retain her in
her service. Besides," he continued, speaking apart, "this Julian, to
whom suspicion attaches in these matters from his obstinate silence,
is also of the Countess's household. We will sift this matter to the
bottom, and do justice to all."

The Countess of Derby, hastily summoned, entered the royal closet at one
door, just as Christian and Zarah, or Fenella, were ushered in by the
other. The old Knight of Martindale, who had ere this returned to the
presence, was scarce controlled, even by the signs which she made, so
much was he desirous