Mrs. Chiffinch was
listening with careless indifference, when some one was heard speaking
loudly, and with animation, in the inner apartment.

"Oh, gemini and gilliflower water!" exclaimed the damsel, startled out
of her fine airs into her natural vulgarity of exclamation, and running
to the door of communication--"if he has not come back again after
all!--and if old Rowley----"

A tap at the farther and opposite door here arrested her attention--she
quitted the handle of that which she was about to open as speedily as
if it had burnt her fingers, and, moving back towards her couch, asked,
"Who is there?"

"Old Rowley himself, madam," said the King, entering the apartment with
his usual air of easy composure.

"O crimini!--your Majesty!--I thought----"

"That I was out of hearing, doubtless," said the King; "and spoke of me
as folk speak of absent friends. Make no apology. I think I have heard
ladies say of their lace, that a rent is better than a darn.--Nay, be
seated.--Where is Chiffinch?"

"He is down at York House, your Majesty," said the dame, recovering,
though with no small difficulty, the calm affectation of her usual
demeanour. "Shall I send your Majesty's commands?"

"I will wait his return," said the King.--"Permit me to taste your
chocolate."

"There is some fresh frothed in the office," said the lady; and using a
little silver call, or whistle, a black boy, superbly dressed, like an
Oriental page, with gold bracelets on his naked arms, and a gold collar
around his equally bare neck, attended with the favourite beverage of
the morning, in an apparatus of the richest china.

While he sipped his cup of chocolate, the King looked round the
apartment, and observing Fenella, Peveril, and the musician, who
remained standing beside a large Indian screen, he continued, addressing
Mistress Chiffinch, though with polite indifference, "I sent you the
fiddles this morning--or rather the flute--Empson, and a fairy elf whom
I met in the Park, who dances divinely. She has brought us the very
newest saraband from the Court of Queen Mab, and I sent her here, that
you may see it at leisure."

"Your Majesty does me by far too much honour," said Chiffinch, her eyes
properly cast down, and her accents minced into becoming humility.

"Nay, little Chiffinch," answered the King, in a tone of as contemptuous
familiarity as was consistent with his good-breeding, "it was not
altogether for thine own private ear, though q