ot let him
see that.

"How was I to understand that distinction? I knocked at the door as
peaceably as any man could."

"And after that," he said, smiling a little grimly, "after that, your
cousinly affection blinded you."

"Well, that will do," I said.

He smiled again.

"Well; that is your case," he observed. "We will see how His Majesty
regards it. For I must tell you, Mr. Mallock, that for five minutes last
night it was touch and go whether you were not to be arrested. And I
will tell you this too, that if you had not come this morning, you
would have been brought."

"As bad as that?" I said, laughing. (But I must confess that his gravity
dismayed me a little.)

"As bad as that," he said. "You must go to His Majesty at ten."

"As I arranged," I said.

"As His Majesty arranged," said Mr. Chiffinch, rising: "and it is close
upon the time."

And then he added, with the utmost gravity.

"If there is one thing His Sacred Majesty is touchy upon, it is the
reputation of the ladies of the Court. I would remember that, sir, if I
were you."

I observed a while ago that Pride is a good weapon if one has not
Humility. So is Anger a good weapon, if one has not Patience; and I do
not mean simulated Anger, but the passion itself, held in a leash, like
a dog, and loosed when the time comes. Now, so great was my feeling for
His Majesty, and that not only of an honest loyalty, but of a real kind
of respect that I had for his person and his parts--a real fear of
the very great strength of will that lay beneath his weakness--that I
understood that, unless my anger was fairly near the surface, I should
be beaten down when I came into his presence. So, as we went together
towards his lodgings, I looked to see that my anger was there, patted it
on the head so to say, and called it Good Dog: and was relieved to hear
it growl softly in answer.

Plainly we were expected; because the two guards at the door stood aside
as soon as they saw us, and one of them called out something to a man
above. There were two more at the door itself; and we went in.

As we came in at the door of the private closet, having had no answer to
our knock, His Majesty came in at the other with two dogs at his heels.
He paid no attention to me at all, and barely nodded at my companion.
Then he sat down to his table, and began to write; leaving us standing
there like a pair of schoolboys.

Again I stroked the head of my anger. I could see the King