ics, my Lord," I said. "And I am sure that it is not
the first."

He appeared to reflect; but he was not a very good actor; and I could
see that it was feigned.

"Why you are very sharp, sir," he said. "You have put your finger on the
very place--the very place." (And he continued with far too short a
pause): "On which side are you, Mr. Mallock? For the country or for the
Court?"

"That is a dangerous question to answer, my Lord," I said, very short.

"It is only dangerous for one side," said he.

I nodded, in a grave and philosophical manner. Then I sighed.

"You are quite right, my Lord."

I could see that he was glancing at me continually. Yet no explanation
of his behaviour yet crossed my mind.

"Mr. Mallock," said he after a silence, "it is no good fencing about the
question. I can see that you are disaffected."

"That is a very safe way to put it," I said. "Who is not--on one side
or the other?"

"Yes," said he, "but you are sharp enough to know what I mean."

Again I nodded; but my mind was working like a mill; for a new thought
had come to me that seemed to illumine all the rest; and yet I could not
understand. The thought was this. Plainly my Lord Essex knew a good deal
about me: he knew enough, that is, to begin a conversation of this kind
with one whom he had only met once before--a mad proceeding altogether,
if that were all he knew. _Ergo_, thought I, he must know more than
that; and if he knew more he must know that I was in the service of His
Majesty and presumably devoted to that service; probably, too, from the
understanding between himself and Rumbald, he knew that I had chosen on
previous occasions to masquerade as if I were not a gentleman. Was he
quite mad then? For to talk like this to one in the confidence of His
Majesty was surely a crazed proceeding! Yet my Lord Essex was not a
fool.

Looking back upon the matter as I write, it is hard for me to understand
why I did not see through his design, since I saw so much of it. Yet it
was not until London was in sight, or rather its lights against the sky,
that all fell into its place; and I wondered at the simplicity of it. I
think that it was the way he talked to me--the manner in which he
skirted continually on the fringe of treason, yet said nothing that I
could lay hold upon, and, above all, mentioned no names--that gave me
the clue. I fear I fell a little silent as I perceived how point after
point ratified the conclusion to which I