.

"My Majesty doth not please at all; but he will submit, I suppose. Tell
me, sir, why it is that you wish to leave."

"Sir," I said, "the reasons are pretty plain. I have displeased Your
Majesty for the past half-year; and I cannot forget that, even though,
Sir, you are graciously pleased to compliment me now. Then I have
quarrelled with my Cousin Jermyn, so that I have not a kinsman left in
England; and--and I have lost her whom I was to make my wife this year.
Finally, if more reasons are wanting, I am weary of a world in which I
have failed so greatly; and I must go back again to the cloister, if
they will have me there."

All came with a rush when I began to speak, for His Majesty's presence
had always an extraordinary effect upon me, as upon so many others. I
had determined to say very little; yet here I had said it all, and I
felt the blood in my face. He listened very patiently to me, with his
head a little on one side, and his underlip thrust out, and his great
melancholy eyes searching my face.

"Well! well! well," he said again, "if you must be a monk there is no
more to be said. But what of your apostleship in the world?"

"Sir," I cried--for I knew what he meant--"my apostleship as you name
it has been a greater disaster than all the rest: and God knows that is
great enough."

He was silent a full half minute, I should think, still looking on me
earnestly.

"Are you so sure of that?" said he.

My heart gave a leap; but he held up his hand before I could speak.

"Wait, sir," he said. "I will tell you this. You have said very little
to me; but I vow to you that what you have said I have remembered. It is
not argument that a man needs--at least after the first--but example.
That you have given me."

Then I flushed up scarlet; for I was sure he was mocking me.

"Sir," I cried, "you might have spared--"

He lifted his eyes a little.

"I assure you, Mr. Mallock," he said, "that I mean what I say. You have
been very faithful; you have ventured your life again and again for me;
you have refused rewards, except the very smallest; you have lost even
your sweetheart in my service; and now, when all is within your reach
again, you fling it back at me. It is not very gracious; but it is very
Christian, as I understand Christianity."

I said nothing. What was there to say? I seemed a very poor Christian to
myself.

"Come! come, Mr. Mallock," pursued the King very gently and kindly.
"Think of it once