Winchester that he was
a-building, and that was near finished.

"I shall be very happy this week," said he, "for my building will be all
covered in with lead." (He said the same thing again, later, to my Lord
Ailesbury, who remembered it when it was fulfilled, though in another
manner than the King had meant.)

He talked too of "little Ken," as he named him (who had been made Bishop
last week), and of the story that so many told--(for the King told his
stories several times over when he was in a good humour)--and the way he
told it to-night was this.

"Ah! that little Ken!" said he. "Little black Ken! He is the man to
tell me my sins! Your Grace should hear him"--(added he)--"upon the
Seventh Commandment! And such lessons drawn from Scripture too-from the
Old Testament!"

He looked up sharply and merrily at Her Grace of Portsmouth as he said
this.

"Well; when poor Nell and I went down to Winchester a good while ago,"
he went on, "what must little Ken do but refuse her a lodging! This is a
man to be a Bishop, thought I. And so poor Nell had to sleep where she
could."

Her Grace of Portsmouth looked very glum while this tale was told; for
she hated Mrs. Nelly with all her heart. She flounced a little in her
seat; and one of the dogs barked at her for it.

"First a monk and then a Duchess!" said the King. "Did you ever hear of
the good man of Salisbury who put his hand into my carriage to greet me,
and was bitten for his pains? 'God bless Your Majesty,' said he, 'and
God damn Your Majesty's dogs!'--Eh, Fubbs?"--(for so he called the
Duchess).

So he discoursed this evening, very freely indeed, and there was a
number of men presently behind his couch, listening to what he said. A
great deal of what he said cannot be set down here, for it was
extraordinary indecent as well as profane. Yet there was a wonderful
charm about his manner, and there is no denying it; and in this, I
suppose, lay a great deal of the injury he did to innocent souls, for it
all seemed nothing but merriment and good-humour. His quickness of
conception, his pleasantness of wit, his variety of knowledge, his
tales, his judgment of men--all these were beyond anything that I have
ever met in any other man.

There was silence made every now and then for the French boy to sing
another song; and this singing affected me very deeply, so long as I did
not look at the lad; for he was a silly-looking creature all dressed up
like a doll; but he sang