"What now, my pretty rogue; what is thy wish?"
"May I speak with thee apart?" said the lad, as he knelt and kissed
the King's hand. "'Tis something of import--a trick is about to be
played upon thee." The King took alarm.
"We are about to start forth, my lad. Come, thou mayest walk by our
side, and if thy speech is as neat and comely as thy body, 'tis
possible ere we reach the end of yonder corridor thy tongue will have
won for thee the Royal favour." The King leant upon Constance as they
swaggered along down the passage.
"May I be so bold as to inquire of your Majesty if there has not come
to thee a woman with swart marks upon her face and a hump on her back,
preferring a petition for thy signature to some lands now held by the
Catholics?" The King started and looked now with great interest upon
the girlish fop, and speaking slowly as he answered,--
"Why, yes; she hath come and gone. What of her?"
"She hath played foully upon her King. I would give, Sire, half my
life to have seen your Majesty compel her to wash the painted spots
from her face and take from her shoulder the false hump, and she--"
"Ah! ah!" came from the thoroughly awaked King.
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