cravat; and his rosetted shoes were crossed one over the other as he sat. The light of the window fell full upon him from one side, shewing his swarthy face, his thin close moustaches, and his heavy eyes under his arched brows—shewing above all that air of strange and lovable melancholy that was so marked a trait in those of the Stuart blood. He smiled a little at me, but did not move, except to put out his hand. I came across the floor, kneeled and kissed his hand, then, at a motion from him, stood up again.
"So you are Mr. Roger Mallock," he said. "Welcome to England, Mr. Roger
Mallock. You bring good news of His Holiness, I hope."
"His Holiness does very well, Sir," I said.
"We should all do as well if we were as holy," said the King. "And you come to look after my soul, I am informed."
(He said this with a kind of gravity that can scarcely be believed.)
"I am no priest, Sir," I said, "if you mean that. I am only a forerunner, at the best."
"Vox clamantis in deserto," said the King. "I hope I shall be no Herod to cut off your head. But it is very kind of you to come to this wilderness. And have you seen my brother yet?"
"I am to see his Royal Highness immediately," I said. "I waited upon
Your Majesty first."
"Poor James!" said the King. "He wants looking after, I think. And what have you come to do in England, Mr. Mallock?"
Now I felt that I was cutting a poor figure at present; and that I must say something presently, if I could, to make the King remember me afterwards. It appeared to me that he was trying me, as he tried all newcomers, to see whether they would be witty or amusing; but, for the life of me, I could think of nothing to say.
"I am come to put myself wholly at Your Majesty's disposal," I said.
"Come! come! That's better," said Charles. "It is usually the other way about. Servus servorum Dei, you know. And in what manner do you propose that I should use you?"
"I will clean Your Majesty's shoes, if you will. Or I will run errands in my own. Or I will sing psalms, or ditties; or I will row in a boat; or I will play tennis, or fence. I am what is called an accomplished young gentleman, Sir."
Now I think I put in a shade too many clauses, for I was a little agitated. But the King's face lightened up very pleasantly.
"But I have plenty of folks who can do all that," he said. "In what are you distinguished from the rest?"
Then I determined on a bold stroke; for I knew that the King liked such things, if they were not too bold.
"I am a Jesuit at heart, Sir;" I said. "I desire to do these things, if Your Majesty wills it so, simply that I may serve His Holiness in serving Your Majesty."
"Oho!" said Charles; and he gathered his feet under him and looked at me more closely. I met his eyes fairly and then dropped my own.
"Oho! That is frank enough, Mr. Mallock. You know all about me, I suppose. You seem very young for such work. How old are you? Twenty-five?"
"I pass as twenty-five, Sir. But I am only twenty-one!"
"I would that I were!" said Charles earnestly. "And so you are a Jesuit in disguise—a wolf in sheep's clothing."
"No, Sir. I am a Jesuit at heart only, in that I would do anything in
God's cause. But I am rather a sheep in wolf's clothing. I was a
Benedictine novice till lately."
He seemed not to hear me. He had dropped his chin on his hand, and was looking at me as if he were thinking of something else.
"So you are come to serve me," he said presently, "in any way that I will; and you will serve me only that you may serve your master better. And what wages do you want?"
"None that Your Majesty can give," I said.
"Better and better," said Charles. "Nor place, nor position?"
"Only at Your Majesty's feet."
"And what if I kick you?"
"I will look for the halfpence elsewhere, Sir."
Then the King laughed outright, in the short harsh way he had; and I knew that I had pleased him. Then he stood up, and I saw that he was taller than I had thought. He was close upon six feet high.
"Well, Mr. Mallock," he said, "this seems all very pleasant and satisfactory. You said you would run errands. I suppose you mean to Rome?"
"To Rome and back, Sir," I said. "Or to anywhere else, except Hell."
"Oh! you draw the line there, do you?"
"No, Sir. It is God Almighty who has drawn it. I am not responsible."
"But you observe God His line?"
"Yes, Sir. At least, I try to."
"We all do that, I suppose. The pity is that we do not succeed more consistently … Well, Mr. Mallock, I have nothing for you at present. I am a great deal too busy. These ladies, you know, demand so much. I suppose you heard one of them laugh just now?"
"I hear nothing but Your Majesty's commands," I said very meekly.
Charles laughed again and began to walk up and down.
"Well—and there are all these clockwork businesses, and chymical and the like. And there is so much to eat and drink and see: and there are the affairs of the kingdom—I had forgot that. Well; I have no time at present, Mr. Mallock, as you can see for yourself. But I will not forget you, if I want you. Where do you lodge?"
I named my lodgings in Covent Garden.
"And I have a cousin, Sir," I said, "who has bidden me to his house in
Hare Street. I shall be here or there."
"His name?"
"Thomas Jermyn, Sir."
The King nodded.
"I will remember that," he said. "Well, it may be a long time before I have anything more to say to His Holiness. 'He that will not when he may—' You know all about that, I suppose, Mr. Mallock?"
"I know that Your Majesty has the reunion of Christendom at heart," I said discreetly.
"Yes, yes; I understand," said Charles. "I have received very favourable accounts of you, sir. And your letters, which are for the public eye, are perfectly in order. Well; I will remember, Mr. Mallock. Meanwhile you had best not shew yourself at Court in public too much." (And this he said very earnestly.)
He put out his hand to be kissed.
"And you will give my compliments to my brother James," he said.
* * * * *
One
