Part 20 (1/2)
I turned, bowing low. The King arched his brows. It may well be that he had had enough of me already, and that he was not well pleased to stumble on me again and in this place. But he said nothing, merely turning his eyes to Nell in question.
”You know him, Sir,” said she, throwing herself into a chair.
”Yes, I know him,” said the King. ”But, if I may ask without presumption, what brings him here?”
Nell looked at the pair of us, the King and Simon Dale, and answered coolly,
”My invitation.”
”The answer is all sufficient,” bowed the King. ”I'm before my time then, for I received a like honour.”
”No, he's after his,” said she. ”But as you heard, Sir, I was urging him to go.”
”Not on my account, I pray,” said the King politely.
”No, on his. He's not easy here.”
”Yet he outstayed his time!”
”We had a matter of business together, Sir. He came to ask something of me, but matters did not prove to be as he thought.”
”Indeed you must tell me more, or should have told me less. I'm of a mighty curious disposition. Won't Mr Dale sit?” And the King seated himself.
”I will beg your Majesty's permission to depart,” said I.
”All requests here, sir, lie with this lady to grant or to refuse. In this house I am a servant,--nay, a slave.”
Nell rose and coming to the side of the King's chair stood there.
”Had things been other than they are, Mr Dale would have asked me to be his wife,” said she.
A silence followed. Then the King remarked,
”Had things been other than they are, Mr Dale would have done well.”
”And had they been other than they are, I might well have answered yes,”
said Nell.
”Why yes, very well,” said the King. ”For Mr Dale is, I'm very sure, a gentleman of spirit and honour, although he seems, if I may say so, just now rather taciturn.”
”But as matters are, Mr Dale would have no more of me.”
”It's not for me,” said the King, ”to quarrel with his resolve, although I'm free to marvel at it.”
”And asks no more of me than leave to depart.”
”Do you find it hard, madame, to grant him that much?”
She looked in the King's face and laughed in amus.e.m.e.nt, but whether at him or me or herself I cannot tell.