"Why, yes, my lord; I and all my family."
"Good, good. In these days our Church has many enemies. It is threatened on more than one side."
I contented myself with bowing; when the Secretary spoke to me on such high matters, it was for me to listen, and not to bandy opinions with him.
"Yes, we are much threatened," said he. "Well, Mr Dale, I shall trust that we may have other meetings. You are to be found at Mr Darrell's lodging? You may look to hear from me, sir." He moved away, cutting short my thanks with a polite wave of his hand.
Suddenly to my amazement the King turned round and called to me:
"Mr Dale, there is a play to be acted at my house to-morrow evening. Pray give me the pleasure of your company."
I bowed almost to the ground, scarcely able to believe my ears.
"And we'll try," said the King, raising his voice so that not only we who were close to him but the gentlemen behind also must hear, "to find an ugly woman and an honest man, between whom we may place you. The first should not be difficult to come on, but the second, I fear, is well-nigh impossible, unless another stranger should come to Court. Good-day to you, Mr Dale." And away he went, smiling very happily and holding the boy's hand in his.
The King's immediate party was no sooner gone than Darrell ran up to me eagerly, and before my lord could rejoin me, crying: