Almost before the door had closed, Piotr was on his knees before me.
"Your Majesty, how could I be so blind! I did not think--and yet I should have known. Forgive me my want of respect. My life, everything I have is yours."
"Thank you, Piotr. I am your King, but I would have your devotion, nothing more."
"Your Majesty has that, God knows, and not only mine, but that of every man and woman that I know."
I believe that he would have liked to spend quite a considerable time expatiating on my various merits, had not Quarovitch entered.
"Ah, Colonel," I said, as he saluted, "I wish you to become acquainted with a man you may have heard of. You may even have sought his company. His name is Piotr, and under Ivan's beneficent rule he lived in a way that might have incurred your displeasure. He is now, however, one of my friends."
"I know him by sight, your Majesty, also by reputation. I believe we once exchanged slight courtesies with one another."
Here Piotr grinned.
"I trust neither of you were hurt," I said.
"I don't know about Piotr, your Majesty, but I had an inch of skin taken off my arm."