Certain questions of court etiquette and procedure having been disposed of: "By the way," said his Majesty, "I was told yesterday that you are being criticised—in the play department, I mean."
The Lord Functionary had been spending sleepless nights in a scrambling attempt to acquire a literary education; but his own royal master was the last person to whom he would give himself away; so he only smiled with that air of deference and self-complacence which all court officials know how to combine. "I have heard rumors of it, sir," he replied, in a tone of easy detachment.
"Who are making the complaints?"
"Certain members of Parliament, I believe. They have constituents to satisfy; and under a democracy, of course, autocrats can never do right."
"Are you the autocrat?" inquired the King.
"At your Majesty's disposal," returned the Lord Functionary with a bow.
"Then you are not responsible to Parliament?"
The Lord Functionary smiled, with a touch of disdain. "I should not be holding office if I were," said he.
"Then you are not under the Prime Minister, either?"
"No more than your Majesty," said the magnificent one blandly. "In the order of precedence I am, indeed, several degrees above him. It is, of course, a Government appointment; but while I hold it my discretionary powers are unlimited."