One glance at their contents confirmed Harrison's summary—the whole was in the King's known hand.
Oliver Cromwell turned his horse and rode back to Hampton Court.
CHAPTER IV
THE KING AT BAY
When Cromwell returned to the Palace the King had already gone to his supper.
"I will wait," said the Lieutenant-General; and in the little room with the linen-pattern carving in the grey-coloured walls, the portrait of Mary Tudor, the red lacquer desk, and the oriel window, where he had first spoken with Charles, he waited.
Between his buff coat and his shirt lay the packet of papers ripped from the saddle of the secret messenger in the stables of "The Blue Boar"—papers which Charles believed to be across the Channel by now.
Oliver Cromwell waited while nearly half an hour ticked away on the dial of the gilt bracket clock, and then came Lord Digby to say that His Majesty would not be disturbed again to-night; Charles had still the unconquerable pride of royalty; he would not be summoned to meet his enemies at any hour they chose to name; the state with which he was still surrounded perhaps deluded him into thinking he could behave as he had behaved at Whitehall.
If so, the veil of his dignity was now rent in such a way that it could never be patched again; Cromwell, with a manner there was no mistaking, the manner of the master, repeated his demand for an instant audience of His Majesty.