"None that Your Majesty can give," I said.
"Better and better," said Charles. "Nor place, nor position?"
"Only at Your Majesty's feet."
"And what if I kick you?"
"I will look for the halfpence elsewhere, Sir."
Then the King laughed outright, in the short harsh way he had; and I knew that I had pleased him. Then he stood up, and I saw that he was taller than I had thought. He was close upon six feet high.
"Well, Mr. Mallock," he said, "this seems all very pleasant and satisfactory. You said you would run errands. I suppose you mean to Rome?"
"To Rome and back, Sir," I said. "Or to anywhere else, except Hell."
"Oh! you draw the line there, do you?"
"No, Sir. It is God Almighty who has drawn it. I am not responsible."