His Majesty made a little inclination of his head to me, but said nothing, putting out his hand; and when I had kissed it, and stood back with the other two, he continued speaking as if I were not there. His face had a look, as if he were a little ennuyé, and yet a little merry too.
"Continue, my Lord," he said.
"Now, doctor," said my Lord, in a patient kind of voice as if he encouraged the other, "you tell us that all these papers were thrust under your door. By whom were they thrust, do you think?"
"My Lord, I have my suspicions," said the minister; "but I do not know."
"Can you verify these suspicions of yours, do you think?"
"My Lord, I can try."
"And under how many heads are they ranged?" asked the King, drawling a little in his speech.
"Sir; they are under forty-three heads."
The King rolled his eyes, as if in a droll kind of despair; but he said nothing.
"And you tell me—" began my Lord; but His Majesty broke in: