The Duke told him that I had been Ferguson's tool.
"That rogue is in it then?"
"He is privy to it," the Duke answered.
His Majesty shrugged his shoulders, as if the answer annoyed him. "You English draw fine distinctions," he said. "Whatever you do, however, let us have no repetition of the Lancashire fiasco. You will bear that in mind, my lord, if you please. Another of Taafe's pseudo plots would do us more harm in the country than the loss of a battle in Flanders. Faugh! we have knaves at home, but you have a breed here--your Oates's and your Taafes and your Fullers--for whom breaking on the wheel is too good!"
"There are rogues, sir, in all countries," my lord answered somewhat tartly. "I do not know that we have a monopoly of them."
"The Duke of Shrewsbury is right there, sir," the gentleman behind the King who had not yet spoken, struck in, in a good-natured tone. "They are things of which there is no scarcity anywhere. I remember----"
"Taisez! Taisez!" cried the King brusquely, cutting short his reminiscences--whereat the gentleman, smiling imperturbably, took snuff. "Tell me this. Is Sir John Fenwick implicated?"
"There may be evidence against him," my lord answered cautiously.
The King sneered openly. "Yes," he said. "I see Porter and Goodman and Charnock are guilty! But when it touches one of yourselves, my lord, then 'There is evidence against him,' or 'It is a case of suspicion,' or--oh, you all hang together!" And pursing up his lips he looked sourly at us. "You all hang together!" he repeated. "I stand to be shot at--c'est dommage. But touch a noble, and Gare la Noblesse!"
"You do us an injustice, sir," my lord cried warmly. "I will answer for it----"