"You have done quite enough, my good dame," said Charles. "In strict fulfilment of your promise, you have kept your house free from guests at a busy time, so that I have been perfectly private, and if I had departed without making any disclosure to you, I should have desired others to thank you in my name."
Quite overwhelmed by his majesty's condescension, the hostess could make no reply.
"I must, also, compliment you on your discernment," pursued the king, smiling. "You quickly perceived that I wanted some necessary qualifications for the part I attempted to play, and that I was not exactly the person with whom this charming young gentlewoman would have made a runaway match. A great liberty has been taken with her—excusable, only, under the circumstances—but you will understand that her loyalty alone induced her to consent to the scheme."
"Yes, but I played my part so indifferently, that I do not deserve your majesty's thanks," said Juliana.
"Nay, the fault was mine," rejoined the king. And he added in a low voice, "I ought to have changed parts with Major Careless."
[CHAPTER XV.]
THE WATCHERS BY THE SEA.
By this time, most of the inhabitants of the little town who had been at Lyme fair had returned, and a great number of them flocked to the inn, and made so much disturbance, that the hostess was fain to serve them, but she would not let them into the parlour, and after they had emptied a few pots of cider—that being the liquor for which Charmouth was renowned—they quietly departed.
Half an hour later, every house in the village—except the little inn, was closed—and its inmates had apparently retired to rest, since not a light could be seen in any of the windows.