A Ladder of Swords

f the royal palace at Greenwich, his eye busy in inspection-for the Queen would soon pass on her way to chapel-his head nodding right and left to archbishop, bishop, coun

lendent in red velvet and gold chains, in peevish argument with a boisterous seigne

means this turmoil? Her Majesty comes hither!" he cried, and scowled upon the intruder, who now stepp

es I come also," the sei

our name a

nd I shall know

d Chamberlain

rière, Seigneur of Rozel

l?" asked my L

suddenly flushed, his mou

ge contempt-"of Governor Hugh Pawlett?" The Lord Chamberlain nodded. "Then ask his Excellency when next you see him,

he Lord Chamberlain, smiling now; for Lemprière's words and ways were of s

have dove-cotes, which is the everlasting thorn in the side of De Carteret

s of the garter, in brave attire, with bare heads and sumptuous calves. The Lord Chamberlain had scarce got to his place when the Chancellor, bearing the seals in a red silk purse, entered, flanked by two gorgeous folk

e," he was wont to say, with loud guffaws. But what he spoke of afterwards with preposterous ease and pride was neither pride nor ease at the moment; for the Queen's eyes fell on him as he shoved past the gentlemen who kept the door. For an

g attempt at composure, but ended by flaming from head to foot, his face shining like a cock's comb, the perspiration standing out like beads upon his forehead, his eyes gone blind with confusion.

dge." With a flippant step before the seigneur, he shook his bells at him. "Thou shalt stay, Nuncio, and, staying, speak the truth. So doing, you shall be as noted as a comet with three tails. Y

the doings of the Queen and her courtiers with wide-eyed curiosity. He saw the Earl of Leicester, exquisite, haughty, gallant, fall upon his knee, and Elizabeth slowly pull off her glove and with a none too gracious look give him her hand to kiss, th

emprière's heated senses a judge's robe, and Elizabeth the august judge of the world. His eyes blinded again, for it was as if she were bearing down upon him. Certainly she was looking at him now, scarce heeding the courtiers who fell to their knees on either side as she came on. The red doublets of the fifty Gentlemen Pensioners-all men of noble families pr

sty. He was aware that two gentlemen touched him on the shoulder and bade him retire; but the Queen motioned to them to desist. So, with the eyes of the whole court on him again, and Elizab

ore than homage that bent him to his knees as the Queen looked him full in the eyes

ege do you seek

Rozel, your high Majesty," said t

rows. "The man seems Fren

Queen did not know him, then! "Fro

r to us. And what i

one may have dove-cotes in the isle; and I only may have the perquage-on

nce-chamber. "God preserve us," she said, "that I should not have

re mirth at his words; and though she had no ken or memory of him, she read his nature and was mindful to humor him. Beck

eur of Rozel

od up, and met h

that frieze jerkin is well cut; it suits thy figure well-I would that my Lord Leicester here had such a tailor. But this perquage-I doubt not there are those here at court who are most ignorant of its force and moment. My Lord Chamberlain, my Lord Leicester, Ce

en in marriage, multiple or singular, even as I," said

ourse he had charted for himself in Jersey. In large words and larger

ou used the right, fr

en years, your

n la

a week, your un

brows. "Who was the crim

is your well-born Majesty to your loyal Jersiais." And thereupon he plunged into an impeachment of De Carteret of St. Ouen's, and st

through others than the Seigneur of St. Ouen's. He is an unlikely squire of dames.

echapel, yo

th, in sudden amazement. "I

figure of Buonespoir, his good-natured, fearless face, his s

his rank offences, your beni

two such na?ve folk at court. There was not a hair of duplicit

ng. Standing still just inside the doorway, she motioned Buonespoir to come near. The pirate, unconfused, undismayed, with

showed that he had no real estimate of his crimes, and was indifferent to what mig

ain. "You came, then, to speak for

e Angèle Aubert, who l

le a fortnight ago-" She turne

our Majesty," said Leicest

you De la Forêt?

ce, your

ame he

ter, a little gloomily, for there

n dropped her eyes upon the papers a

ill I recall his existence again," she said to a captain of men-at-arms; "and you, Monsieur of Rozel, since you are my butler, will get you to my diningroom and do your duty-the office is not

lace grounds, your imperial

eur; "and you shall see that they have comforts and housing

umor, set the highest in the land to a