"I cannot withstand your power, my lord, to do what you will. I will in that case go to the Duke's footstool, and do my errand there." "Ay, and my errand also," answered the Governor. "That is, thou wilt carry thy complaint to the Duke against the Governor of La Ferette, for executing his orders too strictly?" "On my life and honest word," answered the Englishman, "I will make no complaint. Leave me but my ready money, without which I can hardly travel to the Duke's court, and I will look no more after these goods and wares than the stag looks after the antlers which he shed last year." Again the Governor of La Ferette looked doubtful, and shook his head. "Men in such a case as yours," he said, "cannot be trusted, nor, to say truth, is it reasonable to expect they should be trustworthy. These same wares, designed for the Duke's private hand, in what do they consist?" "They are under seal," replied the Englishman. "They are of rare value, doubtless?" continued the Governor. "I cannot tell," answered the elder Philipson; "I know the Duke sets great store by them. But your excellency knows, that great princes sometimes place a high value on trifles." "Bear you them about you?" said the Governor. "Take heed how you answer--Look around you on these engines, which can bring a dumb man to speak, and consider I have the power to employ them!" "And I the courage to support their worst infliction," answered Philipson, with the same impenetrable coolness which he had maintained throughout the whole conference. "Remember, also," said Hagenbach, "that I can have your person searched as thoroughly as your mails and budgets." "I do remember that I am wholly in thy power; and that I may leave thee no excuse for employing force on a peaceful traveller, I will own to you," said Philipson, "that I have the Duke's packet in the bosom of my doublet." "Bring it forth," answered the Governor. "My hands are tied, both in honour and literally," said the Englishman. "Pluck it from his bosom, Kilian," said Sir Archibald; "let us see this gear he talks of." "Could resistance avail," replied the stout merchant, "you should pluck forth my heart first. But I pray all who are present to observe that the seals are every one whole and unbroken at this moment when it is forcibly taken from my person." As he spoke thus he looked around on the soldiers, whose presence De Hagenbach had perhaps forgotten. "How, dog!" said Sir Archibald, giving way to his passion, "would you stir up mutiny among my men-at-arms?--Kilian, let the soldiers wait without." So saying, he hastily placed under cover of his own robe the small but remarkably well-secured packet which Kilian had taken from the merchant's person. The soldiers withdrew, lingering, however, and looking back, like children brought away from a show before its final conclusion.