"Gentlemen," said I, "a word before we go. Lord Stenwold lies dead in yonder chamber, 'tis true, but it was in fair fight. I am this night for the Low Countries; if any friend of his wishes satisfaction and fancies himself aggrieved, I shall hold myself at his disposal in Holland, upon whatever terms he will." "I shall see," said Feversham gravely, "that your courteous offer be communicated to whomsoever may desire to take up the late Lord Stenwold's quarrel." "Thank you," said I. "We are indebted to you for much." "A word before you go," said Feversham. "You know that I had no hand in bringing your wife back here." "I never for a moment dreamed of it," I replied with a black glance at Jeffreys, who shrank away. "I know well whence the King's evil inspiration came." "It grieves me," continued Feversham, "to call attention to the fact that if within two hours you are apprehended on English ground, your life, and I doubt not," he added significantly, "your wife's honour will be forfeited." "I understand," said I. "Your Majesty," I turned and faced the King. I took off my hat and bowed low to him with ironic courtesy--indeed had he not sought to use me and mine so foully, I could have pitied him in his degradation and despair--"Good-night, again; you should sleep sweeter for the failure of your designs upon this lady. I trust that I may meet you upon some wider field than this narrow room, where the prize to be struggled for may not be a woman's honour, but a kingdom's rule." I clapped my hat on my head, drew my wife's hand through my left arm and, with my bare blade in my right hand, I walked proudly through the door. The gentlemen and soldiers assembled silently gave back and opened way by General Feversham's directions as we passed through them. The King and Jeffreys both opened their mouths in wild clamour, but Feversham was equal to the emergency, he roared out like a stentor: "The King and his Chief Justice would fain be alone, gentlemen. Let us leave the room immediately. Stand not upon the order of your going, sirs----" And so bellowing orders and commands drowning out the sharp words of the King, he hustled all of them out into the anteroom, closed the door and himself stood guard before it. No one could pass then. "For God's sake, make haste, Richmond!" he cried, as I looked back to catch one last glimpse of him splendidly barring the King's exit. For the second time that night King James was a prisoner. I had no fear for Feversham, the best, the only commander worthy the name in the kingdom; he was a soldier; the King might hate him but he could do nothing, especially as any indignity to the Earl would probably cost him the favour of and might involve him in a war with France, which at that unsettled time would have been fatal to his kingship. He needed him.