With an air of confident familiarity, and as much nonchalance as though they had been but ordinary people, Strafford approached the royal pair. The Queen had bestowed smiles on him too; he knew he had her friendship--moreover that she was the King's master. He had poured flattery into her ears, as another Minister courtier of later time into those of another queen--perhaps the only point of resemblance between the two men, otherwise unlike as Hyperion to the Satyr. With all his sins, Wentworth had redeeming qualities; he was at least a brave man and somewhat of a gentleman. "What do you say to this, my lord?" asked the Queen, as he came up. "I've been giving the King some counsel; advising him to dissolve the Parliament, or at least do something to stop them in their wicked courses. Favour us with your opinion, my lord." "My opinion," answered the Minister, making his bow, "corresponds with that of your Majesty. _Certes_, half-hand measures will no longer avail in dealing with these seditious gabblers. There's a dozen of them deserve having their heads chopped off." "Just what I've been saying!" triumphantly exclaimed the Queen. "You hear that, _mon mari_?" Charles but nodded assent, waiting for his Minister to speak further. "At the pace they're going now, Sire," the latter continued, "they'll soon strip you of all prerogative--leave you of Royalty but the rags." "_Ciel_, yes!" interposed the Queen. "And our poor children! What's to become of them?" "I've just been over to the House," proceeded Strafford; "and to hear them is enough to make one tear his hair. There's that Hampden, with Heselrig, Vane, and Harry Martin--Sir Robert Harley too--talking as if England had no longer a king, and they themselves were its rulers." "Do you tell me that, Strafford?" It was Charles himself who interrogated, now showing great excitement, which the Queen's "I told you so" strengthened, as she intended it. "With your Majesty's permission, I do," responded the Minister. "By God's splendour!" exclaimed the indignant monarch, "I'll read them a different lesson--show them that England _has_ a king--one who will hereafter reign as king should--absolute--absolute!" "Thank you, _mon ami_," said the Queen, in a side whisper to Strafford, as she favoured him with one of her most witching smiles, "He'll surely do something now." The little bit of by-play was unobserved by Charles, the gentleman-usher having again come up to announce another applicant for admission to the presence: an historical character, too--historically infamous--for it was Archbishop Laud.