"Now I'm damned indeed," thought I; but I set my teeth, and listened with unmoved face. At this moment the King was alone, save for ourselves and a little long-eared dog which lay on his lap and was incessantly caressed with his hand. He heard his son's story with a face as impassive as I strove to render mine. At the end he looked up at me, asking, "What are these liberties which are so dear to you, sir?" My tongue had got me into trouble enough for one day, so I set its music to a softer tune. "Those which I see preserved and honoured by your Majesty," said I, bowing. Monmouth laughed, and clapped me on the back; but the King proceeded gravely: "And this Reformed Religion that you set above my orders?" "The Faith, Sir, of which you are Defender." "Come, Mr Dale," said he, rather surly, "if you had spoken to my brother as skilfully as you fence with me, he would not have been angry." I do not know what came over me. I said it in all honest simplicity, meaning only to excuse myself for the disrespect I had shown to the Duke; but I phrased the sentence most vilely, for I said: "When His Royal Highness questioned me, Sir, I had to speak the truth." Monmouth burst into a roar, and a moment later the King followed with a more subdued but not less thorough merriment. When his mirth subsided he said, "True, Mr Dale. I am a King, and no man is bound to speak truth to me. Nor, by heaven--and there's a compensation--I to any man!" "Nor woman," said Monmouth, looking at the ceiling in apparent absence of mind. "Nor even boy," added the King, with an amused glance at his son. "Well, Mr Dale, can you serve me and this conscience of yours also?" "Indeed I cannot doubt it, Sir," said I. "A man's king should be his conscience," said the King. "And what should be conscience to the King, Sir?" asked Monmouth. "Why, James, a recognition of what evil things he may bring into the world, if he doesn't mind his ways." Monmouth saw the hit, and took it with pretty grace, bending and kissing the King's hand. "It is difficult, Mr Dale, to serve two masters," said the King, turning again to me. "Your Majesty is my only master," I began; but the King interrupted me, going on with some amusement: "Yet I should like to have seen my brother." "Let him serve me, Sir," cried Monmouth. "For I am firm in my love of these liberties, aye, and of the Reformed Religion." "I know, James, I know," nodded the King. "It is grievous and strange, however, that you should speak as though my brother were not." He smiled very maliciously at the young Duke, who flushed red. The King suddenly laughed, and fell to fondling the little dog again. "Then, Sir," said Monmouth, "Mr Dale may come with me to Dover?"