"'With you!' said the King stolidly, but with infinite contempt. 'With you! Nothing. I am this country's King, not the common hangman. You shall be dealt with by the proper authorities--make yourself easy about that. You shall be examined, and if you are pronounced insane, will be clapped between walls, out of the way of working mischief to yourself or to others. If you are sane, you will be shot or hanged, or whatever it is they do to traitors and treason-workers. I'm tolerably well versed in methods of procedure, but fortunately you are the first traitor who's directly crossed my path. "'But listen to me, you sir. Whatever punishment it is that is meted out to such as you--whether hanging by the common hangman or whether it be to be shot like a dangerous dog--I'll lift no hand to stay it. Not because of the personal indignity and affront you have dared to offer to me, but because' (his voice rose, and he looked terrible in his kingly wrath), 'because' (and now there was a tremor of pity in his tone), 'because by you the blood of my loyal and true soldiers, my brave officers, has been spilt, and because you have been the means of bringing untold misery and suffering upon my people, whom you have led away by your treason and by your devilries. For that, believe me, unsparing vengeance shall be exacted.' "The Dumpling, who was livid with passion, turned away, and taking off his cloak (his hat he had placed on a chair when coming in) laid it upon a table. "As he did so, I saw the handle of a dagger protruding from an inner pocket, and as he turned to face the King again, I whipped it out, and thrusting it under my coat, clapped my left arm lightly against my side, to keep the weapon from slipping down. Then the King turned to me: "'As for you, sir, I do not know who you may be, and do not greatly care. But that you should be privy to this traitor and villain's devilry, proclaims you villain and traitor too, and I promise that you, as well as he, shall receive short shrift when you come into the hands of justice.' "'Sir,' I said, falling on one knee and bowing lowly, 'believe me that I am no traitor, and no friend of this man, but your Majesty's loyal and loving subject, who is prepared to defend, with his own life, your Majesty's sacred person.' "Then I rose and turned to the Dumpling, who was laughing derisively.