"You should humour him," whispered the old man to Norman, who, astonished at the whole scene, and especially at this antiquated and abrupt form of address, did not know what to reply. "He is in the middle ages. For him this hall is still hung with cloth of gold, but he knows that his courtiers have left him, and fears treachery--and, above all, magic. He is a brave man, my liege the King," added the old man aloud. "Let him speak for himself, then, and do not whisper so much to him in my presence. Sir stranger, are you afraid of dragons?" "Of none," said Norman, vaguely wondering if he were telling the truth. "O well, O very well," said the King. "I have need of the strong and resolute. Too long has my kingdom lain in ashes and ruin; too long have I been pent up in this dismal room, a powerless captive, I, the son of the Kradendas! I tell you there has been foul treachery and foul black magic. But it shall end. I will no longer be the sport of a thing who flaps his wings in my face. But his hour has come. No more scales and fins for me. Listen closely. I will whisper to you the vital secret. I had it in a dream. You have only to hit him in the fifth rib. But, whatever you do, do not let him change his shape. You can catch him this evening. Wait behind the curtain. He comes here always at seven o'clock to play chess with me, squares and squares and squares." "I will be there in waiting." "Will you take an oath to be bold in my cause, to fight for me, and to serve me faithfully, and my Queen?" "I will have every care of your Majesty and of your Majesty's kingdom," said Norman, keeping up the spirit of the thing at a further hint from his companion, despite his disgust. "I think you are not of this country," observed the King. "Come you from North or South, or from the rising or from the setting?" "From the North, your Majesty," replied the boy. "Fair scion of the North, I will swear you have no lies upon your lips. What is your name?" "Norman, if it please your Majesty." "And are you Knight?" "I am but squire, your Majesty." "Then, my deliverer, since for years no one has cared for my ruined Majesty, save this, my last, my oldest, my only courtier, for my leech I count not; since you alone have proffered your service to a deserted and broken King, I am filled with good intentions towards you and propose to bestow upon you now at this moment the ancient and honourable distinction of knighthood, that you may bear me homage. Once more, will you swear to serve me faithfully?" "Oh, certainly," said Norman, the more uncomfortable in that there was something rather noble about the King's madness. "Then kneel," said the King, rising, as he said the words, in all his battered splendour, with the deep seriousness of a young child at play. Solemnly and almost gracefully, with the wooden sword that a wise supervision allowed him, he dubbed Norman Knight, according to the famous custom of chivalry, which even in England is not quite dead.