"Ah! I didn't think of that; but if he did it would give young Denis a chance to come and rescue me. You would, wouldn't you, boy?" "Yes, Sire, or die in the attempt." "Don't you be so fond of talking about dying," cried the King. "Who wants to die? Here, with all France at my feet, one wants to live and enjoy oneself. But let's see, Leoni; that wouldn't do at all. What's to be done?" "Your Majesty will have to stay at Fontainebleau and let your servant do this duty, as he has said." "No!" shouted the King. "I told you I would go myself." "With a powerful following, Sire," cried Saint Simon, giving Leoni a triumphant look. "Let me choose and lead your bodyguard." Denis frowned and set his teeth hard in his annoyance at being passed in the race by his companion; but he brightened directly on hearing the King's next impatient words: "Hang your bodyguard! Leoni is right." "Yes, Sire," said that individual, just loud enough for the young man to hear. "This must be done with guile." Denis's eyes flashed. "Pardon, Sire," he cried eagerly. "You might go in disguise." And the next moment the boy's heart swelled within his breast, for the King slapped him heartily on the shoulder. "Good!" he cried. "That's it! Do you hear, Leoni? That's the idea: I'll go in disguise." "Sire! It is impossible!" cried the doctor. "Quite," said the King, laughing; "but I like doing impossible things. Let me see, what's the proper way to go to work? I have it! As a learned doctor like you. H'm, no. They'd want me to cure somebody, and I should be killing him perhaps. Here, Saint Simon, how should I disguise myself?" "Well, Sire, if I were going to undertake the task I should dress myself like a--like a--like a--" "Minstrel, Sire," cried Denis excitedly, "like the English King Alfred." "Or Richard Coeur de Lion," shouted Saint Simon, striving not to be beaten in the race. "Here, hallo!" cried the King, "that won't do! I do know better than that. It was Richard's minstrel who went in disguise." "Yes, Sire," cried Denis eagerly, while Leoni, with his eyelids nearly closed, glanced from one to the other with a look of contempt. "That will not do," said the King gruffly. "There is no instrument that I could play; but I must go as something." "Is your Majesty seriously determined to go in disguise?" said the doctor. "Yes, old Wisdom. Now then, what do you propose?" "I can only think of one way, Sire, and that is that I should go as what I am--a doctor--a part, I believe, that I could worthily play." "Of course," said the King. "There is not a better doctor in the world." Leoni's eyes flashed, as he bowed his head gravely. "But you are not going," said the King decisively. "No, Sire, unless your Majesty thought it wise that I should go, and take you as my servant." "What!" shouted the King. "In disguise, of course, Sire."