"My liege," said Sir Percevall, "these things have we considered. Nor would we tempt this awful Presence with petitions looking to tax further the public patience. But, please your Majesty, Master Droop, my client here," indicating the still kneeling man with a sweeping gesture, "hath brought into being an instrument, or rather two instruments, of marvellous fashion and of powers strange. Of these your Majesty's subjects have had hitherto no knowledge, and it is in the making and selling of these within this realm that we do here crave a right of monopoly under the Great Seal." "Excuse me, forsooth, your Majesty," Droop broke in, "but would thou mind if I get up, my liege?" "Nay, rise, rise, Master Droop!" exclaimed the Queen, smothering a laugh. "We find matter for favor in your sponsor's speech. Can you more fully state the nature of this petition?" "Yes, ma'am--your Majesty," said Droop, rising and dusting off his knees. "I am the inventor of a couple of things, forsooth, that are away ahead of the age. Marry, yes! I call 'em a bicycle and a phonograph." "Well, did you ever!" murmured Rebecca, amazed at this impudent claim to invention. Messer Guido paused in his writing and began to unfold his precious American newspaper, while Droop went on, encouraged by the attentive curiosity which he had evidently excited in the Queen. "Now, the bicycle--or the bike, fer short--is a kind of a wagon or vehycle, you wot. When you mount on it, you can trundle yerself along like all possessed----" "Gramercy!" broke in the Queen, in a tone of irritation. "What have we here! We must have plain English, Master Droop. American idioms are unknown to us." As Droop opened his mouth to reply, Guido stepped forward with a great rustling of paper. "May it please your Gracious Majesty--" he panted, eagerly. "Speak, Messer Guido." "I would fain question this gentleman, your Majesty, touching certain things contained herein." He shook the paper at arm's length and glared at Droop, who returned the look with a calm eye. "You may proceed, sir," said Elizabeth. "Why, Master Droop, you that are the inventor of this same 'bicycle,' how explain you this?" He thrust the paper under Droop's nose, pointing to an advertisement therein. "Here," he continued, "here have we a picture bearing the legend, 'Baltimore Bicycle--Buy No Other'--" He paused, but before Copernicus could speak he went on breathlessly: "And look on this, Master Droop--see here--here! Another drawing, this time with the legend, 'Edison's Phonographs.' How comes it that you have invented these things? Can you invent on this 21st day of May, in the year of our Lord 1598, what was here set forth as early as--as--" he turned the paper back to the first page, "as early as April--" he stopped, turned pale, and choked. Droop looked mildly triumphant. "Well--well!" cried Elizabeth, "hast lost thy voice, man?" "My liege," murmured the bewildered savant, "the date--this document----"