much as thrust my head out-of-doors save to go down to Sir Richard's
yesterday evening to fetch Mistress Jennings home."

"Did she come--I mean, would she face the storm?" asked the king.

"No, no," answered Frances, laughing. "Why face the storm to return to
Whitehall when the king was away? I remained with my father, and was so
ill that a physician was called at seven o'clock."

"I hope you are well again," said the king.

"Not entirely. But now I shall be," she answered, laughing.

"You mean now that I am at home?" asked the king, shaking his head
doubtfully.

"Yes, your Majesty."

"If your heart were as kind as your tongue, I should be a much happier
man than I am."

His Majesty sighed as he turned away, and the expression on his face was
as an open book to me, knowing as I did that he had just failed in
perpetrating an act of villainy which would have hanged any other man in
England.

One of the king's greatest misfortunes was his mouth. He could never keep
it closed. A secret seemed to disagree with him, physically and mentally;
therefore he relieved himself of it as soon as possible by telling any
one that would listen. Knowing this royal weakness, I was not at all