"Oddsfish!" he cried, "this is a turning of tables indeed! I sent for
you, Mr. Mallock--"

The door opened softly behind me; and a man put his head in.

"Go away! go away!" cried the King. "Cannot you see I am being preached
to?"

The door closed again.

"I sent for you, Mr. Mallock, to reprimand you very severely. And
instead of that it is you who have held the whip. Little Ken is nothing
to it: you should have been a Bishop, Mr. Mallock."

Again he spirted with laughter. Then he drew himself up in his chair a
little; and became more grave.

"This is all very well," he said. "But I think I must get in my
reprimand, for all that. You will not be sent to the guard-room, or the
Green Cloth--(or whatever it is that would meet your case)--this time,
Mr. Mallock; I will deal with you myself. But it is a very serious
business, and your distinctions would not serve you in law. A sundial is
not so important as a Christian lady; and a bunch of raisins is not,
legally, a blow in the face. Still less are all the sundials and
Spaniards in the world, equal to one of Her Majesty's Maids of Honour.
You understand that?"

I bowed again; reminding myself that I was not done with him, even yet.

"Yes, Sir."