Текст книги "Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill "

Автор книги: Jean Plaidy

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

'I have heard so much of that criminal measure that I never want to hear of it again. In fact my first act when I mount the throne will be to repeal it.'

She stared at him aghast. How could he talk so? And the King was only forty-eight years old—a comparatively young man. One would think his father was in his dotage. She shuddered.

'Please do not talk in that way. I am not sure that it is not ... treachery.'

The Prince laughed. 'Madam, I thought the reason why I am treated like an imbecile or an infant in the nursery was because it was well known that I should one day be king. Is one supposed not to mention this fact as though it were something shameful?'

'The King is still a young man.'

'He looks and behaves like an old one, so you cannot blame people for thinking of him as such. But you asked me here because you had heard rumours that I was married. Well, I tell you that I am, that the lady I have married is worthy to be the Queen of England; she will not disgrace your drawing room

The Queen burst out: 'She will never have an opportunity of proving that.'

'So you will not receive her at Court?'

'Certainly I shall not.'

'Why not? Why not?'

'Because I do not receive my son's ... mistresses ... in my drawing room.'

'Madam, this is my wife.'

'You know very well that cannot be. You may have gone through a form of marriage with her but she is not your wife.

And I repeat, I will not receive your mistress in my drawing room.'

The Prince was white with anger. 'Very well. But every other drawing room in London will think itself honoured to welcome her. And Madam, let me tell you this: your drawing room is as dull as a mausoleum and the conversation there about as lively as at a funeral gathering. In my drawing room, Madam, where the wittiest and most brilliant people of the country foregather, my wife will receive the honour due to her. So, let me inform Your Majesty that it will be no hardship to my wife that she is not received in the Queen's drawing room when she is the hostess in that of the Prince of Wales.'

He gave a curt bow and walked briskly from the room.

The Queen stared after him, her heart heavy; her eyes blank with misery.

She thought of William's raging against his family in Plymouth, of the Prince of Wales in his glittering drawing room at Carlton House, doubtless making fun of his parents; and the King, growing more and more melancholy, talking to himself, addressing everyone with that repetitive rapidity which frightened her.

There was Frederick in Germany. Frederick had always been of a sunny nature. He had been devoted to the Prince of Wales in their childhood, of course, and the two of them had always been together ... loyal to each other, helping each other out of mischief.

He would be nearly twenty-three now.

Perhaps if Frederick came home there would be one son to comfort them. And it might well be that Frederick would be the future King of England, for would the people accept a King who refused to marry—for this marriage with Mrs. Fitz-hcrbert was no marriage in the eyes of the State, and when it came to State affairs it was the State that mattered—and had gone through a morganatic marriage with a Catholic.

Perhaps she could hint to the King at some time when he

was in the right mood that perhaps it was time Frederick came

home.

• • •

After the interview with the Queen nothing would satisfy

the Prince than that Maria should be received in every drawing room in London—and not only received but treated as though she were Princess of Wales. Any hostess who did not immediately acknowledge her as such was ignored by the Prince and, as to be cut by the Prince of Wales was social suicide, the desired homage was paid to Maria.

She had seen that it was useless to protest against the extravagance of the young lover. He would come to her all excitement because he had a surprise for her. The surprise would be a 'trinket'. A trinket indeed—a brooch, a necklace, a locket ... set with diamonds, sapphires or emeralds of which she would alarmingly calculate the cost as she expressed the delight which he expected. How could one tell a Prince of Wales that he must try to live within his means? He had no idea of money. He saw an ornament. It was beautiful. Then his Maria must have it.

She was alarmed by the extravagance of the entertainments she was obliged to give at Uxbridge House. It was not that she was in the least incapable of playing hostess. Entertaining as she had at Swynnerton with Mr. Fitzhcrbert had given her all the experience she required in that field; and she had a natural dignity and regality which was denied to people such as the Duchess of Cumberland.

When the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland returned from abroad they immediately were aware of the situation and the Duchess hastened to welcome Maria as her 'dearest niece'. The Duke was equally effusive. Not only was this necessary to retain the friendship of the Prince of Wales but it also offered a good opportunity of flouting the King—and therefore it was quite irresistible.

So Maria entertained as the Prince wished while she counted the cost and confided in her companion, Miss Pigot, an old friend whom she had brought with her as chaperone and companion when she set up in Uxbridge House, her anxieties concerning the cost of it all.

'Dear Pigot,' she said, 'the Prince cannot understand how much happier I should be in Park Street ... or if he does not like me to be in that house since I inherited it from Mr. Fitz-herbert, some smaller establishment.'

'The dear Prince is so anxious that every honour shall be yours,' replied Miss Pigot.

And Maria had to agree with her. How could she spoil his pleasure? He was such a boy—not yet twenty-four, and in his enthusiasms young for his age. She would be thirty in July. Six years. It was quite a difference at their ages. So she must remember his youth, and his enthusiasms were so enchanting, especially when they were all directed at giving her pleasure.

With the coming of the spring he said they must go down to Brighton. He wanted Maria to enjoy the place as much as he did. With him went the most brilliant section of London society and the inhabitants of the once obscure little fishing village came out to gape at the nobility. But most of all they gaped at the glittering Prince of Wales.

Nothing, said the people of Brighton, will ever be the same again.

The Prince took up residence in Grove House. This was the third year he had rented it; and Mrs. Fitzherbert took a house behind the Castle Inn—which was as close to Grove House as could be.

There were balls and banquets and the people would stand outside Grove House and the Assembly Rooms to watch the people through the windows. Ladies and gentlemen took to strolling through the streets in the warm evenings and the Prince would be there always with the same fair plump lady on his arm. They were a magnificent pair. Like a king and a queen, said the people of Brighton.

Every morning the Prince took his dip in the sea superintended by Smoker Miles, a strapping old sailor who was more at home in the water than on land. He was the autocrat of the bathing machines, and if he said no swimming that day there was no swimming. One morning the Prince of Wales came down as usual but old Smoker looked at him and shook his head.

'No, Mr. Prince,' he said, 'no bathing for you this morning.'

'But I have decided to bathe this morning, Smoker,' said the Prince.'

'Oh, no you don't,' retorted Smoker.

The Prince, amazed that anyone should so address him,

attempted to brush the man aside, but Smoker set his great bulk between the Prince and the bathing machine and said: 'No. You'll not bathe this morning, Mr. Prince.'

'And who gives this order?'

'I do, Mr. Prince, and no matter what princes say I give orders here.'

The Prince attempted to mount the steps into the machine, but Smoker caught him by the arm.

Til be damned if you do,' shouted Smoker. 'What do you think your father would say to me if you were drowned, eh? He'd say: "This is all your fault, Smoker," he'd say. "If you'd taken proper care of him, poor George would be alive today." ' The thought of the King so addressing Smoker made the Prince roar with laughter. Smoker looked hurt.

'It's true what I say,' he said. 'And I'm not having the King of England tell me I don't know my duty. This sea don't behave for anyone ... not even the Prince of Wales.'

'Not even for the King of Brighton?' asked the Prince.

'You mean me, Mr. Prince. Ho, that's good that is. The King of Brighton.'

Smoker clearly liked the title and the Prince bowed to him ironically. 'I am merely a prince and irksome as it is princes often have to obey the will of kings.'

Smoker repeated the story often and was soon known as the King of Brighton; and more and more people came down to the sea to be dipped or watched over by King Smoker.

Maria bathed on the ladies side of the Steyne under the care of old Martha Gunn, the big strong woman who was the female counterpart of Smoker.

Those were happy days in Brighton.

The Prince said to Maria as they strolled along by the sea in the cool of the evening: 'Grove House is a poor sort of place and I should like to build a house for myself here. Don't you agree, my dearest, that that would be a very excellent idea?'

Maria, who had by this time realized the futility of trying to curb his extravagance, agreed.

Then a most unprecedented incident occurred.

Returning to Carlton House from Brighton he found strangers seated in his hall and his servants bewildered and uncertain how to explain to him. It was the strangers themselves who had to do that.

'Your Highness's pardon, sir, but if you will settle this little matter of £600 we'll go quiet as lambs. No disrespect to Your Highness, sir. It's just orders, sir ... all in the matter of business.'

The Prince was aghast.

The bailiffs had come to Carlton House.

The Prince immediately went to see his friend, Sheridan. It was true since his marriage he had neglected his friends, but he knew that he could trust Sheridan to help him. Charles too, but he hesitated to go to him since Maria had driven a wedge between them.

Sheridan received the Prince in his house at Bruton Street with expressions of pleasure.

'Sherry, I am in the most extraordinary and humiliating dilemma.'

'Your Highness?'

'The bailiffs are in Carlton House. And all for a paltry £600. Sherry, what am I to do?'

'But Your Highness, who will deny you £600 should you ask for it? I can think of a thousand people who would willingly give it.'

'You, my dear friend?'

'Your Highness knows that all I have is at your service but I doubt whether I could lay my hands on £600. I myself am expecting a visit from your intruders on any day now. But Your Highness should have no difficulty. Why, there is your uncle, Cumberland, who would be only too honoured.'

'He calls me Taffy. And I don't greatly care to be under an obligation to him.'

'But what of Georgiana? Or the Duke of Bedford? There are a score of them.'

The Prince agreed. 'But it is undoubtedly humiliating when one must borrow from one's friends, Sherry.'

Sherry agreed, but he also pointed out that the bailiffs must be ejected as soon as possible.

He was right. There were many eager to lend the Prince of Wales £600 for the purpose; but when the matter was settled and Sheridan returned with the Prince of Wales to Carlton House and they sat drinking together, Sheridan said: 'Your Highness's debts should be settled. This situation may well occur again; and as Your Highness pointed out it is a humiliating position for a Prince of Wales to find himself in.'

The Prince nodded and looked expectantly at Sheridan. He was very fond of Sherry, who was so charming and handsome, although beginning to look a little jaded. When he had first met him, only a few years ago at the time he was involved with Perdita, Sheridan had not been the politician he was today—merely manager of Drury Lane. But he had had an enviable reputation, having made his name with The Rivals and The School for Scandal. They had been a trio—he, Fox and Sheridan; and Burke was a friend of theirs too. How he had valued those friendships! And how he had delighted in their wit and erudition! They had stood together for the Whigs. Those were good old days, but the coming of Maria had changed them. For one thing he was too devoted to Maria to have as much time as he had had in the past for his old friends, and Maria's definite antagonism to Fox had affected the Prince's feelings.

But now Sheridan was an influential politician and such a close associate of Fox that the Prince's diminishing affection for the latter seemed to touch Sheridan too.

Yet on this day when he had gone to Sheridan for help, he felt as affectionate towards him as he ever had.

Sheridan looked into his glass and said: 'It must be ended ... with all speed.'

'How so?'

'Does Your Highness know the extent of your debts?'

'I have no idea, Sherry, and the calculation of them would so depress me that I have put off making it.'

'Parliament should settle them.'

'Is it possible?'

'It would not be the first time.'

4 No, and I am really kept very short.' 'I think it should be talked over with Fox.' The Prince nodded gloomily. It seemed now as always that he could not manage without Fox's help.

When Maria heard that the bailiffs had been to Carlton House she was aghast.

'My darling, what are you going to do?' she demanded.

'Oh, it will be settled, never fear.'

'But, dearest, we will have to consider in future. You spend far too much on me.'

'I could never spend too much on you.'

'I should be most unhappy to be an encumbrance.'

'The most delightful encumbrance in the world,' he assured her.

'But, my dearest, what are you going to do?'.

'Fox is coming to see me. You can trust that wily old fellow to come up with the answer.'

'Fox.' Her long aquiline nose wrinkled in disgust.

'Dearest, I know you don't like him but he'll know what should be done.'

'May I be there when you speak to him?'

The Prince hesitated, but she looked so appealing that he agreed.

Thus when Fox came with Sheridan to discuss the Prince's debts he found Maria present.

'Maria is fully aware of the situation,' explained the Prince.

Fox bowed and Maria returned his greeting coolly. Sheridan she accepted more graciously. She thought he was a bad influence for the Prince because he was a drinker and a gambler and had numerous affairs with women, but he was at least clean and so more tolerable.

'Maria thinks the debts must be paid at once,' said the Prince, looking at her fondly. 'She has been lecturing me on my extravagance and says that at the earliest possible moment my creditors must be paid and economies made.'

'A view,' said Fox, 'with which I am in entire agreement.'

The Prince smiled from one to the other rather wistfully. He G*

would have liked them to be good friends—these two whom he loved more than any other human beings.

'The question,' put in Sheridan, 'is how?'

'Has Your Highness a rough estimate of the amount?' asked Fox.

The Prince thought that somewhere in the neighbourhood of £250,000 might see him through.

Fox was taken aback. It was a very large sum.

'There are two alternatives,' he said. Tour Highness can either approach the King or the Parliament.'

'Neither appeals,' replied the Prince. 'The Parliament means Pitt—and he has never been a friend of mine. And the idea of going to my father and asking him for money is completely repulsive to me.'

'It may be the only answer,' warned Fox.

'He'll crow. He'll jeer. Eh, what? What? You've no idea what an old fool he has become in the heart of his family. I would do a great deal to avoid going to him and begging for his help.

'That leaves Parliament.'

'And Mr. Pitt.'

'It's worth a try,' said Sheridan.

And so it was agreed.

When Pitt received the request to settle the Prince's debts, he decided that he would do nothing about it.

Why should his Ministry help support a young man who was clearly the tool of the Opposition? The Prince was extravagant. Very well, let the public know how extravagant he was, but that was no concern of Mr. Pitt and his Ministry.

To tell the Prince of Wales—who might very well be King at any time—that he would do nothing to help him would have been a foolish and reckless act; and Mr. Pitt though a young man could not be accused of folly or recklessness.

He prevaricated; he asked for details; he shelved the matter for a few days, a few weeks. It was a large sum of money, he pointed out. It was a matter which could not be settled overnight.

Family Conflict 203

Meanwhile the creditors were growing impatient, and the Prince fearing that the bailiffs might return to Carlton House, went again to Fox.

'There is no help for it,' said Fox. 'Your Highness will have to ask the King. After all, it is your due. Your allowance is not large enough. As Prince of Wales you are not expected to live like a pauper.'

So the Prince wrote to the King telling him that he had debts and that a sum of £250,000 would cover them.

The King replied that he was considering the matter. Nothing happened for a few weeks; then the Prince wrote again.

The Prince must understand, replied the King, that before the money could be advanced to him, it must be known how it was spent. There was one item for £54,000. What could have been the reason for spending such a large unspecified sum?

The money had been spent on furniture, plate and jewellery which the Prince had insisted on giving Maria and he was not going to give the King details of that.

The King wrote a curt note that he would not pay the Prince's debts nor would he give his sanction to an increase in his son's allowance.

When the Prince received this letter he was so angry, realizing now that all the time neither the King nor Pitt had any intention of paying his debts, that he declared he would make his own arrangements. He would shut up Carlton House; he would live like a private gentleman and he would pay £40,000 a year out of his allowance to his creditors. And the country should know how he was treated by his father and his father's

Government.

# # #

When the King received tliis letter from the Prince he was disturbed. If the Prince shut up Carlton House the people would soon know it. It was not becoming for a Prince of Wales to live like a private gentleman. The people had always been on the Prince's side; they would be so now; particularly as the King himself had had debts which the Parliament had had to settle.

He summoned Pitt to ask his advice.

Pitt read the letters and did not like the tone of them.

'It would not be good,' he said, 'for the Prince to become a martyr.'

'I agree,' replied the King; 'I will write to him without delay and let him know that I have not given him an absolute refusal.'

'I think that an excellent idea, Your Majesty,' said Pitt. 'I suppose these debts should be paid, but at the same time His Highness should be made to realize that Your Majesty's Government does not look with pleasure on his extravagant way of life.'

'He shall be made to understand that, Mr. Pitt, I promise you.'

When Pitt had left the King immediately wrote to the Prince. He had not made a complete refusal, he explained, but if the Prince proposed taking any rash steps he should remember that he himself would be the one who would be obliged to take the consequences of them.

On receiving his father's letter the Prince cried: 'Very well. I'll show him.'

Maria was with him. She was delighted by his resolution and that made him all the more determined.

'You are right,' she cried. 'I know you are right.'

She did not realize, dear Maria, that nothing could have put the King into a more unfortunate position; to her it was just a matter of economy.

*I shall sell all my horses,' he told her. 'I shall shut up Carlton House, except a few rooms. You and I will go down to Brighton. It is cheaper living there. By God, I can imagine my father's pique when he hears I have put up my horses and carriages for sale. And I shall do so ... publicly. It is time everyone knew how I am treated.'

Fox was gleeful.

'This,' he declared to Sheridan, 'will be a defeat for the King and Pitt. We must see that everyone views it in that light. If the Prince suggested going abroad for a spell for the sake of economy it would do no harm. My God, this is going to make old George wish he had paid young George's debts. Depend upon it, he will try to do so now. But we don't really want him to ... not yet.'

Family Conflict 2015

Fox was very merry. Oh, clever Mr. Pitt, who had prevaricated a little too long. Oh, stupid old George, who did not realize that the people were asking themselves and each other why it was that he quarrelled with all his family.

Fox set his writers working on their pamphlets and cartoons. 'We must make the most of the situation, Sherry,' he said. 'A little discomfort won't hurt young George. In fact, I believe he is enjoying it.'

And so it seemed. The Prince of Wales, like other members of the royal family, was finding the game of baiting the King highly diverting.

In the coffee houses people talked about the quarrel between the Prince and the King; it had taken the place of the Fitz-hcrbcrt affair. What an amusing and fascinating personality they had in the Prince of Wales! There was always some excitement going on about him. God bless the Prince of Wales, cried the people. As for the King, he was an old bore, he and his fertile Charlotte. The Prince and his Maria Fitzherbcrt were more pleasant to look at and their story was so romantic.

Fox and his friends talked of the impossibility of the King to get along witli any member of the royal family. He had quarrelled with his brothers, Gloucester and Cumberland, because of their marriages. Was it not time the bones of those old skeletons stopped rattling? Gloucester was forced to live in Florence because he found it undignified that his wife, a royal duchess, should not be received at Court; the Cumberlands were not received cither because they had married without the King's consent. Prince Frederick, Duke of York, was in Hanover learning to be a soldier (the King did not think the English Army good enough for his sons), William was at sea, Edward was in Geneva, and the younger Princes were to be sent to Gottingen because the King did not consider the standard of Oxford and Cambridge as high as that of the German university.

What a ridiculous old man this king of theirs was! No wonder his family quarrelled with him. And now he had treated the Prince of Wales so badly that he had to give up

Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill

Carlton House and had been forced to sell all his horses and carriages in order to pay his debts.

Was it not a disgrace to the nation that the Prince of Wales did not possess his own carriage?

When the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert drove down to Brighton they went by hired post-chaise. This was the first time Royalty had ever had to travel in a hired conveyance and the Prince took a delight in allowing Mrs. Fitzherbert to pay whenever they hired a conveyance.

The nation was shocked, and at Windsor the King was sadly aware of his growing unpopularity.

The Prince had successfully turned the tables. He was clearly enjoying his spell of penury, whereas the King was finding it most embarrassing.

Princess Charlotte

Attack at St. James's

'Dear Haggcrdorn,' said the Queen, 'how I shall miss you when you have gone.'

Mrs. Haggcrdorn, faithful attendant for twenty-five years, turned away to hide the tears which filled her eyes. For so long now she had dreamed of going home and now that the time had come she felt this reluctance to go—but her only real regret was leaving the Queen.

'Your Majesty has been so good to me,' whispered Haggcrdorn. 'That is why I am sad to go.'

'Twenty-five years is a long time,' said the Queen.

'Ah, Madam, I shall never forget the day we left. And that dreadful sea journey when Your Majesty set such an example to us all by playing the harpsichord when we were all so sick.'

'I happened to be a good sailor, Haggcrdorn; and I expect I was a little defiant. It is a terrible anxiety to come to a country one has never seen ... to a husband who is a stranger ...'

'Ah, Your Majesty, I know it. In my small way I too suffered. But Your Majesty has been a blessing to His Majesty and the English people. You have given them so many sons and daughters.'

'Too many, perhaps, Haggcrdorn. We have had our troubles. But cheer up. You will soon be in Mecklenburg.

Think of that. You will sec my family, my old friends. Do you think they will remember me, Haggerdorn, after twenty-five years?'

'They could never forget you, Madam.'

'Perhaps not. They will have heard news of the Queen of England from time to time. I expect they hear of the scandals my son has a talent for creating.'

There was a hint of dislike in her voice which startled Haggerdorn. She remembered how at one time the Queen's voice had softened every time she spoke of the Prince of Wales.

Perhaps, thought the mild and peace-loving Haggerdorn, it was indeed a good thing that she was going home. There had always been trouble with the Prince and now that he was growing older those troubles would grow with him; and the other boys were growing into the trouble-making age. Madam von Schwellenburg had always been so arrogant and demanding. Then there was His Majesty the King. Only those close to the Queen realized how anxious she was on his account and how oddly he could behave at times.

He entered the Queen's apartment at that moment, brows furrowed, eyebrows bristling, his face that unhealthy brick red.

The Queen said: 'Your Majesty, dear Haggerdorn is saying goodbye to me. You know she is leaving us.'

The King looked at Haggerdorn, his eyes softened by sentiment.

'Ah yes, yes, good Haggerdorn. Pleasant journey. Sorry to see you go. Very sorry.'

Haggerdorn curtsied as elegantly as creaking knees and rheumatic pains would allow. Oh, yes, it was time she left draughty Windsor Lodge. She needed a little comfort in her old age.

'I shall miss her,' said the Queen.

'Yes, we shall miss her.' The King was at his best on such an occasion. He was kind and showed an interest in Haggerdorn's plans. No wonder, thought the Queen, that it was said he was more like a country squire than a king.

He made Haggerdorn tell him what she intended to do; and assured her that he would sec that she went off well provided for.

Yes, thought the Queen, a very good squire.

How critical she was becoming—of the King, of her sons, of her life!

Haggerdorn's impending departure had made her think of that day twenty-five years ago when the dazzling prospect of being Queen of England had been revealed to her. And what had it amounted to? She had become a breeder of children. Fifteen children in twenty-five years. There had not been a great deal of time when she had not been either pregnant or giving birth. Two little boys had died—Octavius and Alfred– but thirteen were left to her; and now that they were growing up, they for whom she had lived and suffered were turning against her. Her eldest son despised both her and his father; and never before had she been aware of such friction in the family. She was anxious about the Prince; she was anxious about the King. Lucky Haggerdorn who had no responsibilities, no ties, who would go home to Mecklenburg-Strelitz and enjoy a peaceful old age!

When Haggerdorn had been dismissed the Queen said to the King: 'I have been thinking about the replacement of Haggerdorn.'

'Yes, yes,' said the King, now as always deeply interested in household matters.

'I have an idea. I wonder what Your Majesty will think of it.'

The change in him was miraculous. She thought: If he could be shut away from State affairs and his troublesome sons, he could be a happy family man. He should be concerned with only small matters. Poor George, to have been born heir to a crown!

'I am eager to hear,' he told her.

'Do you remember the authoress we met at dear Mrs. De-laney's ... the famous Miss Burney? I was thinking of giving the place to her.'

The King's face lit up with pleasure. 'Dear Mrs. Delaney,' he said. 'I remember well.'

That was a pleasant memory. He had set Mrs. Delaney up in a house close to Windsor Lodge; he had supplied all the furniture himself and had even seen to the stocking of the kitchen

cupboards. She remembered his great glee when he brought Mrs. Delaney to see it and tears of pleasure now came into his eyes at the memory.

'Miss Burney,' said the King. 'A very clever young lady, so they tell me.'

'There can be no doubt that she is clever. I should like to hear her read her own books. We are in need of a reader and it seems to me an excellent plan to have a famous authoress in the household.'

The King was nodding. Such a pleasant encounter. Miss Burney had been so overcome by royal condescension and both he and the Queen had talked to her of her books.

'Yes, yes, yes,' went on the King. 'I think you should give the place to Miss Burney.'

It was ten o'clock on a hot July morning when the carriage containing Miss Burney and her father left St. Martin's Street for Windsor. Dr. Burney was delighted with this honour bestowed on his daughter; Fanny herself was less certain.

What was she, a famous novelist, the darling of London literary society, accustomed to enlightened conversation, going to do in what she knew must be the stultified atmosphere of the royal household?

Perhaps it was not such a fortunate day when she had gone to stay with Mrs. Delaney and had made the acquaintance of the King and Queen. Who would have thought from that meeting that this would have happened?

But one did not apparently decline what was undoubtedly looked upon as an honour.

Oh dear, thought Fanny, there is nothing to be done but submit.

And she thought of the Queen—the squat ugly little woman with the German accent; and the big alarming King with those fierce eyebrows and that disconcerting habit of shooting questions at one which perhaps did not need an answer. 'Eh, eh? What, what?' And speaking so quickly that if one were a little nervous—and who would not be speaking to the King?—one just could not understand what he was talking about.