We of the court considered ourselves exempt from processes of this sort
while in the palace. Therefore I carried the paper to the king, whom I
found at cards in his closet.
"What is it, Clyde?" asked his Majesty.
For answer, I handed him the subpoena, and when he had glanced over it,
he returned it to me, saying:--
"Please tell the sheriff for me that Mistress Jennings will appear before
the court of inquiry this afternoon at two o'clock."
"It is a disagreeable business for a lady, your Majesty," I remarked,
bowing. "But if it is your desire--"
"Yes, yes, Clyde! Come with me," he interrupted, leading me out of
the room to a corridor. "You see it is this way. We of the palace have
so frequently set the law at defiance of late that the citizens are
beginning to grumble. In this instance I should like to make a great
show of compliance. We'll make it easy for your cousin by going with her.
And Clyde, if you will say to the duchess for me that I should deem it a
favor if she and one or more of her ladies will accompany us, I doubt not
she will be glad to go."
"But, your Majesty, what has my cousin done that she should be dragged
before the courts of law?" I asked, pretending ignorance of the real
nature of the summons and hoping to ascertain whether the king knew
anything about the present occasion.
I gained the information I wanted when he replied instantly: "Oh, she is
not to be tried.
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