Therefore when others are present, he gazes on me with down-bent
head and eyes upturned from beneath his bulging forehead, as though he
would put a spell upon me."
"Well, let him gaze. It can't harm you," I suggested.
"No, but it makes me ill," she answered. "Three nights ago I was standing
with the king and several ladies and gentlemen, waiting for the country
dance to begin, for which the king was to call the changes. This Little
Jermyn came up to the group, and, without speaking a word to any one,
fixed his upturned eyes on me."
"That was a sin," I said, laughing, but she ignored my interruption.
"For a time I paid no heed, but soon his gaze so nauseated me that I
could not restrain my anger, and said, loud enough for him and the others
to hear, 'What ails the little man, that he should stand there staring at
me like a sick calf trying to cast a spell upon the moon?' The king
laughed and Jermyn bowed, as he replied, 'The moon pretends to disdain
veal, doubtless in the hope of having royal beef.' The king laughed and
told Jermyn to gaze elsewhere, if the moon refused to be spellbound, and
the little creature left us to carry out the king's suggestion. But I
shall marry Tyrconnel and make an end of it all just as soon as
possible.'"
We returned to the palace, and I did not see my cousin during the next
week. Meantime the king was growing more importunate, and one day affairs
reached a terrifying climax when he intimated to Frances that if she
would promise to become his wife, he would try to divorce the queen.
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