"
"When did you tell the King?"
Then followed all the details that I have told in the latter part of
Chapter XXI. When I asked how the King took the confession, George said--
"He was so much flattered at being treated like a reasonable being, and
Dr. Downie, who was chief spokesman, played his part so discreetly,
without attempting to obscure even the most compromising issues, that
though his Majesty made some show of displeasure at first, it was plain
that he was heartily enjoying the whole story.
"Dr. Downie shewed very well. He took on himself the onus of having
advised our action, and he gave me all the credit of having proposed that
we should make a clean breast of everything.
"The King, too, behaved with truly royal politeness; he was on the point
of asking why I had not taken our father to the Blue Pool at once, and
flung him into it on the Sunday afternoon, when something seemed to
strike him: he gave me a searching look, on which he said in an
undertone, 'Oh yes,' and did not go on with his question. He never
blamed me for anything, and when I begged him to accept my resignation of
the Rangership, he said--
"'No. Stay where you are till I lose confidence in you, which will not,
I think, be very soon. I will come and have a few days' shooting about
the middle of March, and if I have good sport I shall order your salary
to be increased.
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