But no one noticed what he said, for the King had risen to his feet as soon as there was silence.  He spoke in a muffled tone that made his words hard to understand, and those who knew him best saw that he was very angry.  The Princess of Eboli’s red lips curled scornfully as she listened, and unnoticed she exchanged a meaning glance with Antonio Perez; for he and she were allies, and often of late they had talked long together, and had drawn sharp comparisons between the King and his brother, and the plan they had made was to destroy the King and to crown Don John of Austria in his place; but the woman’s plot was deeper, and both were equally determined that Don John should not marry without their consent, and that if he did, his marriage should not hold, unless, as was probable, his young wife should fall ill and die of a sickness unknown to physicians.

All had risen with the King, and he addressed Don John amidst the most profound silence.

“My brother,” he said, “your friends have taken upon themselves unnecessarily to use the words we would have used, and to express to you their enthusiasm for your success in a manner unknown at the court of Spain.  Our one voice, rendering you the thanks that are your due, can hardly give you great satisfaction after what you have heard just now.  Yet we presume that the praise of others cannot altogether take the place of your sovereign’s at such a moment, and we formally thank you for the admirable performance of the task entrusted to you, promising that before long your services shall be required for an even more arduous undertaking.  It is not in our power to confer upon you any personal distinction or public office higher than you already hold, as our brother, and as High Admiral of Spain; but we trust the day is not far distant when a marriage befitting your rank may place you on a level with kings.”

Don John had moved a step forward from his place and stood before the King, who, at the end of his short speech, put his long arms over his brother’s shoulders, and proceeded to embrace him in a formal manner by applying one cheek to his and solemnly kissing the air behind Don John’s head, a process which the latter imitated as nearly as he could.  The court looked on in silence at the ceremony, ill satisfied with Philip’s cold words.  The King drew back, and Don John returned to his place.  As he reached it the dwarf jester made a ceremonious obeisance and handed him a glove which he had dropped as he came forward.  As he took it he felt that it contained a letter, which made a slight sound when his hand crumpled it inside the glove.  Annoyed by the fool’s persistence, Don John’s eyes hardened as he looked at the crooked face, and almost imperceptibly he shook his head.  But the dwarf was as grave as he, and slightly bent his own, clasping his hands in a gesture of supplication.  Don John reflected that the matter must be one of importance this time, as Adonis would not otherwise have incurred the risk of passing the letter to him under the eyes of the King and the whole court.