“Provided that the King had none himself, I would eat all the rest, until I died of a surfeit of melons like your Majesty’s great-grandsire of glorious and happy memory, the Emperor Maximilian.”

Philip turned visibly pale, for he feared illness and death as few have feared either.

“Why has no one ever told me that?” he asked in a muffled and angry voice, looking round the room, so that the gentlemen and servants shrank back a little.

No one answered his question, for though the fact was true, it had been long forgotten, and it would have been hard for any of those present to realize that the King would fear a danger so far removed.  But the dwarf knew him well.

“Let there be no more melons,” said Philip, rising abruptly, and still pale.

Don John had suppressed a smile, and was taken unawares when the King rose, so that in standing up instantly, as was necessary according to the rules, his gloves slipped from his knees, where he had kept them during supper, to the floor, and a moment passed before he realized that they were not in his hand.  He was still in his place, for the King had not yet left his own, being engaged in saying a Latin grace in a low tone, He crossed himself devoutly, and an instant later Don John stooped down and picked up what he had dropped.  Philip could not but notice the action, and his suspicions were instantly roused.

“What have you found?” he asked sharply, his eyes fixing themselves again.

“My gloves, Sire.  I dropped them.”

“And are gloves such precious possessions that Don John of Austria must stoop to pick them up himself?”

Adonis began to tremble again, and all his fear returned, so that he almost staggered against the wall.  The Queen looked on in surprise, for she had not been Philip’s wife many months.  Don John was unconcerned, and laughed in reply to the question.

“It chances that after long campaigning these are the only new white gloves Don John of Austria possesses,” he answered lightly.

“Let me see them,” said the King, extending his hand, and smiling suddenly.

With some deliberation Don John presented one of the gloves to his brother, who took it and pretended to examine it critically, still smiling.  He turned it over several times, while Adonis looked on, gasping for breath, but unnoticed.

“The other,” said Philip calmly.

Adonis tried to suppress a groan, and his eyes were fixed on Don John’s face.  Would he refuse?  Would he try to extract the letter from the glove under his brother’s eyes?  Would he give it up?

Don John did none of those things, and there was not the least change of colour in his cheek.  Without any attempt at concealment he took the letter from its hiding-place, and held out the empty glove with his other hand.  The King drew back, and his face grew very grey and shadowy with anger.

“What have you in your other hand?” he asked in a voice indistinct with passion.