The Ambassador struck his hands together.

“Bon Dieu!” he said.  “I believe Mr. Mallock hath hit it again.”

The Duke turned and eyed me very sternly.

“Well, sir, what is your plan?”

“Sir,” I said, “let the chamber be cleared, or almost.  Then let M. Barillon here go in as if he had a message from the French King.  While he is there let a priest be brought by the back way, not through the antechamber at all—­”

M. Barillon held up his hand.

“There would not be time,” he said.  “It does not take half an hour to deliver a message; and the priest’s business would take full half an hour?”

“No! no!” cried James.  “They would suspect something.  Let Her Majesty come again to take her leave of the King; and then I will go in after for the same thing.  While we are there, let the priest come, as Mr. Mallock has said—­”

“Sir,” said the Ambassador, “we must not have too many folks in this business—­”

All this bargaining drove me near mad.  Once more I broke in; and this time with more effect.

“Sir,” I said to the Duke, “I entreat you to hear me.  There is the little room at the back of His Majesty’s bed, all ready, and empty too.  We do not need all these devices.  If you, Sir, will go to the King and prepare him for it, I will find a priest and bring him up the other way.  I do not believe that even if there were folks in the bedchamber they would hear what passed.”

“Which way would the priest come?” asked the Duke.

“There is a little stair in the corner of the room—­”

“God!  There is,” cried the Duke.  “I had forgotten it.”

We stared on one another in silence.  My mind raced like a mill.  Then once more the Duke near ruined the whole design by his diplomacy.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “we are too precipitate.  His Majesty hath not yet told me that he wishes for a priest—­”

“Sir—­” I began in desperation.

He looked at me so fiercely that I stopped.

“Listen to me,” said he very imperiously.  “I will have it my own way.  M. Barillon, do you come with me now to His Majesty.  I will bid the company withdraw into the antechamber—­Bishops and all—­on the pretext that I wish to consult with my brother privately.  M. Barillon shall be in the doorway that none may come through.  Mr. Mallock shall be with the company and hear what they say.  Then, if the King wishes for a priest, we will consult again here, and see if Mr. Mallock’s plan is a possible one.”

He strode towards the door.  There was no more to be said.  It was a dreadful risk that we ran in so long delaying; but there was no gainsaying James when he had made up his mind.

* * * * *

The great antechamber was near full of folks of all kinds when we three came to it again.  They fell back as they saw the Duke; and he passed straight through, as was arranged, with M. Barillon, leaving me behind, near the door.  The King’s bedchamber was pretty dark, and I could see no more of the bed at the far distant end than its curtains.