I can imagine a
conspiracy recruited by such means. I can imagine this
shibboleth of the shutter grown to a watchword as deadly as the
'TUEZ!' of '72. I can imagine all that, but I cannot imagine a
man acting thus out of pure benevolence."
"No?" Henry said, thoughtfully. "Well, I think that I agree
with you." and far from being displeased with my warmth (as is
the manner of some sovereigns when their best friends differ from
them), he came over to my opinion so completely as to halt and
express his intention of returning and probing the matter to the
bottom. Midnight had gone, however; it would take some little
time to retrace our steps; and with some difficulty I succeeded
in dissuading him, promising instead to make inquiries on the
morrow, and having learned who lived in the house, to turn the
whole affair into a report, which should be submitted to him.
This amused and satisfied him, and, expressing himself well
content with the evening's diversion--though we had done nothing
unworthy either of a King or a Minister--he parted from me at the
Arsenal, and went home with his suite.
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