"Salud! Conde magnifico!" exclaimed King James, as the Spaniard advanced
to make his obeisance to him; "how is it that we find you standing under
the shade of the tree friendly to the vine,--_amictoe vitibus ulmi_ as
Ovid hath it? Is it that yon blooming Chloe," he continued, leering
significantly at Gillian, "hath more attraction for you than our court
dames? Troth! the quean is not ill-favoured; but ye ha' lost a gude
day's sport, Count, forbye ither losses which we sall na particularize.
We hae had a noble flight at the heron, and anither just as guid after
the bustard. God's santy! the run the lang-leggit loon gave us. Lady
Exeter, on her braw Spanish barb--we ken whose gift it is--was the only
one able to keep with us; and it was her leddyship's ain peregrine
falcon that checked the fleeing carle at last. By our faith the Countess
understands the gentle science weel. She cared not to soil her dainty
gloves by rewarding her hawk with a _soppa_, as his Excellency
Giustiniano would term it, of the bustard's heart, bluid, and brains.
But wha hae ye gotten wi' ye?" he added, for the first time noticing
Jocelyn.
"A young gentleman in whom I am much interested, and whom I would crave
permission to present to your Majesty," replied De Gondomar.
"Saul of our body, Count, the permission is readily granted," replied
James, evidently much pleased with the young man's appearance. "Ye shall
bring him to us in the privy-chamber before we gang to supper, and
moreover ye shall hae full licence to advance what you please in his
behoof.
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