"
"No, your Majesty, if you please, my son is in the Royal Navy, fighting
for his Country and his King. And he has already captured--"
"Three French frigates. To be sure, I know. Better than curing three
hundred people. Fine young officer--very fine young officer. Must come
to see me when he gets older. There, you are laughing! That's as it
should be. Goodbye, young ladies. Forty miles to go tonight, and very
rough roads--very rough indeed. Monstrous pretty girls! Uncommon glad
that George wasn't here to see them. Better stay in the country--too
good for London. Must be off; sha'n't have a bit o' sleep to-night,
because of sleeping the whole way there, and then sure to be late in
the morning, not a bit of breakfast till eight o'clock, and all the day
thrown upside down! Darlings, Darlings--the right name for them! But
they mustn't come to London. No, no, no. Too much wickedness there
already. Very glad George wasn't here to-day!"
His Majesty was talking, as he always did, with the firm conviction
that his words intended for the public ear would reach it, while
those addressed, without change of tone, to himself, would be strictly
private. But instead of offending any one, this on the whole gave great
satisfaction, and impressed nine people out of ten with a strong and
special regard for him, because almost every one supposed himself to be
admitted at first sight to the inner confidence of the King.
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