smiled on her in a manner that caused my Lady Castlemain to remark:--

"The young milkmaid's affectations are disgusting." Other equally
flattering remarks were to be heard from women of the Castlemain stamp,
but the men were a unit in praising the new beauty.

Of course the king soon declared his undying love for her, and she
answered, laughing:--

"If your Majesty will swear by your grandmother's great toe that you have
never before spoken to a woman in this fashion, I'll listen and believe,
but failing the oath, you must pardon me if I laugh."

"I hope you would not laugh at your king?" he asked.

"Ay, at the Pope," she retorted, "if I found him amusing."

"But if I swear by the sacred relic you name, never again so long as I
live to speak in this fashion to any other woman, may I proceed?"
returned the king.

"I would not be a party to an oath whereby my king would be forsworn,"
she answered.

To which the king replied: "I shall say what I please to my most devoted
subject. Am I not the king?"

"I am content that you say what you please if you grant me the same
privilege," answered Frances.