He seemed not to hear me. He had dropped his chin on his hand, and was
looking at me as if he were thinking of something else.

"So you are come to serve me," he said presently, "in any way that I
will; and you will serve me only that you may serve your master better.
And what wages do you want?"

"None that Your Majesty can give," I said.

"Better and better," said Charles. "Nor place, nor position?"

"Only at Your Majesty's feet."

"And what if I kick you?"

"I will look for the halfpence elsewhere, Sir."

Then the King laughed outright, in the short harsh way he had; and I
knew that I had pleased him. Then he stood up, and I saw that he was
taller than I had thought. He was close upon six feet high.

"Well, Mr. Mallock," he said, "this seems all very pleasant and
satisfactory. You said you would run errands. I suppose you mean to
Rome?"

"To Rome and back, Sir," I said. "Or to anywhere else, except Hell."

"Oh! you draw the line there, do you?"