incident.

Elizabeth again cast her eyes towards Lempriere, and the Court, following
her example, scrutinised the Seigneur in varied styles of insolence or
curiosity. Lempriere drew himself up with a slashing attempt at
composure, but ended by flaming from head to foot, his face shining like
a cock's comb, the perspiration standing out like beads upon his
forehead, his eyes gone blind with confusion. That was but for a moment,
however, and then, Elizabeth's look being slowly withdrawn from him, a
curious smile came to her lips, and she said to the Lord Chamberlain:
"Let the gentleman remain."

The Queen's fool tripped forward and tapped the Lord Chamberlain on the
shoulder. "Let the gentleman remain, gossip, and see you that remaining
he goeth not like a fly with his feet in the porridge." With a flippant
step before the Seigneur, he shook his bells at him. "Thou shalt stay,
Nuncio, and staying speak the truth. So doing you shall be as noted as a
comet with three tails. You shall prove that man was made in God's
image. So lift thy head and sneeze--sneezing is the fashion here; but
see that thou sneeze not thy head off as they do in Tartary. 'Tis worth
remembrance."

Rozel's self-importance and pride had returned. The blood came back
to his heart, and he threw out his chest grandly; he even turned to
Buonespoir, whose great figure might be seen beyond the door, and winked
at him. For a moment he had time to note the doings of the Queen and her
courtiers with wide-eyed curiosity. He saw the Earl of Leicester,
exquisite, haughty, gallant, fall upon his knee, and Elizabeth slowly
pull off her glove and with a none too gracious look give him her hand
to kiss, the only favour of the kind granted that day. He saw Cecil, her