block ere conceiving so. I must conceive thus of the argument. He who
compasseth the Queen existeth not, for compassing, he dieth."

"So it is by the hour-glass and the fortune told in the porringer. You
have conceived like a man, Nuncio."

"And conspirators, I conceive, must die, so long as there be honest men
to slay them," rejoined the Seigneur.

"Must only honest men slay conspirators? Oh, Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego!" wheezed Buonespoir with a grin. He placed his hand upon his
head in self-pity. "Buonespoir, art thou damned by muscadella?" he
murmured.

"But thou art purged of the past, Bono Publico," answered the fool.
"Since Delicio hath looked upon thee she hath shredded the Tyburn lien
upon thee--thou art flushed like a mountain spring; and conspirators
shall fall down by thee if thou, passant, dost fall by conspirators in
the way. Bono Publico, thou shalt live by good company. Henceforth
contraband shall be spurned and the book of grace opened."

Buonespoir's eyes laughed like a summer sky, but he scratched his head
and turned over the rose-stem in his mouth reflectively. "So be it,
then, if it must be; but yesterday the Devon sea-sweeper, Francis Drake,
overhauled me in my cottage, coming from the Queen, who had infused him
of me. 'I have heard of you from a high masthead,' said he. 'If the
Spanish main allure you, come with me. There be galleons yonder still;
they shall cough up doubloons.' 'It hath a sound of piracy,' said I.
'I am expurgated. My name is written on clean paper now, blessed be the
name of the Queen!' 'Tut, tut, Buonesperado,' laughed he, 'you shall