204 MASTER SKYLARK

home they seemed to mock not him, but home—and that
touched the fighting-spot.

“T would rather be there than here,” said he.

The Queen’s face flushed. “Thou art more curt than
courteous,” said she. “Is it not good enough for thee
here?”

“T could na live in such a place.”

The Queen’s eyes snapped. “Insuchaplace? Marry,
art thou so choice? These others find no fault with the
life.” _

“Then they be born to it,” said Nick, “or they could
abide no more than I—they would na fit.”

“Haw, haw!” said the Lord High Constable.

The Queen shot one quick glance at him. “Old pegs
have been made to fit new holes before to-day,” said she;
“and the trick can be done again.” The Constable smo-
thered the rest of that laugh in his hand. “ But come, boy,
speak up; what hath put thee so out of conceit with our
best-beloved palace?”

“There is na one thing likes me here. I can na bide in
a place so fine, for there ’s not so much as a corner in it
feels like home. I could na sleep in the bed last night.”

“What, how? We commanded good beds!” exclaimed
Elizabeth, angrily, for the Venetian ambassador was smil-
ing in his beard. “This shall be seen to.”

“Oh, it was a good bed—a very good bed indeed, your
Majesty!” cried Nick. “But the mattress puffed up like
a cloud in a bag, and almost smothered me; and it was so
soft and so hot that it gave me a fever.”