"Well, you shall have it then. You may be sure of that."
"Well, Sir," said I, "it is a serious matter. Your Majesty will dislike it exceedingly."
He pursed his lips and looked at me sharply.
"Wait!" he said. "It will not affect my honour or—or my religion in any way?"
I assumed an air of slight offence.
"Sir; I should not be likely to ask it, if it affected Your Majesty's honour. And as for religion—" I stopped: for one more opening presented itself which I dared not neglect. From both his manner and his words I saw that religion was not very far from his thoughts.
"Well—sir," he said. "And what of religion?"
"Sir, I pray every day for Your Majesty's conversion—"
"Conversion, eh?"
"Conversion to the Holy Catholic Church, Sir. I would give my life for that, ten times over."