“Good father,” asked he, “is yonder damsel thy daughter or thy niece?”
“Neither, my lord,” replied the old man; “she is my newly married wife.”
“Away, away,” said the king to his chamberlain, “prepare me a bed in another house, for I will not sleep here to-night.”
“Even as my lord wishes,” rejoined the chamberlain; “but my lord knows there is no other house in this place fit for a king’s residence, save this one; here every thing is prepared, every thing commodious.”
“I have spoken,” replied the king; “remain thou here; I will sleep elsewhere.”
In the night, the old man and his wife arose, stole on tiptoe to the chamber which was prepared for the king, and where the chamberlain now slept in the royal bed; all was dark as they approached the bed, and plunged a dagger into the breast of the sleeping noble.
“It is done,” said they; “to bed, to bed.”
Early the next morning the king’s page knocked at the door of the humble abode where the king had passed the night.
“Why so early, good page?” asked the king.
“My lord, the old merchant waits thy rising; and even now strange news is come from the village.”
“Let the merchant and the messenger come in.”
The merchant seemed greatly elated, his eye glistened with joy, and his figure appeared dilated beyond its ordinary height. The messenger was pale and trembling, and staring aghast with fear.
“My lord, my good lord,” exclaimed the pallid messenger, “a horrible murder has been committed on your chamberlain; he lies dead in the royal bed.”
“The third maxim is tried and proved,” said the merchant.
“Give God the praise,” said the king; “thy reward is earned: a robe of honor, and thrice thy bargained price; to the old man and his wife, immediate death.”
“What theological application does the author append to this clever tale?” said Herbert, “for moral it wants not, as it tells its own.”
“The emperor is any good Christian; the porter, none other than _free will;_ whilst the merchant represents our blessed Saviour. The florins are virtues, given in exchange for the maxims; the grace and favor of God. The conspirators are devils; the highway is the Ten Commandments; the bye-way, a bad life; the rebels in ambush, heretics.”
“So far as it goes, I do not object to the explanation; it requires great additions, however,” replied Herbert.