The room thought it should

The room recomposed itself. Out of silence came the King's voice, chill and dry. "We abate so vast a claim for so vast reward ! But we would be naught else but just, and in our ability lavish. Read now what we will do!"































































The secretary read. It had a certain largeness and goodliness, as go rewards for adventure, even for great adventure, what the sovereigns would do.  answer. The King spoke, "We can promise no more nor other than this. It contents you, Master Christopherus?"































































The long-faced, high-nosed, gray-eyed man answered, "No, my lord King."































































"Your own terms or none?"































































"Mine or none, your Highness."































































The King's voice grew a cutting wind. "To that the Queen and I answer, 'Ours or none!'" Pushing back his chair , he glanced at sun out of window. "It is over. I incline to think that it was at best but an empty vision. You are dismissed, Master Christopherus!"































































The Genoese, bowing, stepped backward from the table. In his face and carriage was nothing broken. He kept color. The Queen's glance went after him, "What will you do now, Master Christopherus?"































































He answered, "My lady, your Highness, I shall take horse to-morrow for France."































































The King said, "France?—King Charles buys ever low, not high!"































































The Sovereigns and the great churchmen and the less great went away together. After them flowed the high attendance. All went, Don Enrique among the last. Following him, I turned head, for I wished to observe again two persons, the painter Manuel Rodriguez and the Admiral of the Ocean-Sea. The former painted on. The latter walked forth quite alone, coming behind the grinning pages.































































In the court below I saw him again. The archway to street sent toward us a deep wedge of shadow. He had a cloak which he wrapped around him and a large round hat which he drew low over his gray-blue eyes hong kong hotel reservation. With a firm step he crossed to the archway where the purple shadow took him.