In the meantime he demanded of
the citizen whence he had procured it.
"From Italy, may it please your Majesty," replied Heriot.
"It has naething in it tending to papistrie?" said the king, looking
graver than his wont.
"Surely not, please your Majesty," said Heriot; "I were not wise to
bring any thing to your presence that had the mark of the beast."
"You would be the mair beast yourself to do so," said the king; "it is
weel kend that I wrestled wi' Dagon in my youth, and smote him on the
groundsill of his own temple; a gude evidence that I should be in time
called, however unworthy, the Defender of the Faith.--But here comes
Maxwell, bending under his burden, like the Golden Ass of Apuleius."
Heriot hastened to relieve the usher, and to place the embossed
salver, for such it was, and of extraordinary dimensions, in a light
favourable for his Majesty's viewing the sculpture.
"Saul of my body, man," said the king, "it is a curious piece, and, as
I think, fit for a king's chalmer; and the subject, as you say, Master
George, vera adequate and beseeming--being, as I see, the judgment of
Solomon--a prince in whose paths it weel becomes a' leeving monarchs
to walk with emulation."
"But whose footsteps," said Maxwell, "only one of them--if a subject
may say so much--hath ever overtaken."
"Haud your tongue for a fause fleeching loon!" said the king, but with
a smile on his face that showed the flattery had done its part.
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