Assisted by a carefully guarded repose of manner and ease and grace of

Demeanor, would more surely quiet the general pulse — in case any evil

Rumors had gone about — than any other scheme that could be devised.

Then the earl proceeded, very delicately, to instruct Tom as to the

Observances proper to the stately occasion, under the rather thin disguise of

'reminding' him concerning things already known to him; but to his vast

Gratification it turned out that Tom needed very little help in this line — he

Had been making use of Humphrey in that direction, for Humphrey had

Mentioned that within a few days he was to begin to dine in public; having

Gathered it from the swift-winged gossip of the court. Tom kept these facts to

Himself, however.

Seeing the royal memory so improved, the earl ventured to apply a few tests

To it, in an apparently casual way, to find out how far its amendment had

Progressed. The results were happy, here and there, in spots — spots where

Humphrey's tracks remained — and, on the whole, my lord was greatly

Pleased and encouraged. So encouraged was he, indeed, that he spoke up and

said in a quite hopeful voice:

'Now am I persuaded that if your majesty will but tax your memory yet a

Little further, it will resolve the puzzle of the Great Seal — a loss which was of