Now, why are you here? You have not come for the purpose
of recalling these two disagreeable incidents to my mind."
"No." Carmichael went over to the table, his jaws set and no kindly
spirit in his eyes. "No, I have another purpose." He bent over the
table, and with his face close to that of the king, "I demand to know
what your intentions are toward that friendless goose-girl."
"And what is that to you?" said the king, the smoke of anger in his
eyes.
"It is this much: if you have acted toward her otherwise than
honorably--Well!"
"Go on; you interest me!"
"Well, I promise to break every bone in your kingly body. In this room
it is man to man; I recognize no king, only the physical being."
The king pushed aside the table, furious. No living being had ever
spoken to him like that before. He swung the flat of his hand toward
Carmichael's face. The latter caught the hand by the wrist and bore down
upon it. The king was no weakling. There was a struggle, and Carmichael
found himself well occupied for a time. But his age and build were in
his favor, and presently he jammed the king to the wall and pinioned his
arms.
"There! Will you be patient for a moment?"
"You shall die for this insult!" said the king, as quietly as his hard
breathing would allow.
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