“I am much of your opinion, Mr. Wilfer. You were going to say⁠—?”

“I was going to say, the king is generally dressed in a London hat only, or a Manchester pair of braces, or one epaulette, or an uniform coat with his legs in the sleeves, or something of that kind.”

“Just so,” said the Secretary.

“In confidence, I assure you, Mr. Rokesmith,” observed the cheerful cherub, “that when more of my family were at home and to be provided for, I used to remind myself immensely of that king. You have no idea, as a single man, of the difficulty I have had in wearing more than one good article at a time.”

“I can easily believe it, Mr. Wilfer.”