THE KING'S MIRROR 187 



often the reason may be that he who acts in this way 

 would not be displeased if something should be found 

 to be censured in him who has a plea to make.-* 



Now if it should happen while you are standing be- 

 fore a king that some one in the meantime should try 

 to address a question or other remark to you, have 

 friendly words ready on your lips and reply in this wise: 

 " Wait a moment, my good man, while I listen a while 

 to what the king says; later I shall be pleased to talk 

 with you as long as you wish." If he still tries to have 

 further words with you, speak no more to him then un- 

 til the king has finished his remarks. If it now should 

 happen that the king has a few words to say to you, 

 be very careful in yourcanswer not to use plural terms O */w 

 in phrases that refer to yourself, though you do use the 

 plural, as is proper, in all phrases referring to the king 

 But even more you need to beware of what fools fre- 

 quently do, namely using the plural in phrases referring 

 to yourself, while you employ the singular in those that 

 refer to the king. And if the king should happen to 

 speak a few words to you which you did not catch, and 

 you have to ask what he said, do not say " Eh ? " or 

 " What ? " or make a fuss about it, but use only the 

 word " Sire; " or if you prefer to ask in more words: 

 " My lord, be not offended if I ask what you said to 

 me, but I did not quite catch it." But see to it that 

 it happens in rare cases only that the king need to re- 

 peat his remarks to you more than once before you 

 grasp them. 



