Your Majesty should lose no time.

The man is passing rapidly away.

A few moments more, and he will have ceased to exist." On a sign from the King, Sir Jocelyn then stepped aside, but Aveline refused to quit her father, even for a moment.
As James drew near, Hugh Calveley raised himself a little in order to address him.

"I say unto thee, O King," he cried, "as Elijah said unto Ahab, 'Because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord--behold! I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity.

And I will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.'" "Now the muckle Diel seize thee, villain!" exclaimed James furiously.
"Is it to listen to thy texts that thou hast brought me hither ?" And as Hugh Calveley, exhausted by the effort he had made, fell back with a groan, he bent his head towards him, crying, "The secret, man, the secret! or the tormenter shall wring it from thee ?" The Puritan essayed to speak, but his voice was so low that it did not reach the ears of the King.
"What sayest thou ?" he demanded.