His fears were, that the claim he so much dreaded would be made by Sir Giles Mompesson in person, and in that case he had determined forcibly to resist him.

And this supposition might account for the delay--since he knew that Sir Giles was suffering severely from the effects of the blow he had dealt him in the tilt-yard.
De Gondomar's were not idle threats, as Sir Jocelyn soon found.

On the next day, as he entered the palace, he was informed by the Lord Chamberlain that he was deprived of his office of Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber; and when he demanded the reason of his sudden dismissal, the Duke of Lennox, with a shrug of the shoulders, declared he was unable to afford him any information.

But what the Duke refused was afforded by De Gondomar, who at that moment entered the corridor, in company with Buckingham and some other nobles, on his way to the presence-chamber.

On seeing his late _protege_, the ambassador halted for a moment, and with a smile of triumph said--"You owe your dismissal to me, Sir Jocelyn.