He complimented him on his courage, and felicitated him on his excellent health.

"There were certain expressions," he said, "in the letter that he had received, which he was sure did not speak his friend's real feelings.

The amanuensis had evidently drunk more wine than he ought, and, being half asleep when he wrote, had put down things that were foolish and indeed monstrous.

But he was not disturbed by them.

He must decline, however, to send back to their prisons those whom he had released, since favors granted by royalty could not with propriety be withdrawn; and he must protest that in the ceremony of his coronation all due formalities had been observed.
As for stripping himself of his diadem, he was so far from contemplating it that he looked forward rather to extending his dominion over new worlds.