What would a lord say--yes, or any other person of whatever condition -- if he caught an upstart peasant with a dagger on his person ?" It was a lucky thing for us that nobody came along just then.
I persuaded him to throw the dirk away; and it was as easy as persuading a child to give up some bright fresh new way of killing itself.

We walked along, silent and thinking.

Finally the king said: "When ye know that I meditate a thing inconvenient, or that hath a peril in it, why do you not warn me to cease from that project ?" It was a startling question, and a puzzler.

I didn't quite know how to take hold of it, or what to say, and so, of course, I ended by saying the natural thing: "But, sire, how can I know what your thoughts are ?" The king stopped dead in his tracks, and stared at me.
"I believed thou wert greater than Merlin; and truly in magic thou art.

But prophecy is greater than magic.