Do you
understand me?"
"I can not say that I exactly do; you have a secret that you wish to
make known to my father, and you think the knowledge of it may harm
him. I can not imagine what kind of secret that may be."
"Well, I can give you a case in point. Suppose now that I knew that
King Charles was hidden in your stable-loft: such might be the case,
and your father be ignorant of it, and his assertion of his ignorance
would be believed; but if I were to tell your father that the king was
there, and it was afterward discovered, do you not see that, by
confiding such a secret to him, I should do harm, and perhaps bring
him into trouble?"
"I perceive now, Edward; do you mean to say that you know where the
king is concealed? for, if you do, I must beg of you not let my father
know any thing about it. As you say, it would put him in a difficult
position, and must eventually harm him much. There is a great
difference between wishing well to a cause and supporting it in
person. My father wishes the king well, I believe, but, at the same
time, he will not take an active part, as you have already seen; at
the same time, I am convinced that he would never betray the king if
he knew where he was. I say, therefore, if that is your secret, keep
it from him, for his sake and for mine, Edward, if you regard me.
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