May it please your Grace to
make the trial?”

Tom was at sea--a Great Seal was something which he was totally
unacquainted with.  After a moment’s hesitation he looked up innocently
and asked--

“What was it like, my lord?”

The Earl started, almost imperceptibly, muttering to himself, “Alack,
his wits are flown again!--it was ill wisdom to lead him on to strain
them”--then he deftly turned the talk to other matters, with the purpose
of sweeping the unlucky seal out of Tom’s thoughts--a purpose which
easily succeeded.