8 LIFE OF HOLBEIN. in answer, begged his lordship to defer the honour of his visit to another day ; which the nobleman taking for an affront, came, broke open the door, and very rudely went up stairs. Holbein, hearing a noise, left his chamber; and meeting the lord at his door, fell into a violent passion, and pushed him backwards from the top of the stairs to the bottom. Considering, however, immediately what he had done, he escaped from the tumult he had raised, and made the best of his way to the king. The nobleman, much hurt, though not so much as he pretended, was there soon after him; and upon opening his grievance, the king ordered Holbein to ask pardon for his offence. But this only irritated the nobleman the more, who would not be satisfied with less than his life; upon which the king sternly replied, " My lord, you have not now to do with Holbein, but with me ; whatever punishment you may contrive by way of revenge against him, shall assuredly be inflicted upon yourself: remember,