Part 1, Chapter 10 Summary

Merivel has a puzzling dream of the King. In the dream, his eyes start crying blood. The King tells him in the dream that he, Merivel, "did not know the first rule of the cosmos." Merivel awakes in real tears, not knowing why he is crying or the meaning of the dream. In his imagination, he asks the King what he should do about his melancholy over Celia. The imaginary King tells him that "he would learn in secret."

Finn, the painting instructor, arrives dressed in fine clothes and a periwig, a far cry from his appearance in rags the last time Merivel saw him. Finn has spent all of his money on a fine set of clothes in order to secure a meeting with the King. As a result, the King commissions him to paint a portrait of Celia, with...