royalty restored-第22部分

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andle　it。　　One　thing　more：　　there　happened　a　scaffold　below　to　fall；　and　we　feared　some　hurt；　but　there　was　none；　but　she　of　all　the　great　ladies　only　ran　down　among　the　common　rabble　to　see　what　hurt　was　done；　and　did　take　care　of　a　child　that　received　some　little　hurt；　which　methought　was　so　noble。　　Anon　there　came　one　there　booted　and　spurred；that　she　talked　long　with。　　And　by…and…by；　she　being　in　her　haire；　she　put　on　her　hat；　which　was　but　an　ordinary　one；　to　keep　the　wind　off。　But　methinks　it　became　her　mightily；　as　everything　else　do。〃

It　was　notable　the　countess　did　not　accompany　her　majesty　in　the　procession　to　Whitehall；　as　one　of　her　attendants；　but　in　fact　she　had　not　obtained　the　position　sought　for；　though　she　enjoyed　all　the　privileges　pertaining　to　such　an　appointment。　　〃Everybody　takes　her　to　be　of　the　bedchamber；〃　the　lord　chancellor　writes　to　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　〃for　she　is　always　there；　and　goes　abrode　in　the　coach。　　But　the　queen　tells　me　that　the　king　promised　her；　on　condition　she　would　use　her　as　she　doth　others；　that　she　should　never　live　in　court；　yet　lodgings　I　hear　she　hath。〃　Lodgings　the　countess　certainly　had　provided　for　her　in　that　block　of　the　palace　of　Whitehall；　separated　from　the　main　buildings　by　the　old　roadway　running　between　Westminster　and　the　city。

A　few　days　after　their　majesties'　arrival　at　Whitehall；　the　queen　mother　returned　to　town；　and　established　her　court　at　Somerset　House；　which　had　been　prepared　for　her　future　abode。　　She　had　arrived　in　England　before　the　king　and　queen　left　Hampton　Court；　and　had　taken　up　her　residence　at　Greenwich　Palace。　　The　avowed　object　of　her　visit　was　to　congratulate　them　upon　their　marriage。　Charles　and　his　bride　therefore　took　barge　to　Greenwich；　one　bright　July　day；　followed　by　a　brilliant　and　illustrious　train；　that　they　might　wait　upon　her　majesty。　　And　she；　being　made　aware　of　their　approach；　met　them　at　the　portal　of　the　palace。　　There　Catherine　would　have　gone　down　upon　her　knees　to　this　gracious　ladythe　survivor　of　great　sorrowsbut　she　took　the　young　queen　in　her　arms；　and　calling　her　beloved　daughter；　kissed　her　many　times。　　Then　she　greeted　her　sons　Charles　and　James；　likewise　the　Duchess　of　York；　and　led　them　to　the　presence…chamber；　followed　by　the　whole　court。　　And　presently　when　Catherine　would；　through　her　interpreter；　have　expressed　her　gratitude　and　affection；　the　elder　queen　besought　her　to　lay　aside　all　ceremony；　for　she　〃should　never　have　come　to　England　again　except　for　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her；　to　love　her　as　her　daughter；　and　serve　her　as　her　queen。〃　　At　these　sweet　words　the　young　wife；　now　in　the　first　days　of　her　grief；　was　almost　overcome　by　a　sense　of　thankfulness；　and　could　scarce　restrain　her　tears；　but　she　answered　bravely；　〃Believe　me；　madam；　that　in　love　and　obedience　neither　the　king　nor　any　of　your　children　shall　exceed　me。〃

The　court　of　the　merry　monarch　and　that　of　the　queen　mother　being　now　settled　in　town；　a　period　of　vast　brilliancy　ensued；　during　which　great　festivity　and　much　scandal　obtained；　by　reason　of　intrigues　in　which　the　king　and　his　friends　indulged。　　Whitehall；　the　scene　of　so　much　gaiety　and　gallantry；　was　a　palace　by　no　means　befitting　the　luxurious　Charles。　　It　consisted　of　a　series　of　irregular　houses　built　for　different　purposes　at　various　periods；　these　contained　upwards　of　two　thousand　rooms；　most　of　which　were　small；　and　many　of　which　were　without　doors。　　The　buildings　were　intersected　by　grassy　squares；　where　fountains　played；　statues　were　grouped；　and　dials　shadowed　the　passing　hour。　　At　hand　stood　St。　James's　Park；　with　its　fair　meadows　and　leafy　trees；　close　by　flowed　the　placid　Thames；　bearing　heavily　laden　lighters　and　innumerable　barges。　　Attached　to　these　dwellings；　and　forming　part　of　the　palace；　stood　the　great　banquet　hall；　erected　from　designs　by　Inigo　Jones　for　James　I。　Here　audiences　to　ambassadors；　state　balls；　and　great　banquets　were　held。　　The　ceiling　was　painted　by　Rubens；　and　was；　moreover；　handsomely　moulded　and　richly　gilt。　　Above　the　entrance…door　stood　a　statue　of　Charles　I。；〃whose　majestic　mien　delighted　the　spectator；〃　Whilst　close　by　one　of　the　windows　were　the　ineradicable　stains　of　blood；　marking　the　spot　near　which　he　had　been　beheaded。

Now　in　the　train　of　the　queen　mother　there　had　travelled　from　France　〃a　most　pretty　sparke　of　about　fourteen　years；〃　whom　Mr。　Pepys　plainly　terms　〃the　king's　bastard；〃　but　who　was　known　to　the　court　as　young　Mr。　Crofts。　　This　little　gentleman　was　son　of　Lucy　Walters；　〃a　brown；　beautiful；　bold　creature；〃　who　had　the　distinction　of　being　first　mistress　to　the　merry　monarch。　　That　he　was　his　offspring　the　king　entertained　no　doubt；　though　others　did；　inasmuch　as　young　Mr。　Crofts　grew　to　resemble；　〃even　to　the　wart　on　his　face；〃　Colonel　Robert　Sidney；　whose　paramour　Lucy　Walters　had　been　a　brief　while　before　his　majesty　began　an　intrigue　with　her。　　Soon　after　the　boy's　birth　that　beautiful　woman　abandoned　herself　to　pleasures；　in　which　the　king　had　no　participation。　　He　therefore　parted　from　her；　had　her　son　placed　under　the　guardianship　of　Lord　Crofts；　whose　name　he　bore；　and　educated　by　the　Peres　de　l'Oratoire　at　Paris。　　The　while　he　was　continually　at　the　court　of　the　queen　mother；　who　regarded　him　as　her　grandson；　and　who；　by　the　king's　command；　now　brought　him　into　England。　　The　beauty　of　his　face　and　grace　of　his　figure　could　not　be　exceeded；　whilst　his　manner　was　as　winning　as　his　air　was　noble。　　Moreover；　his　accomplishments　were　numerous；　he　danced　to　perfection；　sang　with　sweetness；　rode　with　skill；　and　so　gallant　was　his　nature　that　he　became　at　this　early　age；　as　Hamilton　affirms；　〃the　universal　terror　of　husbands　and　lovers。〃

The　king　betrayed　the　greatest　affection　for　him；　and　took　exceeding　pride　in　being　father　of　such　a　brave　and　comely　youth；　at　which　my　Lady　Castlemaine　was　both　wrathful　and　jealous；　fearing　he　would　avert　the　royal　favour　from　her　own　offspring；　but　these　feelings　she　afterwards　overcame；　as　will　be　duly　shown。　　His　majesty　speedily　showered　honours　upon　him；　allotted　him　a　suite　of　apartments　in　the　royal　palace　of　Whitehall；　appointed　him　a　retinue　befitting　the　heir　apparent；　created　him　Duke　of　Orkney　and　of　Monmouth；　and　installed　him　a　knight　of　the　garter。

But；　before　this　had　been　accomplished；　there　arrived　in　town　some　personages　whose　names　it　will　be　necessary　to　mention　here；　the　figure　they　made　at　court　being　considerable。　　These　were　Sir　George　Hamilton　and　his　family；　and　Philibert；　Chevalier　de　Grammont。　　Sir　George　was　fourth　son　of　James；　Earl　of　Abercorn；　and　of　Mary；　sister　to　James；　first　Duke　of　Ormond。　　Sir　George　had　proved　himself　a　loyal　man　and　a　brave　during　the　late　civil　war；　and　had　on　the　murder　of　his　royal　master　sought　safety　in　France；　from　which　country　he；　in　the　second　year　of　the　restoration；　returned；　accompanied　by　a　large　family；　the　women　of　which　were　fair；　the　men　fearless。　　The　Hamiltons　being　close　kin　to　the　Ormond　great　intimacy　existed　between　them；　to　facilitate　which　they　lived　not　far　apartthe　duke　residing　in　Ormond　Yard；　St。　James's　Square；　and　the　Hamiltons　occupying　a　spacious　residence　in　King　Street。　　James　Hamilton；　Sir　George's　eldest　son；　was　remarkable　for　the　symmetry　of　his　figure；　elegance　of　his　manner；　and　costliness　of　his　dress。　　Moreover；　he　possessed　a　taste　shaped　to　pleasure；　and　a　disposition　inclined　to　gallantry；　which　commended　him　so　strongly　to　the　king's　favour；　that　he　was　made　groom　of　the　bedchamber　and　colonel　of　a　regiment。

His　brother　George　was　scarcely　less　handsome　in　appearance　or　less　agreeable　in　manner。　　Another　brother；　Anthony；　best　remembered　as　the　writer　of　Grammont's　memoirs；　was　likewise　liberally　endowed　by　nature。　　Elizabeth；　commonly　called　〃la　belle　Hamilton；〃　shared　in　the　largest　degree　the　hereditary　gifts　of　grace　and　beauty　pertaining　to　this　distinguished　family。　　At　her　introduction　to　the　court　of　Charles　II。　she　was　in　the　bloom　of　youth　and　zenith　of　loveliness。　　The　portrait　of　her　which　her　brother　Anthony　has　set　before　the　world　for　its　admiration　is　delicate　in　its　colours；　and　finished　in　its　details。　　〃Her　forehead；〃　he　writes；　〃was　open；　white；　and　smooth；　her　hair　was　well　set；　and　fell　with　ease　into　that　natural　order　which　it　is　so　difficult　to　imitate。　　Her　complexion　was　possessed　of　a　certain　freshness；　not　to　be　equalled　by　borrowed　colours；　her　eyes　were　not　large；　but　they　were　lovely；　and　capable　of　expressing　whatever　she　pleased；　her　mouth　was　full　of　graces；　and　her　contour　uncommonly　perfect；　nor　was　her　nose；　which　was　small；　delicate；　and　turned　up；　the　least　ornament　of　so　lovely　a　face。　　She　had　the　finest　shape；　the　loveliest　neck；　and　most　beautiful　arms　in　the　world；　she　was　majestic　and　graceful　in　all　her　movements；　and　she　was　the　original　after　which　all　the　ladies　copied　in　their　taste　and　air　of　dress。〃

Now；　about　the　same　time　the　Hamiltons　arrived　at　court；　there　likewise　appeared　at　Whitehall　one　whose　fame　as　a　wit；　and　whose　reputation　as　a　gallant；　had　preceded　him。　　This　was　the　celebrated　Chevalier　de　Grammont；　whose　father　was　supposed　to　be　son　of　Henry　the　Great　of　France。　　The　chevalier　had　been　destined　by　his　mother　for　the　church；　the　good　soul　being　anxious　he　should　lead　the　life　of　a　saint；　but　the　youth　was　desirous　of　joining　the　army；　and　following　the　career　of　a　soldier。　　Being　remarkable　for　ingenuity；　he　conceived　a　plan　by　which　he　might　gratify　his　mother's　wishes　and　satisfy　his　own　desires　at　the　same　time。　　He　therefore　accepted　the　abbacy　his　brother　procured　for　him；　but　on　appearing　at　court　to　return　thanks　for　his　preferment；　comported　himself　with　a　military　air。　Furthermore；　his　dress　was　combined　of　the　habit　and　bands　pertaining　to　an　ecclesiastic；　and　the　buskins　and　spurs　belonging　to　a　soldier。　　Such　an　amalgamation　had　never　before　been　witnessed；　and　caused　general　attention；　the　court　was　amazed　at　his　daring；　but　Richelieu　was　amused　by　his　boldness。　His　brother　regarded　his　appearance　in　the　dual　character　of　priest　and　soldier　as　a　freak；　and　on　his　return　home　asked　him　gravely　to　which　profession　he　meant　to　attach　himself。　　The　youth　answered　he　was　resolved　〃to　renounce　the　church　for