royalty restored-第23部分

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fession　he　meant　to　attach　himself。　　The　youth　answered　he　was　resolved　〃to　renounce　the　church　for　the　salvation　of　his　soul；〃　upon　condition　that　he　retained　his　beneficed　abbacy。　　It　may　be　added；　he　kept　this　resolution。

A　soldier　he　therefore　became；　and　subsequently　a　courtier。　　His　valour　in　war　and　luck　in　gambling　won　him　the　admiration　of　the　camp；　whilst　his　ardour　in　love　and　genius　for　intrigue　gained　him　the　esteem　of　the　court；　but　finally　lost　him　the　favour　of　his　king。　　For　attaching　himself　to　one　of　the　maids　of　honour；　Mademoiselle　La　Motte　Houdancourt；　whom　his　most　Christian　Majesty　Louis　XIV。　had　already　honoured　with　his　regard；　Grammont　was　banished　from　the　French　court。

Accordingly；　in　the　second　year　of　the　merry　monarch's　reign　he　presented　himself　at　Whitehall；　and　was　received　by　Charles　with　a　graciousness　that　served　to　obliterate　the　memory　of　his　late　misfortune。　　Nor　were　the　courtiers　less　warm　in　their　greetings　than　his　majesty。　　The　men　hailed　him　as　an　agreeable　companion；　the　ladies　intimated　he　need　not　wholly　abandon　those　tender　diversions　for　which　he　had　shown　such　natural　talent　and　received　such　high　reputation　at　the　court　of　Louis　XIV。　　He　therefore　promptly　attached　himself　to　the　king；　whose　parties　he　invariably　attended；　and　whose　pleasures　he　continually　devised；　made　friends　with　the　most　distinguished　nobles；　whom　he　charmed　by　the　grace　of　his　manner　and　extravagance　of　his　entertainments；　and　took　early　opportunities　of　proving　to　the　satisfaction　of　many　of　the　fairer　sex　that　his　character　as　a　gallant　had　by　no　means　been　exaggerated　by　report。

Amongst　those　to　whom　he　paid　especial　attention　were　Mrs。　Middleton；　a　woman　of　fashion；　and　Miss　Kirk；　a　maid　of　honour；　to　whom　Hamilton；　in　his　memoirs　of　Grammont；　gives　the　fictitious　name　of　Warmestre。　　The　former　was　at　this　time　in　her　seventeenth　summer；　and　had　been　two　years　a　wife。　　Her　exquisitely　fair　complexion；　light　auburn　hair；　and　dark　hazel　eyes　constituted　her　a　remarkably　beautiful　woman。　　Miss　Kirk　was　of　a　different　type　of　loveliness；　inasmuch　as　her　skin　was　brown；　her　eyes　dark；　and　her　complexion　brilliant。　　As　Mrs。　Middleton　was　at　this　time　but　little　known　at　court；　Grammont　found　some　difficulty　in　obtaining　an　introduction　to　her　as　promptly　as　he　desired；　but　feeling　anxious　to　make　her　acquaintance；　and　being　no　laggard　in　love；　he　without　hesitation　applied　to　her　porter　for　admittance；　and　took　one　of　her　lovers　into　his　confidence。　　This　latter　gallant　rejoiced　in　the　name　of　Jones；　and　subsequently　became　Earl　of　Ranelagh。　　In　the　fulness　of　his　heart　towards　one　who　experienced　a　fellow　feeling；　he　resolved　to　aid　Grammont　in　gaining　the　lady's　favours。　　This　generosity　being　prompted　by　the　fact　that　the　chevalier　would　rid　him　of　a　rival　whom　he　feared；　and　at　the　same　time　relieve　him　of　an　expense　he　could　ill　afford；　the　lady　having　certain　notions　of　magnificence　which　her　husband's　income　was　unable　to　sustain。

Mrs。　Middleton　received　the　chevalier　with　good　grace；　but　he　found　her　more　ready　to　receive　the　presents　he　offered；　than　to　grant　the　privileges　he　required。　　Miss　Kirk；　on　the　other　hand；　was　not　only　flattered　by　his　attentions；　but　was　willing　to　use　every　means　in　her　power　to　preserve　a　continuance　of　his　friendship；　Therefore　out　of　gratitude　for　graces　received　from　one　of　the　ladies；　and　in　expectation　of　favours　desired　from　the　other；　Grammont　made　them　the　handsomest　presents。　　Perfumed　gloves；　pocket　looking…glasses；　apricot　paste；　came　every　week　from　Paris　for　their　benefit；　whilst　more　substantial　offerings　in　the　shape　of　jewellery；　diamonds；　and　guineas　were　procured　for　them　in　London；　all　of　which　they　made　no　hesitation　to　accept。

It　happened　one　night；　whilst　Grammont　was　yet　in　pursuit　of　Mrs。　Middleton；　that　the　queen　gave　a　ball。　　In　hope　of　winning　her　husband's　affection；　by　studying　his　pleasures　and　suiting　herself　to　his　ways；　her　majesty　had　become　a　changed　woman。　　She　now　professed　a　passion　for　dancing；　wore　decollete　costumes；　and　strove　to　surpass　those　surrounding　her　in　her　desire　for　gaiety。　Accordingly　her　balls　were　the　most　brilliant　spectacles　the　court　had　yet　witnessed；　she　taking　care　to　assemble　the　fairest　women　of　the　day；　and　the　most　distinguished　men。　　Now　amongst　the　latter　was　the　Chevalier　de　Grammont；　and　amidst　the　former；　Mrs。　Middleton　and　Miss　Hamilton。

Of　all　the　court　beauties；　〃la　belle　Hamilton〃　was　one　of　whom　Grammont　had　seen　least　and　heard　most；　but　that　which　had　been　told　him　of　her　charms　seemed；　now　that　he　beheld　her；　wholly　inadequate　to　express　her　loveliness。　　Therefore；　his　eyes　followed　her　alone；　as　her　graceful　figure　glided　in　the　dance　adown　the　ball…room；　lighted　with　a　thousand　tapers；　and　brilliant　with　every　type　of　beauty。　　And　when　presently　she　rested；　it　was　with　an　unusual　flutter　at　his　heart　that　this　gallant；　heretofore　so　daring　in　love；　sought　her　company；　addressed　her；　and　listened　with　strange　pleasure　to　the　music　of　her　voice。　　From　that　night　he　courted　Mrs。　Middleton　no　more；　but　devoted　himself　to　〃la　belle　Hamilton；〃　who　subsequently　became　his　wife。

Meanwhile；　the　merry　monarch　behaved　as　if　he　had　no　higher　purpose　in　life　than　that　of　following　his　pleasures。　　〃The　king　is　as　decomposed　＇dissipated＇　as　ever；〃　the　lord　chancellor　writes　to　the　Duke　of　Ormond；　in　a　letter　preserved　in　the　Bodleian　library；　〃and　looks　as　little　after　his　business；　which　breaks　my　heart；　and　makes　me　and　other　of　your　friends　weary　of　our　lives。　　He　seeks　for　his　satisfaction　and　delight　in　other　company；　which　do　not　love　him　so　well　as　you　and　I　do。〃　His　days　were　spent　in　pursuing　love；　feasting　sumptuously；　interchanging　wit；　and　enjoying　all　that　seemed　good　to　the　senses。　　Pepys；　who　never　fails　to　make　mention　of　the　court　when　actual　experience　or　friendly　gossip　enables　him；　throws　many　pleasant　lights　upon　the　ways　of　the　monarch　and　his　courtiers。

For　instance；　he　tells　us　that　one　Lord's　daythe　same　on　which　this　excellent　man　had　been　to　Whitehall　chapel；　and　heard　a　sermon　by　the　Dean　of　Ely　on　returning　to　the　old　ways；　and；　moreover；　a　most　tuneful　anthem　sung　by　Captain　Cooke；　with　symphonies　betweenwhom　should　he　meet　but　the　great　chirurgeon；　Mr。　Pierce；　who　carried　him　to　Somerset　House；　and　into　the　queen　mother's　presence…chamber。　　And　there；　on　the　left　hand　of　Henrietta　Maria；　sat　the　young　queen；　whom　Mr。　Pepys　had　never　seen　before；　and　now　thought　that　〃though　she　be　not　very　charming；　yet　she　hath　a　good；　modest；　and　innocent　look；　which　is　pleasing。〃　Here；　likewise；　he　saw　the　king's　mistress；　and　the　young　Duke　of　Monmouth；　〃who；　I　perceive；〃　Pepys　continues；　〃do　hang　much　upon　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　is　always　with　her；　and　I　hear　the　queenes；　both　of　them；　are　mighty　kind　to　him。　　By…and…　by　in　comes　the　king；　and　anon　the　duke　and　his　duchesse；　so　that；　they　being　all　together；　was　such　a　sight　as　I　never　could　almost　have　happened　to　see　with　so　much　ease　and　leisure。　　They　staid　till　it　was　dark；　and　then　went　away；　the　king　and　his　queene；　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine　and　young　Crofts；　in　one　coach；　and　the　rest　in　other　coaches。　　Here　were　great　stores　of　great　ladies。　　The　king　and　queen　were　very　merry；　and　he　would　have　made　the　queene　mother　believe　that　the　queene　was　with　child；　and　said　that　she　said　so。　　And　the　young　queene　answered；　'You　lye；'　which　was　the　first　English　word　that　I　ever　heard　her　say；　which　made　the　king　good　sport。〃

Others　besides　Mr。　Pepys　had　begun　to　notice　that　the　young　Duke　of　Monmouth　hung　much　upon　the　Countess　of　Castlemaine；　and　that　her　ladyship　lavished　caresses　upon　him。　　Whether　this　was　to　provoke　the　uneasiness　of　his　majesty；　who　she　hoped　might　find　employment　for　the　lad　elsewhere；　or　to　express　her　genuine　affection　for　him；　it　is　impossible　to　say。　　However；　the　duke　being　come　to　an　age　when　the　endearments　of　such　a　woman　might　have　undesired　effects　upon　him；　the　king　resolved　to　remove　him　from　her　influence；　and　at　the　same　time　secure　his　fortune　by　marriage。

He　therefore　selected　a　bride　for　him；　in　the　person　of　Lady　Anne　Scott；　a　young　gentlewoman　of　virtue　and　excellence；　who　was　only　child　of　Francis；　Earl　of　Buccleugh；　and　the　greatest　heiress　in　Great　Britain。　　Their　nuptials　were　celebrated　on　the　20th　of　April；　1663；　the　bridegroom　at　this　time　not　having　reached　his　fifteenth　birthday；　whilst　the　bride　was　younger　by　a　year。　　The　duke　on　his　marriage　assumed　his　wife's　family　name；　Scott；　and　some　years　laterin　1673both　were　created　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Buccleugh。　　From　this　union　the　family　now　bearing　that　title　has　descended。　　A　great　supper　was　given　at　Whitehall　on　the　marriage…night；　and　for　many　days　there　were　stately　festivities　held　to　celebrate　the　event　with　becoming　magnificence。

Now　at　one　of　the　court　balls　held　at　this　time；　the　woman　of　all　others　who　attracted　most　attention　and　gained　universal　admiration　was　Frances　Stuart；　maid　of　honour　to　Queen　Catherine。　She　was　only　daughter　of　a　gallant　gentleman；　one　Walter　Stuart；　and　grand…daughter　of　Lord　Blantyre。　　Her　family　had　suffered　sore　loss　in　the　cause　of　Charles　I。；　by　reason　of　which；　like　many　others；　it　sought　refuge　in　France。　　This　young　gentlewoman　was　therefore　bred　in　that　country；　and　was；　moreover；　attached　to　the　court　of　the　queen　mother；　in　whose　suite　she　travelled　into　England。　　Her　beauty　was　sufficient　to　attract　the　attention　of　Louis　XIV。；　who；　loath　to　lose　so　fair　an　ornament　from　his　court；　requested　her　mother　would　permit　her　to　remain；　saying；　he　〃loved　her　not　as　a　mistress；　but　as　one　that　would　marry　as　well　as　any　lady　in　France。〃

No　doubt　Mrs。　Stuart　understood　the　motives　of　his　majesty's　interested　kindness；　of　which；　however；　she　declined　availing　herself；　and　therefore　departed　with　her　daughter　for　England。　At　the　time　of　her　appearance　at　Whitehall；　Frances　Stuart　was　in　her　fifteenth　year。　　Even　in　a　court　distinguished　by　the　beauty　of　women；　her　loveliness　was　declared　unsurpassed。　　Her　features　were　regular　and　refined；　her　complexion　fair　as　alabaster；　her　hair　bright　and　luxuriant；　her　eyes　of　violet　hue；　moreover；　her　figure　being　tall；　straight；　and