royalty restored-第41部分

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re　a　necklace　of　pearls；　valued　at　over　a　thousand　pounds；　and　a　pair　of　diamond　pendants　of　rare　lustre。

Neither　she　nor　her　husband　paid　much　heed　to　the　royal　menaces；　for　before　a　year　elapsed　they　both　returned　to　town；　and　took　up　their　residence　at　Somerset　House。　　Here；　as　Pepys　records；　she　kept　a　great　court；　〃she　being　visited　for　her　beauty's　sake　by　people；　as　the　queen　is　at　nights：　　and　they　say　also　she　is　likely　to　go　to　court　again　and　there　put　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　nose　out　of　joint。　　God　knows　that　would　make　a　great　turn。〃　　But　to　such　proposals　as　were　made　regarding　her　return　to　Whitehall；　her　husband　would　not　pay　heed；　and　she　therefore　remained　a　stranger　to　its　drawing…rooms　for　some　time　longer。　　And　when　two　years　later　she　appeared　there；　her　beauty　had　lost　much　of　its　famed　lustre；　for　meantime　she　was　overtaken　by　smallpox；　a　scourge　ever　prevalent　in　the　capital。　　During　her　illness　the　king　paid　her　several　visits；　and　was　sorely　grieved　that　the　loveliness　he　so　much　prized　should　be　marred　by　foul　disease。　But　on　her　recovery；　the　disfigurement　she　suffered　scarce　lessened　his　admiration；　and　by　no　means　abated　his　love；　which　seemed　to　have　gained　fresh　force　from　the　fact　of　its　being　interrupted　awhile。

This　soon　became　perceptible　to　all；　and　rumour　whispered　that　the　young　duchess　would　shortly　return　to　Whitehall　in　a　position　which　she　had　declined　before　marriage。　　And　amongst　other　stories　concerning　the　king's　love　for　her；　it　was　common　talk　that　one　fair　evening　in　May；　when　he　had　ordered　his　coach　to　be　ready　that　he　might　take　an　airing　in　the　park；　he；　on　a　sudden　impulse；　ran　down　the　broad　steps　leading　from　his　palace　gardens　to　the　riverside。　　Here；　entering　a　boat　alone；　he　rowed　himself　adown　the　placid　river　now　crossed　by　early　shadows；　until　he　came　to　Somerset　House；　where　his　lady…love　dwelt；　and　finding　the　garden…door　locked；　he；　in　his　impatience　to　be　with　her；　clambered　over　the　wall　and　sought　her。　　Two　months　after　the　occurrence　of　this　incident；　the　young　duchess　was　appointed　a　lady　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　queen；　and　therefore　had　apartments　at　Whitehall。　　There　was　little　doubt　now　entertained　she　any　longer　rejected　his　majesty's　love；　and　in　order　to　remove　all　uncertainties　on　the　point　which　might　arise　in　her　husband's　mind；　the　king　one　night；　when　he　had　taken　over　much　wine；　boasted　to　the　duke　of　her　complaisancy。　　Lord　Dartmouth；　who　tells　this　story；　says　this　happened　〃at　Lord　Townshend's；　in　Norfolk；　as　my　uncle　told　me；　who　was　present。〃　　Soon　after　his　grace　accepted　an　honourable　exile　as　ambassador　to　Denmark；　in　which　country　he　died。

During　the　absence　of　the　Duchess　of　Richmond；　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　then　in　the　uninterrupted　possession　of　power；　led　his　majesty　a　sorry　life。　　Her　influence；　indeed；　seemed　to　increase　with　time；　until　her　victim　became　a　laughing…stock　to　the　heartless；　and　an　object　of　pity　to　the　wise。　　Mr。　Povy；　whose　office　as　a　member　of　the　Tangier　Commission　brought　him　into　continual　contact　with　the　court；　and　whose　love　of　gossip　made　him　observant　of　all　that　passed　around　him；　in　telling　of　〃the　horrid　effeminacy　of　the　king；〃　said　that　〃upon　any　falling　out　between　my　Lady　Castlemaine's　nurse　and　her　woman；　my　lady　hath　often　said　she　would　make　the　king　make　them　friends；　and　they　would　be　friends　and　be　quietwhich　the　king　had　been　fain　to　do。〃　　Nor　did　such　condescension　on　his　majesty's　part　incline　his　mistress　to　treat　him　with　more　respect；　for　in　the　quarrels　which　now　became　frequent　betwixt　them　she　was　wont　to　term　him　a　fool；　in　reply　to　the　kingly　assertion　that　she　was　a　jade。

The　disturbances　which　troubled　the　court　were　principally　caused　by　her　infidelities　to　him；　and　his　subsequent　jealousies　of　her。　Chief　among　those　who　shared　her　intrigues　at　this　time　was　Harry　Jermyn；　with　whom　she　renewed　her　intimacy　from　time　to　time；　without　the　knowledge　of　his　majesty。　　The　risks　she　frequently　encountered　in　pursuit　of　her　amours　abounded　in　comedy。　Speaking　of　Harry　Jermyn；　Pepys　tells　us　the　king　〃had　like　to　have　taken　him　abed　with　her；　but　that　he　was　fain　to　creep　under　the　bed　into　the　closet。〃　　It　being　now　rumoured　that　Jermyn　was　about　to　wed　my　Lady　Falmouth；　the　countess's　love　for　one　whom　she　might　for　ever　lose　received　a　fresh　impulse；　which　made　her　reckless　of　concealment。　　The　knowledge　of　her　passion；　therefore；　coming　to　Charles's　ears；　a　bitter　feud　sprang　up　between　them；　during　which　violent　threats　and　abusive　language　were　freely　exchanged。

At　this　time　my　lady　was　far　gone　with　child；　a　fact　that　soon　came　bubbling　up　to　the　angry　surface　of　their　discourse；　for　the　king　avowed　he　would　not　own　it　as　his　offspring。　　On　hearing　this；　her　passion　became　violent　beyond　all　decent　bounds。　　〃God　damn　me；　but　you　shall　own　it！〃　　said　she；　her　cheeks　all　crimson　and　her　eyes　afire；　and　moreover　she　added；　〃she　should　have　it　christened　in　the　Chapel　Royal；　and　owned　as　his；　or　otherwise　she　would　bring　it　to　the　gallery　in　Whitehall；　and　dash　its　brains　out　before　his　face。〃

After　she　had　hectored　him　almost　out　of　his　wits；　she　fled　in　a　state　of　wild　excitement　from　the　palace；　and　took　up　her　abode　at　the　residence　of　Sir　Daniel　Harvey；　the　ranger　of　Richmond　Park。　　News　of　this　scene　spread　rapidly　through　the　court；　and　was　subsequently　discussed　in　the　coffee…houses　and　taverns　all　over　the　town；　where　great　freedom　was　made　with　the　lady's　name；　and　great　sport　of　the　king's　passion。　　And　now　it　was　said　the　monarch　had　parted　with　his　mistress　for　ever；　concerning　which　there　was　much　rejoicement　and　some　doubt。　　For　notwithstanding　the　king　had　passed　his　word　to　this　effect；　yet　it　was　known　though　his　spirit　was　willing　his　flesh　was　weak。　　Indeed；　three　days　had　scarcely　passed　when；　mindful　of　her　temper；　he　began　to　think　his　words　had　been　harsh；　and；　conscious　of　her　power；　he　concluded　his　vows　had　been　rash。　　He　therefore　sought　her　once　more；　but　found　she　was　not　inclined　to　relent；　until；　as　Pepys　was　assured；　this　monarch　of　most　feeble　spirit；　this　lover　of　most　ardent　temper；　〃sought　her　forgiveness　upon　his　knees；　and　promised　to　offend　her　no　more。〃



CHAPTER　XIV。

The　kingdom　in　peril。The　chancellor　falls　under　his　majesty's　displeasure。The　Duke　of　Buckingham's　mimicry。Lady　Castlemaine's　malice。Lord　Clarendon's　fall。The　Duke　of　Ormond　offends　the　royal　favourite。She　covers　him　with　abuse。Plots　against　the　Duke　of　York。Schemes　for　a　royal　divorce。Moll　Davis　and　Nell　Gwynn。The　king　and　the　comedian。Lady　Castlemaine　abandons　herself　to　great　disorders。Young　Jack　Spencer。The　countess　intrigues　with　an　acrobat。Talk　of　the　town。The　mistress　created　a　duchess。

At　this　time　the　kingdom　stood　in　uttermost　danger；　being　brought　to　that　condition　by　his　majesty's　negligence　towards　its　concerns。　　The　peril　was；　moreover；　heightened　from　the　fact　of　the　king　being　impatient　to　rid　himself　of　those　who　had　the　nation's　credit　at　heart；　and　sought　to　uphold　its　interests。　　To　this　end　he　was　led　in　part　by　his　own　inclinations；　and　furthermore　by　his　friends'　solicitations。　　Foremost　amongst　those　with　whose　services　he　was　anxious　to　dispense；　were　the　chancellor；　my　Lord　Clarendon；　and　the　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland；　his　grace　the　Duke　of　Ormond。

The　king's　displeasure　against　these　men；　who　had　served　his　father　loyally；　himself　faithfully；　and　their　country　honestly；　was　instigated　through　hatred　borne　them　by　my　Lady　Castlemaine。　From　the　first　both　had　bewailed　the　monarch's　connection　with　her；　and　the　evil　influence　she　exercised　over　him。　　Accordingly；　after　the　pattern　of　honest　men；　they　had　set　their　faces　against　her。

Not　only；　as　has　already　been　stated；　would　the　chancellor　refuse　to　let　any　document　bearing　her　name　pass　the　great　seal；　but　he　had　often　prevailed　with　the　king　to　alter　resolutions　she　had　persuaded　him　to　form。　　And　moreover　had　his　lordship　sinned　in　her　eyes　by　forbidding　his　wife　to　visit　or　hold　intercourse　with　her。　　These　were　sufficient　reasons　to　arouse　the　hatred　and　procure　the　revenge　of　this　malicious　woman；　who　was　now　virtually　at　the　head　of　the　kingdom。　　For　awhile；　however；　Charles；　mindful　of　the　services　the　chancellor　had　rendered　him；　was　unwilling　to　thrust　him　from　his　high　place。　　But　as　time　sped；　and　the　machinations　of　a　clique　of　courtiers　in　league　with　the　countess　were　added　to　her　influence；　the　chancellor's　power　wavered。　　And　finally；　when　he　was　suspected　of　stepping　between　his　majesty　and　his　unlawful　pleasuresconcerning　which　more　shall　be　said　anonhe　fell。

At　the　head　and　front　of　the　body　which　plotted　against　Lord　Clarendon；　pandered　to　Lady　Castlemaine；　and；　for　its　own　purposespolitically　and　sociallysought　to　control　the　king；　was　his　grace　the　Duke　of　Buckingham。　　This　witty　courtier　and　his　friends；　when　assembled　round　the　pleasant　supper　table　spread　in　the　countess's　apartments；　and　honoured　almost　nightly　by　the　presence　of　the　king；　delighted　to　vent　the　force　of　their　humour　upon　the　chancellor；　and　criticize　his　influence　over　the　monarch　until　Charles　smarted　from　their　words。　　In　the　height　of　their　mirth；　if　his　majesty　declared　he　would　go　a　journey；　walk　in　a　certain　direction；　or　perform　some　trivial　action　next　day；　those　around　him　would　lay　a　wager　he　would　not　fulfil　his　intentions；　and　when　asked　why　they　had　arrived　at　such　conclusions；　they　would　reply；　because　the　chancellor　would　not　permit　him。　　On　this　another　would　remark　with　mock　gravity；　he　thought　there　were　no　grounds　for　such　an　imputation；　though；　indeed；　he　could　not　deny　it　was　universally　believed　abroad　his　majesty　was　implicitly　governed　by　Lord　Clarendon。　　The　king；　being　keenly　sensitive　to　remarks　doubting　his　authority；　and　most　desirous　of　appearing　his　own　master；　would　exclaim　on　such　occasions　that　the　chancellor　〃had　served　him　long；　and　understood　his　business；　in　which　he　trusted　him；　but　in　any　other　matter　than　his　business；　he　had　no　more　credit　with　him　than　any　other　man。〃　　And　presently　the　Duke　of　Buckinghamwho　possessed　talents　of　mimicry　to　a　surpassing　degreewould　arise；　and；　screwing　his　face　into　ridiculous　contortions；　and　shaking　his　wig　in　a　man