V
 
 NELL GWYNNE OF OLD DRURY.
 
 NELL GWYNNE 
 
 OF OLD DRURY 
 
 OUR LADY OF LAUGHTER 
 
 BY 
 
 HALL DOWNING 
 
 Chicago and New York: 
 Rand, McNally & Company, 
 
 Publishers.
 
 Copyright, 1901, by Rand, McNally & Co. 
 
 All serial and dramatic rights reserved. 
 Copyright, eighteen hundred ninety- 
 two, byRobertL. Downing. Nell Gwynne 
 of Old Drury Our Lady of Laughter.
 
 SRtt 
 
 URC 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER. PAGE. 
 
 I. The King's Playhouse 7 
 
 II. A Supper with Royalty 27 
 
 III. La Belle Stuart 61 
 
 IV. Pretty, Mad Nelly 82 
 
 V. Love's Desperate Game 112 
 
 VI. Dethrone Him ! 137 
 
 VII. Broken Ties 149 
 
 VIII. An Asmodean Glimpse 162 
 
 IX. Le Roi s' Amuse 175 
 
 X. The Reigning Favorite 198 
 
 XI. Nell to the Rescue ! 209 
 
 XII. Her Grace of Richmond 233 
 
 XIII. The Plague ! The Plague ! 249 
 
 XIV. A Rout at Whitehall 269 
 
 XV. Check to the King 279 
 
 XVI. All's Well That Ends Well . , 296
 
 
 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 A ROMANCE OF KING CHARLES II S AND HIS COURT. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 
 
 1 4 /"^v RANGES! Oranges! Who'll buy my 
 
 V_y oranges?" 
 
 " Oranges ! Buy, buy my golden beauties ! " 
 
 " All sweet! sweet! sweet! Balls of honey 1 
 Balls of honey!" 
 
 In the front row of the pit of the new theatre 
 in Drury Lane, with their backs to the stage, 
 stood the orange girls, their baskets piled high 
 with the golden fruit. In more or less melodi- 
 ous tones, and with repartee, sometimes rough, 
 but almost always witty, they called their wares. 
 
 The house was rapidly filling with a gay com- 
 pany, for to-night was a gala night and one that 
 was like to replenish the somewhat depleted 
 purse of good Killigrew, the manager. It was
 
 8 NELL GWYNNE- 
 
 to be the first appearance in public, since his 
 recent serious illness, of his most Christian maj- 
 esty, Charles the Second ; and, moreover, " pret- 
 ty, witty Nelly," otherwise Mistress Eleanor 
 Gwynne, the bright, particular star of his maj- 
 esty's servants, was to play her favorite role of 
 Florimel in Mr. Dryden's comedy of " Secret 
 Love." 
 
 Charles, at this time, was at the height of his 
 popularity. He had been welcomed back with 
 an enthusiasm that knew no bounds, and his 
 affability of manner and charms of person did 
 much to strengthen the attachment of his sub- 
 jects. In this connection it may be stated that 
 Oughtred the mathematician is said to have 
 died of joy and Urquhart, the translator of 
 Rabelais, of laughter, on hearing of the ecstasy 
 of the English people at the return of old Row- 
 ley. But, in spite of the stories that were told 
 of the sad doings at court, the king became 
 more and more endeared to the hearts of the 
 masses. 
 
 Wearied to death with* the rigid, puritanical 
 rule of Cromwell, the people were only too glad 
 to throw off the yoke and indulge in gaiety of 
 all descriptions. Their freedom of spirit had 
 been only half subdued by Presbyterian perse- 
 cution, and there was a violent reaction from 
 Puritan severity. The sombre garments of the
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 9 
 
 Protectorate gave place to gay colored dresses 
 adorned with a profusion of lace, ribbons and 
 embroidery. The playing of the guitar and the 
 singing of anything save psalm tunes were no 
 longer prohibited and dancing was no longer 
 reckoned as one of the deadly sins. 
 
 Perhaps one of the most striking results of 
 the restoration of the Stuarts was the revival of 
 the English theatre. The doors of the play- 
 houses 'had been closed and the voices of the 
 players silenced for nearly a quarter of a cen- 
 tury. 
 
 When the king returned to the throne great 
 pressure was brought to bear upon him to au- 
 thorize the erection of new theatres in London ; 
 but, acting upon the advice of Clarendon, the 
 leader of the House of Lords, whose aim it was 
 to check as much as possible the flood of dissipa- 
 tion, Charles would not allow more than two, the 
 King's House, which was placed under the man- 
 agement of Thomas Killigrew, and the Duke's 
 House, so called in honor of the king's brother, 
 the Duke of York, controlled by Sir William 
 Davenant. The company of the first called 
 themselves the king's servants, and the com- 
 pany of the second the duke's servants. 
 
 There was the greatest rivalry between the 
 two theatres, a rivalry which extended from the 
 managers to the lowest menial in their employ.
 
 10 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 The stage properties were new and the dresses 
 costly. On both stages were represented the 
 plays of Shakspere and Ben Jonson, " which so 
 did take Eliza and our James " ; and for both 
 companies Dryden, Wycherly, Southern and 
 others wrote tragedies and comedies. 
 
 It was at this period that female characters 
 were first played by women, and for the first 
 time also sovereigns attended stage representa- 
 tions. 
 
 " Oranges ! Oranges ! Buy my oranges ! " 
 
 The theatre was now nearly full. The house 
 was a large one lighted by candles fixed in scon- 
 ces. The boxes were in the first tier, and the 
 two just opposite the stage were gaily decorated 
 in honor of the royal party, which had not yet 
 arrived. 
 
 The second circle was occupied by worthy 
 tradesmen of the city ; and the pit was filled by 
 gallants of the court, ladies in rustling silks and 
 satins but with their faces closely masked, and 
 young gentlemen from the University and the 
 Temple. TLe only females without vizards 
 were the *bona robas, who brazenly displayed 
 their painted cheeks. 
 
 Above all the buzz of conversation rose the 
 cries of the fruit girls, conspicuous among whom 
 was a woman with brawny arms and an enor- 
 mous breadth of shoulder. Her countenance
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 11 
 
 was ugly and weatherbeaten, and her uncovered 
 head was crowned with a shock of hair so red 
 that it was almost scarlet. This redoubtable 
 female was Mistress Mary Bobson, commonly 
 known as Orange Moll. Her voice was the 
 shrillest and her retorts were the coarsest and 
 most telling. 
 
 Far down in the pit, not far from the stage, 
 stood two gentlemen, whose acquaintance it 
 behooves us to make. The one was Harry, 
 Lord Buckhurst, one of the handsomest and 
 most brilliant noblemen of the court, and one 
 of the most impecunious as well. His attire, 
 however, bore no evidence of the latter fact, 
 for he was resplendent in crimson velvet 
 slashed with satin of a paler hue, and in the 
 lace of his cravat and upon his sword-hilt jewels 
 flashed. The state of his finances troubled the 
 careless young fellow but little, so long as Jews 
 and tradespeople were complacent. His com- 
 panion was a man of quite different appearance 
 and character. His face was plump, smooth 
 and sanctimonious, but there was a wicked 
 sparkle in his round eyes that showed he was 
 not altogether averse to the pleasures of the 
 world, the flesh and the devil. He was dressed 
 rather plainly in a dark plum-colored suit, and 
 upon his head he wore an enormous periwig, 
 the heavy curls of which fell far down upon his
 
 12 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 shoulders. Samuel Pepys, who was then about 
 forty years, was a personage of no small impor- 
 tance, especially in his own estimation. A per- 
 sistent haunter of the steps of the great and 
 influential, and a most adroit flatterer, he had 
 advanced step by step until he had obtained the 
 important position of clerk of the acts of the 
 navy. This gave him an opportunity of con- 
 stant intercourse with the Duke of York, who 
 was Lord High Admiral, and he soon managed 
 to worm himself into that prince's favor. Buck- 
 hurst had no remarkable liking for the politic 
 Samuel, but he tolerated him for his good humor 
 and his amusing qualities. Moreover, the war 
 against the Dutch was then raging, and he was 
 anxious to obtain command of a ship. Mr. 
 Pepys might not be able to advance materially 
 his interests, but still, as a man who had the ear 
 of the Duke of York, it was well to keep on 
 moderately good terms with him. 
 
 "By my faith," observed Pepys, critically 
 scanning the house, <-our friend Killigrew 
 should be satisfied with this. It is a bitter 
 blow, I hear, to Davenant that the King should 
 come here first." 
 
 "Why so?" returned Buckhurst, carelessly. 
 "It is meet that His Majesty should give the 
 preference to his own house. Let Davenant 
 content himself with the Duke. This is a rare
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 13 
 
 assemblage, indeed," he added, after a pause. 
 "Who would think that the plague had so re- 
 cently devastated the town ? " 
 
 Pepys shuddered. 
 
 " Ugh ! That was a ghastly time, indeed. I 
 did hear to-day that the pest had broken out 
 again in the city, but I give the report no cre- 
 dence." 
 
 " May Heaven avert the repetition of such a 
 calamity ! Ah ! there is Mr. Betterton of the 
 Duke's theatre. A good fellow, that, and a 
 fine actor." 
 
 > 
 
 Pepys shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 " I care but little for the actors ; the actresses 
 interest me. Save Knipp there is not a pretty 
 one among them at the Duke's. I was there a 
 night or two since to see < A Midsummer 
 Night's Dream.' Poor, insipid stuff, methinks, 
 and that Shakspere is a tame rogue. Give me 
 Dryden, or Etherege Etherege above all. My 
 taste is Nelly in Florimel, which we are to see 
 to-night. Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! She do play the 
 most excellent, mad fool I ever saw in my 
 life." Then, lowering his voice, and with a 
 cautious glance around to see that no one was 
 listening, he added: "Oh, she's the merriest 
 rogue alive. I saw her in her tiring room last 
 night. And, he, he, he ! What's better still, I 
 kissed her too."
 
 j.4 NELL GWYNKE. 
 
 Buckhurst frowned. 
 
 "Indeed!" he remarked, gruffly. "And I'll 
 be sworn, she cuffed you soundly." 
 
 Pepys' face fell. 
 
 "Well, my lord, to tell the truth, in some 
 sort she did," was the rueful response. " She's 
 such a playful thing." 
 
 Buckhurst laid his hand heavily on the 
 other's shoulder. 
 
 " Hark ye, Mr. Pepys," he said, sternly. 
 "Take my advice, and kiss her no more." 
 * tt Why not, my lord ? " 
 
 " Because if my sword come about your ears, 
 it will sting more sharply than her hand." 
 
 Samuel started. He suddenly remembered 
 that rumor averred Lord Buckhurst to be 
 deeply enamoured of the fair actress, and as he 
 prided himself upon his diplomacy, upon al- 
 ways saying the right thing to the right man 
 (an assumption, by the way, which was by no 
 means always justified), he was highly cha- 
 grined at his blunder. 
 
 "Your lordship is pleased to be facetious," he 
 said, attempting to make a jest of the matter. 
 
 "Not in the least," replied Buckhurst, grave- 
 ly. "I am quite in earnest. So be more careful 
 in the future. Besides, what would Mrs. Pepys 
 say to such wild doings?" 
 
 "Hal Ha! Ha!" laughed Pepys. "My
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 15 
 
 wife! Poor wretch, she never suspects. But," 
 suddenly becoming serious, " your lordship will 
 not tell her ? " 
 
 Before Buckhurst could respond, the strident 
 voice of Orange Moll, who had been plying so 
 brisk a trade for some minutes that there had 
 been no need for her to solicit patronage, broke 
 in upon their conversation : 
 
 " Oranges ! Oranges ! Buy my oranges ! The 
 true Seville, by my virtue ! Oranges, sweet 
 ladies ! Oranges, dear gentlemen ! " 
 
 " Plague take the wench," exclaimed Pepys 
 testily, " to split our ears with her caterwaul- 
 ing." 
 
 Moll caught the words, and in a trice she 
 turned upon the speaker. 
 
 " Caterwauling, forsooth ! " she snapped, in 
 tones that made Pepys wince. " So, you would 
 insult an honest woman, would you, Master 
 Pepys ? Oh, I know you ! Did not I see you the 
 other night with Knipp at the Saracen's Head, 
 and " 
 
 "Hush," whispered Pepys, approaching closer 
 to her, amidst the laughter of those in the front 
 rows. "The foul fiend's in your tongue. Here, 
 take this and be still." 
 
 Moll glanced at the broad gold piece he placed 
 in her palm, grinned, nodded, and much to Pepys' 
 relief resumed her appeals for trade :
 
 16 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "Oranges! Oranges! Who'll buy of Orange 
 Mary?" 
 
 "Mary!" laughed a young gallant near by. 
 "Why, I've known her as Moll these five and 
 twenty years." 
 
 " Well, if you have, Major Denham," retorted 
 the virago, tartly, " don't boast of the acquain- 
 tance and shame me before company ! " 
 
 A blare of trumpets silenced the laughter that 
 greeted this sally. At the same moment ushe -s 
 bearing lighted candelabras entered the royal 
 boxes. The king was approaching. The orange 
 girls hastily beat a retreat to the rear of the 
 house, and the entire audience rose to greet the 
 advent of royalty. 
 
 The band struck up "Britons Strike Home," 
 and followed by half a dozen richly dressed 
 gentlemen Charles appeared in one of the boxes, 
 and at the same moment the queen, with her 
 maids of honor all closely masked, entered the 
 other. 
 
 The king advanced to the front of the box, 
 bowed right and left, and then seated himself 
 in the throne-like chair which had been pre- 
 pared for him. His majesty's person was an 
 indication of his character, handsome, graceful, 
 careless, the marks of dissipation just beginning 
 to show themselves upon his aristocratic feat- 
 ures.
 
 THE KING S PLAYHOUSE. 17 
 
 " The king seems to have entirely recovered 
 from his illness," remarked Buckhurst to Pepys 
 as they resumed their places. 
 
 "Yes," replied Pepys, in a low voice, "and 
 since his recovery, they do say, the Duchess is 
 quite out of favor." 
 
 Honest Samuel was a very prince of news- 
 mongers and always had all the details of the 
 latest scandal at his tongue's end. 
 >i "Will Chiffinch tells me that it was a rare 
 gicene,''' he continued, thoroughly enjoying the 
 imparting of the news, "the quarrel between 
 them. First the lady scolded and the king 
 swore, and then the king scolded and the lady 
 swore, but his majesty was firm for once." 
 
 "The Duchess out of favor," said Buckhurst 
 thoughtfully, for the woman who was upper- 
 most in the king's capricious affections was for 
 the nonce the most powerful personage in the 
 kingdom. "^And who is her successor ? The 
 fair Jennings for a thousand ! " 
 
 "Tush ! " ejaculated Pepys, with a lofty smile, 
 as befitted one possessed of superior information. 
 "The lady who has ousted the Duchess, fair 
 Jennings, Moll Davis and all the rest is Hold, 
 if I mistake not that is she, seated at the right 
 of the queen." 
 
 Buckhurst glanced up at the royal boxes. 
 "That leaves me no better informed than be-
 
 18 NELL G WYNNE., 
 
 fore," he said. "Her features are indistinguish- 
 able." 
 
 "What, my lord? Can there be any mis- 
 taking that superb figure and regal bearing, 
 and, indeed, why should not her bearing be regal 
 for in her veins flows the blood royal." 
 
 " Lady Frances Stuart ! " 
 
 "Your lordship has said it. His majesty has 
 cast his royal sheeps eyes upon her May the 
 Lord forgive me ! I mean no disloyalty ! Ay, 
 Will Chiffinch says that he is deeper in love 
 with Lady Frances than he has been with any 
 woman since Lucy Walters. Why, 'twas 
 through jealousy of her that the Duchess broke 
 out the other day." 
 
 "This will be sour news for Richmond on his 
 return." 
 
 "To be sure ! To be sure ! " assented Samuel, 
 with a smack of his lips at a suggestion which 
 gave a new savor to the scandal. " His grace of 
 Richmond has long paid suit to the fair lady." 
 
 "Why, he is a regular salt-water Strephon. 
 He has a miniature of La Belle Stuart hanging 
 in his cabin and, I verily believe, worships it as 
 Russians do their icons." 
 
 "If the Duke returns shortly to London, be- 
 fore the present ardor of the King is dimin- 
 ished, what will be the outcome ? " 
 
 "That is his look-out."
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 19 
 
 "By the way, my lord, you were in the late 
 action. Was it a victory ? " 
 
 " I know not whether it was a victory or not. 
 I saw nothing but smoke. Ask Richmond. He 
 will be at court in a day or two with full reports 
 and a Dutch flag." 
 
 "A Dutch flag! Ah! his Grace of Richmond 
 is a man worthy to defend us, eh, my lord? " 
 
 " He is brave enough, but, pshaw, he's a dull 
 water drinker," replied Buckhurst, a little 
 weary of his companion's loquacity. 
 
 "As your lordship says, a sober knave," 
 assented Pepys, complacently. " But, to return 
 
 ^Q 
 
 " Hush! the play is about to begin." 
 
 The prompter's bell was heard and the cur- 
 tains parted. 
 
 The performance proceeded rather slowly, 
 until there dashed upon the stage the pictur- 
 esque figure of a young cavalier in silken 
 doublet, velvet cloak, high boots and broad- 
 brimmed hat with long sweeping plumes. It 
 was Nell Gwynne as Florimel, and, as the 
 crowded house recognized its favorite, it burst 
 into a hurricane of applause. 
 
 The face of the popular actress was not per- 
 haps strictly beautiful, but it possessed a charm 
 of its own far more bewitching than any mere 
 regularity of feature. Her skin was extremely
 
 20 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 fair, with a tint in the cheeks as exquisite as a 
 blush rose. Her hair was a rich warm-hued 
 auburn, her eyebrows brown and very thick. 
 Her hazel eyes with their curling dark lashes, 
 were not very large, but remarkably brilliant, 
 and her nose was just enough turned up to give 
 her an indescribably piquant expression. When 
 she laughed, her eyes would close until they 
 became almost invisible, and an entrancing dim- 
 ple would form itself in either cheek. Added 
 to this, her figure was well-nigh perfection, her 
 voice clear, sweet and musical as a silver bell, 
 and her every movement full of natural, un- 
 studied grace. 
 
 This was the first time that the king had ever 
 beheld Nell, and the trimness of her figure and 
 the radiant brilliancy of her laughing face at 
 once captured the fancy of the royal voluptuary. 
 As the play proceeded, Charles became more 
 and more interested in the young actress and 
 several times led the applause himself, a fact 
 which several of the courtiers were not slow to 
 mark and inwardly draw deductions from. 
 
 In the box with the king were the Duke of 
 Buckingham, who possessed great influence 
 over Charles, largely gained through his skill in 
 pandering to the royal pleasures ; Lord Shaftes- 
 bury, the lord privy seal of the council, a states- 
 man not without a certain amount of patriotism,
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 21 
 
 but with a much keener eye to his own advance- 
 ment; and Sir George Etherege, a rake and a 
 dramatist, whose sprightly comedies of "Love 
 in a Tub" and "The Man of Mode" had met 
 with much popular approval. 
 
 At the end of the first act, the king turned to 
 his companions, and with that easy familiarity 
 with which he was accustomed to treat his in- 
 timates, remarked : 
 
 " Odds fish, gentlemen, but the jade is wholly 
 delightful. Not half enough has been said in 
 her praise. Is any one of you happy enough to 
 have the honor of her acquaintance ? " 
 
 "Not I," replied Buckingham, inwardly curs- 
 ing the mischance that forced him to answer in 
 the negative ; for, understanding Charles as he 
 did, he fully comprehended the purport of the 
 question. 
 
 " Nor I," said Shaftesbury. 
 
 "Nor I," repeated Sir George Etherege. 
 "But," he added, after a moment's pause, "if 
 reports be true, your Majesty, my Lord Buck- 
 hurst knows well fair Mistress Gwynne." 
 
 "Ah! my lord Buckhurst," said the king, 
 slowly. "Methinks I see his lordship in the pit 
 below. Good Sir George, would you kindly seek 
 him out, and say I crave his company?" 
 
 Etherege bowed and retired, to return a few 
 minutes later followed by Buckhurst, who was
 
 2% NELL 
 
 received with great affability by his sovereign. 
 Charles admired the young nobleman for his 
 courageous spirit and fine powers of mind, but 
 Buckhurst was so lazy that, though the king 
 seemed to court him to be a favorite, he would 
 not give himself the trouble that belonged to 
 the part. Moreover he hated the court and de- 
 spised the brainless foplings who haunted it, 
 seeking a stray ray of the sunshine of royal 
 favor. 
 
 " The play is excellent," began Charles, mo- 
 tioning Buckhurst to be seated, "this Mr. Dry- 
 den has a rare wit." 
 
 " Y^s, sire," replied Buckhurst, "but for my 
 part I prefer Etherege," with a smile at Sir 
 George, who was one of his greatest friends. 
 
 " Ah ! of course, Etherege as a playwright 
 stands alone," said the king graciously. And 
 then, with a merry twinkle in his eye, and a 
 glance at Shaftesbury, who was resplendent in 
 a voluminous wig of the palest flaxen hue, he 
 added : " There is one thing, my lord, that al- 
 ways puzzles me at the theatre. Perhaps your 
 lordship may be able to inform me." 
 
 " Whatever information I possess is ever at 
 your Majesty's service." 
 
 " Pray, then, what is the reason we never see 
 a rogue in a play, but odds fish, they always 
 clap on him a black periwig, when it is well
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 23 
 
 known that one of the greatest rogues in Eng- 
 land always wears a fair one? " 
 
 Shaftesbury flushed scarlet, while the others, 
 including the king himself, laughed so uproar- 
 iously that it attracted the attention of a goodly 
 portion of the house. 
 
 "Nay, my good Shaftesbury," said the king, 
 stifling his laughter, for, in spite of his love of 
 a joke, he was ever kindly. "Nay, my good 
 Shaftesbury, regain your countenance. I meant 
 nothing. I appreciate your worth. My Lord 
 Buckhurst, a word with you in private." 
 
 He rose, and motioning Buckhurst to follow 
 him, he retreated to the retiring room behind 
 the box. 
 
 Buckingham's face grew black. He formed 
 a pretty correct guess as to the nature of the 
 interview about to take place, and he was in- 
 tensely annoyed that his own particular func- 
 tions should be thus usurped by another. 
 
 "My lord," said Charles, carelessly, when he 
 was alone with Buckhurst, "they tell me that 
 you have an acquaintance with this delightful 
 Florimel." 
 
 "Nelly?" replied Buckhurst, somewhat sur- 
 prised. "Yes, your Majesty, I know her." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " She sups with me, sire, after the play to- 
 night."
 
 24 NELL GFWYNNE. 
 
 " Indeed ! " responded Charles, with a smile, 
 "Perhaps you might consent to allow a third to 
 join the party." 
 
 When Buckhurst heard this he could have 
 bitten his tongue out for his imprudent speech. 
 He understood only too well who this third 
 would be,, and the addition was anything but to 
 his taste. 
 
 "A most respectable person, you under- 
 stand," continued the king, "a certain mercer 
 of the city, named named Robinson." 
 
 "Any friend of your Majesty's will be wel- 
 come," replied Buckhurst, with a certain con- 
 straint. 
 
 "In his name and mine, I thank your lord- 
 ship. Mr. Robinson will meet you in front of 
 the Rainbow in Fleet Street, half an hour after 
 the play is over. Be prompt." 
 
 "I shall not fail, your Majesty." 
 
 "And what is much more to the point, see 
 that the fair lady does not fail either." 
 
 "I have her promise, but the promises of 
 women are not to be depended upon, and of 
 all changeable feather-brained wenches, Nell 
 Gwynne is the most fickle." 
 
 "You can doubtless find means to hold her to 
 her appointment, for this time, at all events," 
 replied the king. And then, he added quizzi- 
 cally, "They do say, Buckhurst, that you have
 
 THE KING'S PLAYHOUSE. 25 
 
 half the women at both the theatres sighing 
 for your beaux yeux. I intimated but now that 
 my Lord Shaftesbury was one of the greatest 
 rogues in all England, but, upon my life, I 
 believe that you are the greatest." 
 
 " For a subject, sire, perhaps I am," was the 
 dry response, uttered without a moment's hesi- 
 tation or reflection. 
 
 The king stared and then laughed heartily. 
 The merry monarch, through indolence perhaps, 
 was not at all quick to take offence, and he was 
 that rare exception, a jester quite capable of ap- 
 preciating and enjoying a joke against himself. 
 
 "Odds fish !" he exclaimed, employing his fa- 
 vorite expletive, "that is not very compliment- 
 ary, but indeed, I am not at all sure but that you 
 are about right," and sovereign and subject 
 laughed together like two jolly, boon compan- 
 ions. 
 
 But Buckhurst was not laughing when he re- 
 turned to his place in the pit beside Mr. Pepys. 
 He was anything but pleased that he should 
 be forced to endure the companionship of this 
 " Mr. Robinson," when he had hoped to be alone 
 with Nell. 
 
 Honest Samuel was full of curiosity as to 
 why his companion had been summoned to the 
 king's presence ; but his efforts to obtain in-
 
 26 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 formation met with so sharp a response, that he 
 was forced to desist from further questioning. 
 
 As Buckhurst watched the charming acting 
 of the woman with whom he was perhaps more 
 infatuated than he had ever been with any 
 ether, he thought to himself, not without a cer- 
 tain rancor : 
 
 " Why need he force himself upon us? Let 
 him take the maids of honor and welcome, but 
 when it comes to the players peste 1 'tis scan- 
 dalous 1"
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 
 
 ST. SWITHIN had had a firm hold on the 
 weather all day, but late in the afternoon 
 the clouds had broken, and the evening was as 
 clear and bright as the heart of man could de- 
 sire. The streets of London, poorly paved and 
 ill-lighted, were unpleasant enough for pedes- 
 trianism at all times, but, after the rain, they 
 were well-nigh impassable, filled as they were 
 with mud and slush. Although the beauty of 
 the night attracted large crowds out of doors, 
 almost every one was making use of the water- 
 way in preference to walking or driving. At 
 every few steps along the Thames there were 
 little docks where for a very reasonable price 
 one could hire boats denominated " Oars " when 
 two rowers were employed and " Sculls" when 
 but one was made use of. 
 
 Although it was not more than half past 
 eight, the play had been over nearly an hour, 
 for in those days theatrical performances began 
 at the early hour of four. In front of the Rain-
 
 28 NELL GWYXNE. 
 
 bow Tavern in Fleet Street paced nervously 
 back and forth a man clothed in plain but 
 handsome garments of puce-colored cloth. His 
 every movement betrayed irritation, as his eyes 
 scanned the almost deserted thoroughfare, and 
 every now and then an ejaculation, scarcely fit 
 for ears polite, would escape his lips. Just as 
 his patience was well-nigh exhausted, a cab 
 came rumbling around the corner, the wheels 
 so clogged with mud that the somewhat sorry 
 looking animal could only with the greatest 
 difficulty drag along the vehicle. It stopped 
 before the tavern, and a gentleman alighted 
 and then assisted a lady to do likewise. 
 
 "Ah, there they are at last," muttered the 
 man who had been waiting, as he hastened for- 
 ward to join the new comers. 
 
 "You are late, my Lord Buckhurst." 
 
 "Your pardon, but a lady's toilet requires 
 time," and he proceeded to present " Mr. Kob- 
 inson, a mercer of the Strand," to his com- 
 panion, Mistress Eleanor Gwynne, who was 
 masked and closely enveloped in a voluminous 
 mantle with the hood drawn closely over the 
 head. 
 
 ''Where shall we go for supper?" asked 
 Buckhurst when the ceremony was accom- 
 plished. 
 
 "That is for fair Mistress Gwynne to de-
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 29 
 
 cide," gallantly responded Mr. Robinson, or to 
 give him his true title, the king. 
 
 ''What do you say, Nelly?" 
 
 " Oh, as for me," came in musical accents 
 from beneath the mask, " give me one of 
 the Westminster taverns. These Fleet Street 
 houses furnish entertainment fit for neither 
 man nor beast." 
 
 "A Westminster tavern be it then," said the 
 pretended mercer, advancing to offer himself 
 as escort to the actress ; but Buckhurst was 
 too quick for him, for drawing Nelly's hand 
 through his arm, he started in the direction of 
 the river, leaving his sovereign to trudge along 
 by himself. 
 
 It was only a short distance, along Water 
 Lane, to White Friars Stairs, where they had no 
 difficulty in procuring such a conveyance as they 
 desired. Here again Buckhurst came off the 
 victor, for handing Nell in, he proceeded to seat 
 himself beside her, forcing Charles to take his 
 place at the other end of the boat. The king 
 was inwardly chafing at his lordship's presump- 
 tuousness, but he determined to outwit him be- 
 fore the evening was over. 
 
 Propelled by two vigorous oarsmen the boat 
 glided rapidly along the smooth bosom of the 
 river, which was crowded with crafts of all de- 
 scription, bearing gay parties of merry-makers.
 
 30 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 One by one, the many splendid and famous 
 buildings with which the banks were lined 
 loomed into view and then faded away in the 
 darkness. Pembroke, built of beautiful stone, 
 but which looked more like a prison than a 
 residence; Somerset, where lived the queen- 
 mother; Buckingham, conspicuous for its fine 
 water-gate; Northumberland, broader and 
 higher than the others, with four little brick 
 towers, one at each corner ; and finally the 
 imposing proportions of Westminster itself, 
 which had been formerly a monastery, but 
 where Parliament now assembled. 
 
 Here our little party disembarked. As they 
 crossed the Palace Yard, from the stone tower 
 at the north entrance, the sonorous bell, known 
 as Great Tom, pealed forth the hour of nine. 
 Close to Westminster were two ale-houses, each 
 in high repute for the excellence of its fare, 
 both solid and liquid, and bearing the startling 
 names of "Heaven" and "Hell." 
 
 "Which one shall it be, Mistress Gwynne?" 
 asked the soi-disant tradesman, as they emerged 
 into the open place where the taverns were 
 situated. 
 
 "It is difficult to decide," replied Nell, de- 
 murely. " If you follow me, you will probably 
 declare yourselves in Heaven, but if I follow 
 you, I shall certainly go to the other place."
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 31 
 
 " No place, which was glorified by your pres- 
 ence, could be anything but paradise." 
 
 "Indeed! Suppose we try if that be true, 
 and so let us go to ahem." 
 
 And so to ahem, they went. If the nether 
 region at all resembles the tavern which had 
 borrowed its name, it has been sadly slandered 
 and must be a very comfortable place indeed. 
 The room into which the actress and her two 
 companions were shown was delightfully bright 
 and cozy, with its blazing wood fire, its crim- 
 son draperies and its really handsome oak fur- 
 niture. 
 
 "There, is not this better than the Rain- 
 bow ? " asked Nell, as she threw off her cloak 
 and tossed aside her mask. 
 
 If anything, she was prettier off the stage 
 than on. Her dress was plain, but exceedingly 
 neat, and it fitted her trim figure to perfection. 
 It consisted of a skirt and bodice of blue 
 shalloon, without trimming of any sort. The 
 sleeves reached to the elbow, displaying the 
 ivory shapeliness of her arms, and about her 
 neck was a broad white collar edged with 
 narrow lace. Her sunny, rippling hair was 
 gathered back loosely and tied with a ribbon of 
 the same azure hue as her simple gown. 
 
 As the royal connoisseur of womanis charms 
 gazed upon her loveline'ss, there shone in his
 
 32 NELL GWTNNE. 
 
 eyes an admiration which he made no attempt 
 to disguise. "I knew I was not mistaken," he 
 exclaimed fervidly. " In spite of its name, this 
 place is Heaven, for I see an angel before me." 
 
 Nell flashed one swift glance at him, a glance 
 which told her, however, that this Mr. Robin- 
 son was uncommonly handsome, and she was 
 not displeased at the discovery, for the volatile 
 player had a keen eye for beauty, especially 
 when it assumed a masculine form. 
 
 "An angel with sadly bedraggled wings, I 
 fear," she answered, half jestingly, half seri- 
 ously, as she turned toward the fire, and lifting 
 her skirts a trifle, rested one daintily shod foot 
 upon the burnished fender. 
 
 " What will it please your worships to 
 order?" asked the landlord, a rubicund individ- 
 ual with a lordly paunch, who had remained 
 standing obsequiously at the door, after usher- 
 ing his guests into the room. 
 
 "A slice of hung beef and a flagon of Burton 
 ale for me," said Nelly. 
 
 " Tilly- vally, dost take us for paupers!" 
 ejaculated Charles, in mock dismay. "Nay, 
 nay, landlord, mind her not. A venison pate, 
 some neats tongues, sweetmeats and plenty of 
 wine. Uncork the Frontiniac, the Moselle and 
 the bright Claret. Will not that suit your lady- 
 ship better ? " he added, as the landlord depart-
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 3 
 
 ed to fill the order, beaming at the thought of 
 the profits he was about to make. 
 
 " Well, beef and ale are perhaps not exactly 
 food for angels," retorted Nelly, with a glance 
 into the smiling face at the other side of the 
 fireplace, " but at all events, they are English 
 and therefore better than French fripperies. 
 However, have your own way." 
 
 "You are loyal, Mistress Gwynne." 
 
 "Loyal!" was the enthusiastic answer. 
 "Loyal to the tips of my fingers. I revere 
 England and I love his Majesty, though they do 
 say he is a wild devil, but I suppose that comes 
 from his association with Buckingham, Roches- 
 ter, and you, my Lord Buckhurst, who are the 
 worst of them all." 
 
 Here to Nell's intense surprise, Mr. Robinson 
 burst into an uproarious fit of laughter, in 
 which he was joined by Buckhurst, who had 
 been sitting somewhat moodily apart. 
 
 "Well," she said, "I don't know why my 
 words should cause such merriment, but at all 
 events, it is an agreeable change in you, my 
 lord of sulky countenance." 
 
 At this, Buckhurst rose and approached the 
 fireplace. 
 
 " That's well," continued Nelly. "Heavens, 
 man, this is to be a feast, not a funeral I Your 
 friend is much more entertaining." 
 
 8
 
 34 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 And with a coquettish smile, she extended 
 her hand, which Charles was not slow to seize. 
 
 *' There, there, you need not squeeze it so vio- 
 lently." 
 
 Buckhurst frowned, which Nell observing, 
 exclaimed, saucily : 
 
 " I' faith, my lord, no jealous vapors here. 
 Nell Gwynne is no man's exclusive property." 
 
 Before Buckhurst could reply, the landlord 
 entered, followed by two white-aproned drawers 
 bearing the supper, which looked and smelt 
 most appetizingly. 
 
 " Ah," said the king, approvingly, " I see this 
 is the house for the true stuff." 
 
 " The true stuff ! " echoed the landlord, proud- 
 ly. " Indeed it is. Why, this is a house fre- 
 quented by kings and courtiers." 
 
 "The devil!" thought Charles. " Can the 
 fellow know us? " And he exchanged a glance 
 with Buckhurst; but mine host's next words 
 dispelled this suspicion. 
 
 " Ay, and rogues, too, highwaymen and house- 
 breakers ; all knaves, both of high and low de- 
 gree, come here, and " 
 
 " That will do, my good man. Fill the bowls." 
 
 "With your pleasure," said the landlord, a 
 trifle offended at having his loquacity thus cut 
 short.
 
 A SUPPEB WITH ROYALTY. 35 
 
 " No, not with our pleasure," said Charles, 
 with a laugh, " but with good wine." 
 
 When the host and his men had retired, and 
 Nell was seated at the bountifully spread table, 
 with the king on one side and Buckhurst on the 
 other, Charles raised a glass filled with ruby 
 liquid, and said : 
 
 " My lord, as it is our good fortune to have 
 with us so brilliant a representative of the vota- 
 ries of Thespis, I'll give you: Success to the 
 stage, and a health to the players 1 " 
 
 " Success to the stage ! " repeated Nelly, after 
 the toast had been drunk. "I hope it with all 
 my heart, but to-night was the first good house 
 we have had in many a day and all because his 
 majesty deigned to be present. The king and 
 the courtiers have so many things to amuse 
 them, so many other diversions, that they sel- 
 dom think of us poor players, though we are by 
 special privilege denominated His Majesty's 
 Servants. Ah ! would the king but condescend 
 to enjoy more often the pleasures of the theatre 
 His Majesty's Servants would be very thankful 
 to him." 
 
 "He will do so, hereafter," exclaimed Charles 
 ardently. " After this night, my dainty Flori- 
 mel, you will not have that reproach to offer 
 him."
 
 36 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "Eh!" cried Nell, opening her gray eyes 
 wide in astonishment. 
 
 " I mean," stammered Charles, in embarrass- 
 ment. ' I mean ' ' 
 
 "He means," interrupted Buckhurst, coming 
 to his rescue, " he means that his majesty, 
 having once seen you, cannot fail to return 
 again and again to the scene illumined by the 
 brilliancy of your genius." 
 
 "Exactly. I thank you, my lord," said 
 Charles. " For sure such talent and beauty 
 were never before united in one person. Those 
 cheeks, like blooming roses : " 
 
 "Take care, Mr. Robinson. Roses bear 
 thorns," laughed Nell, raising her hand armed 
 with its pink nails warningly, for the lips of her 
 admirer had approached dangerously close to the 
 peach-like surface he was praising. 
 
 Buckhurst, although inwardly raging, did not 
 dare to protest, but he resolved to do all that he 
 could to prevent any further meeting between 
 the king and the actress. His usual buoyancy 
 entirely deserted him, and, consumed by jeal- 
 ousy, he remained moody and silent while 
 the other two, apparently oblivious of his 
 presence, chattered away gaily. Every mo- 
 ment, Charles became more and more fasci- 
 nated by his fair companion. Her gaiety of 
 spirits chimed in well with his own lightheart-
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 37 
 
 edness ; the airiness of her wit and the brilliancy 
 of her badinage, together with her irresistible 
 beauty, completely captivated him. Nell, on 
 her part, was no less pleased with her new ac- 
 quaintance; a strange, hitherto unknown feel- 
 ing was stirring at her heart, a feeling which 
 half charmed, half frightened her. In her 
 varied career, her morals had been none of the 
 best. She had had many love affairs, but no 
 spark of real love had ever been kindled in her 
 bosom. Like a butterfly, she had flitted from 
 flower to flower, but nestled in the heart of 
 none. She was vaguely conscious that this 
 evening was the dawn of a new life to her. She 
 listened to this mercer of the city, as she sup- 
 posed him to be, with an interest that no gallant 
 of the court had ever been able to inspire in her, 
 and never had she herself been more brilliant 
 and fascinating. 
 
 "Sing to us, Nell," suddenly interrupted 
 Buckhurst, in a voice thick with the manifold 
 potations he had indulged in to drown his jeal- 
 ous uneasiness. 
 
 Nell started. She had entirely forgotten his 
 very existence, and yet, hitherto, Buckhurst 
 had been her favorite amidst the many who had 
 paid her their court. 
 
 "Yes, sing to us, Mistress Gwynne," seconded 
 the king.
 
 88 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " I will, on one condition." 
 
 " Name it. It is granted in advance." 
 
 " Do not call me Mistress Gwynne. I am 
 Nelly to my friends, and Nelly I would be to 
 you." 
 
 << Then sing, Nelly," said Charles, in those 
 low, caressing tones he knew so well how to 
 employ. " But I would fain be something 
 nearer than friend." 
 
 Nell blushed, and then grew hotly indignant 
 at herself for having done so. What, Nell 
 Gwynne coloring like a country wench at the 
 most ordinary words of gallantry. Fie 1 Fie 1 
 This folly must be stopped. 
 
 "What shall I sing? " she asked abruptly. 
 
 "Anything. Any song issuing from those 
 lips would gain something of their sweetness." 
 
 " Hang the man ! " thought Nell. " I am 
 sorely afraid that " and then thrusting away 
 the thought, she began to sing, her fresh, clear 
 voice filling the room with its exquisite melody : 
 
 " Here's a health unto his Majesty, with a fa, la, la. 
 Conversion to his enemies, with a fa, la, la ; 
 And he that will not pledge his health 
 I wish him neither wit nor wealth, 
 Nor yet a rope to hang himself, 
 
 With a fa, la, la, la, 
 
 With a fa, la, la. la."
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 39 
 
 " 'Fore Gad," spluttered Buckhurst, who was 
 now entirely under the influence of the fiery 
 wine, " a mosht exshellent song, mosht exshel- 
 lently shung," and his head fell forward upon 
 his arms which were resting upon the table. 
 
 Charles looked at him benignly over his 
 shoulder and with a smile, hummed the words 
 of the old song : 
 
 " Good store of good claret supplies everything 
 And he that is drunk is as great as a king." 
 
 "Well, let him sleep," he added. "For my 
 part I am only too well pleased. We can talk 
 in freedom now." And, moving his chair close 
 to that of Nell, he took one of her hands in his. 
 She cast down her eyes, in real or affected mod- 
 esty, but she did not attempt to release herself. 
 
 " Nelly," murmured Charles, " Nelly, I love 
 you." 
 
 Poor Nell's heart was fluttering, but she 
 answered bravely enough : 
 
 " Love ! Bah ! They all tell me that." 
 
 " But not with my truth. Ah, believe in the 
 ardor of my flame." 
 
 "I fear, like many flames, it will end in 
 smoke. Love ! Pish 1 You have known me 
 me only an hour." 
 
 "What does love know of time? I have 
 known you since the beginning of the world.
 
 40 NELL 
 
 Nay, sweet, do not turn away your eyes. I 
 could gaze in them forever." 
 
 " You must have courage to do that." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 . " Because you see yourself in them," was the 
 saucy response. 
 
 " Odds fish, am I so ugly as that? Then do 
 not look at me, but listen to the pleadings of 
 my heart that beats only for you." 
 
 " Mr. Robinson, you must have had an infi- 
 nite deal of practice to make love so well." 
 
 " I swear to you I never spoke words of love 
 to woman before." 
 
 The dimples in Nell's cheek deepened, and 
 she glanced at him with a mischievous light in 
 her sparkling eyes. Then the ripple of her 
 laughter rang out, so fresh, so joyous, so con- 
 tagious, that Charles perforce joined in, and for 
 a moment or two they laughed together with 
 the careless, happy gaiety of two children. 
 
 " Nay, we will talk seriously, then," said 
 Charles, at last. "Putting aside my love, 
 which is true enough, Heaven knows, I am 
 rich, abundantly rich. Nelly, I'll pour heaps of 
 wealth into your lap ; you shall be studded with 
 diamonds ; music shall float about you ; serv- 
 ants shall bow before you ; all things shall 
 come as you wish; you shall be a queen al- 
 most."
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 41 
 
 " Almost ! Saving the coronation and a few 
 such ceremonies." 
 
 " You are cruel. T love you." 
 
 The three words, I love you, were an old, old 
 story to her. They had been repeated to her by 
 men of all ages and stations, but never before 
 had they spoken to her heart. She was 
 alarmed and she longed to be alone. Under 
 the empire of a new, irresistible force, she rose 
 and, before Charles could guess her intention, 
 rang the bell. 
 
 "What is it you want?" he asked, in some 
 surprise. 
 
 " I want to go home." 
 
 " Home ! But, Nelly, we must not part in 
 this way. You are not offended? " 
 
 No answer. 
 
 " Forgive me, if I spoke too soon or too 
 strangely. But through gazing in your eyes, 
 I somehow lost my head. I was blinded by 
 light. Is not the excuse a fair one ? " 
 
 'No; an owl would have made as good," 
 was the snappish, though not ill-humored reply. 
 
 A knock at the door prevented any further 
 colloquy. 
 
 Nell cried "Come in!" and the landlord en- 
 tered. 
 
 " Did your worship wish the bill ? " 
 
 "Yes, bring your bill at once," interposed
 
 42 NELL GWYNISTE. 
 
 Nell, imperiously. "It is late, and I wish to go 
 home." 
 
 The landlord bowed and retired. As he did 
 so, a sudden, horrible thought struck the king. 
 In changing his clothes he had forgotten to 
 take any money, and he had not a penny to 
 bless his name with. But, fortunately, Buck- 
 hurst was there. Approaching the sleeping 
 nobleman, he shook him roughly. 
 
 " Buckhurst ! Buckhurst ! wake up." 
 Buckhurst stirred heavily, and raised, his 
 head, his eyes blinking drowsily. 
 
 " Buckhurst ! Rouse yourself, man." 
 " Your Majesty ! I ask your majesty's par- 
 donI " 
 
 " Hush ! " commanded the king. But it was 
 too late. Nell had overheard. She gave one 
 quick, searching look at the face of the man 
 she had known as Mr. Robinson, and the truth 
 was revealed to her. She had been supping with 
 her lord and sovereign the king of England. 
 She knew now why that face had been vaguely 
 familiar to her, although for the life of her she 
 had not been able to remember where she had 
 seen it before. She had frequently seen the 
 king's portraits, and Buckhurst's unguarded 
 words had betrayed the original. As a full 
 realization of it all came over her she turned a
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 43 
 
 shade pale and a troubled look shone in her 
 eyes. 
 
 " Here is the bill, sir," said the landlord, en- 
 tering and presenting a slip of paper. 
 
 Charles took the bill and drew Buckhurst a 
 little one side. The latter was now fully awake, 
 and, having slept off the fumes of the wine, was 
 almost himself again. 
 
 "Pay this fellow, will you?" said Charles, in 
 a low tone. 
 
 "Pay!" stammered Buckhurst, in dismay. 
 -Pay, I I " 
 
 " Yes, pay. I will return it to you." 
 
 "But but has your majesty no money? I 
 have none." 
 
 " Odds fish ! And I haven't my own likeness, 
 even in copper. Here's a pretty mess ! And 
 the bill," holding it up to the light, "is four 
 pounds, three shillings and sixpence. Four 
 pounds, three shillings and sixpence ! " he added 
 aloud. 
 
 "Venison is high, and you commanded the 
 choicest wines," remarked the landlord, apolo- 
 getically. 
 
 "I am not complaining of the bill," began 
 Charles, at his wits' end. " But the fact is I 
 that is, we " 
 
 In an instant the landlord's whole demeanour 
 changed. This was not the first case of the
 
 44 NELL GWY1STNE. 
 
 kind Tie had had to deal with, and he was quick 
 to guess at the reason of his guest's hesitation. 
 
 "Oh, I see," he said, roughly, "that your 
 stomach had not taken counsel of your pocket. ' y 
 
 Nelly had been watching the scene, and was 
 too quick-witted not to take in the situation. 
 Her sense of humor was very keen, and in spite 
 of the trepidation and dismay she felt at the 
 discovery of her would-be lover's identity, she 
 could not but enjoy the ludicrousness of the 
 situation in which he found himself. Her love 
 of fun for the moment overpowered all other 
 considerations, and stepping forward, she calmly 
 took the account from Charles' hand. 
 
 "Why, what is all this?" she said, with the 
 most innocent manner in the world. "The bill? 
 Oh, well, pay the good man. Four pounds, 
 three and sixpence ! Why, 'tisn't a grain from 
 one of the heaps of gold to be poured into my 
 lap." 
 
 "The fact is," said Charles, awkwardly, 
 "both his lordship here and myself have for- 
 gotten our purses." 
 
 "Well," said Nelly, in the same ingenuous 
 tone, but with just a little undercurrent of 
 malice, "if you have no money, leave one of 
 the diamonds with which I was to be be- 
 sprinkled. A very little one would serve to 
 pay the account."
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 45 
 
 Charles did not know what to reply. He 
 ^would almost have given one of the crown 
 jewels to have been well out of the scrape. 
 
 " I'm sure the charges are most reasonable," 
 continued Nell, now quite mistress of herself 
 once more, and enjoying the whole affair with 
 the utmost zest. " A venison pasty, seven and 
 eightpence. I don't see how deer can be sold 
 so cheaply, unless it was stolen from one of the 
 royal parks." A smile stole over Charles' face 
 at the thought of being dunned to pay for his 
 own property. "Neat's tongues, four and six. 
 Very little, indeed. Sugar sops hum-hum 
 claret Frontiniac Moselle hum-hum with 
 bread and wax candles, the whole amounting to 
 four pounds, three shillings and sixpence of 
 his majesty's current money." 
 
 " Most decidedly of his majesty's money," 
 thought the king, "if his majesty only had it." 
 
 " Come, come, Mr. Robinson," said Nell, 
 turning upon him her laughing eyes, " as they 
 say in the play-book, pay the Jew his principal 
 and let him gro." 
 
 "I am no Jew," growled the landlord, who 
 was now pretty well out of patience, "but a 
 plain-spoken, simple Christian. Nevertheless, 
 I will go on receipt of my money." 
 
 Charles cast an appealing glance at Buck- 
 hurst, which was met only with a despondent
 
 46 NELL GWYNNE 
 
 shake of the head. Then he turned again to 
 the landlord. 
 
 "The fact is," he said slowly, "I must make 
 a friend of you." 
 
 " Not for credit," retorted mine host sturdily. 
 "If you do not pay up at once, I'll have you 
 put in limbo." 
 
 " Give the man your place of residence and 
 let him call for his money," suggested Nell, 
 with malice aforethought, for she knew right 
 well that it would be impossible to act upon her 
 hint. 
 
 " Have you a reputable place of residence ? '" 
 asked the landlord, doubtfully. 
 
 At this question, both Charles and Buck- 
 hurst, in spite of all their efforts, could not re- 
 frain from laughing, which action only served 
 to increase the landlord's irritation. But he 
 knew that he would gain nothing by venting 
 his anger and so he had recourse to stratagem. 
 
 "I might give you time," he said slowly, " if 
 you are sure that you will pay." 
 
 " Absolutely sure," replied Charles, eagerly. 
 "Besides, I will reward you with " 
 
 "Gold, diamonds and music floating about 
 him," murmured wicked Nelly, just loud 
 enough for the king to hear. 
 
 "If you will open yonder door," said the, 
 landlord, "you will find a passage leading to
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY 47 
 
 my partner's office. If he consents to release 
 you on your promise to pay, I will agree." 
 
 "Blockhead!" ejaculated Charles. "Why 
 didn't you say so before?" And, followed 
 by Buckhurst, he strode toward the door, flung 
 it open and passed through. 
 
 As soon as they were both in the next room, 
 for it was really a room and not a passage, the 
 landlord rushed to the door, slammed it to, and 
 bolted it securely. 
 
 Instantly there came a thunderous pounding 
 upon the panels, accompanied by angry de- 
 mands to be released. 
 
 Nell, choking with laughter, threw herself 
 down in one of the chairs, and gave full vent to 
 her mirth. As soon as she could control her 
 merriment, she beckoned the landlord to ap- 
 proach. 
 
 " Your bill is fouT pounds, three shillings and 
 sixpence, I believe," she said. 
 
 "Yes, your ladyship." 
 
 " Oh, I am no ladyship. Give me my proper 
 title the Abbess of Drury Lane. Well," 
 drawing a well-filled purse from her pocket, " I 
 suppose ytu must be paid. Here one two 
 three four three shillings and sixpence. 
 Now, receipt the bill." 
 
 The landlord, with profuse thanks, did as he 
 wap bid.
 
 48 NELL GWYISTNE. 
 
 " Now, retire and order me a cab at once. I 
 will release your prisoners." 
 
 The man, now thoroughly satisfied, bowed 
 low and left the room. 
 
 "Varlet!" came from the room beyond. 
 "Let us out or we will pull the house down 
 about your ears." 
 
 "Oh, pray don't," cried Nell, in her ringing 
 voice, " at least, until I can get out of it." 
 
 As she spoke, she unbolted and opened the 
 door. Charles and Buckhurst rushed into the 
 room. 
 
 " Where is the cheating villain ?" exclaimed 
 Buckhurst. " He shall pay dearly for this." 
 
 "Oh, best let him alone," replied Nell, coolly, 
 " your bill is paid. Let that suffice, although, I 
 vow, it is scarce polite to invite a lady to supper 
 and make her pay the score. However, I bear 
 no malice." 
 
 "Nelly," murmured the king, " you have done 
 me a great service, and, for all your incredulity, 
 you shall have those diamonds yet." 
 
 "I should have been home long ago," said 
 Nell, paying no attention to the remark. " My 
 lord Buckhurst, will you kindly see if my cab is 
 at the door?" 
 
 Buckhurst was obliged to obey, although he 
 had no fancy for leaving her alone with the 
 king even for a moment.
 
 A SUPPER WITH ROYALTY. 49 
 
 "Nelly, you are one in a thousand," said 
 Charles when Buckhurst had disappeared, "and 
 I love you." 
 
 " So you have said more than once this even- 
 ing." 
 
 "And I will prove it, too. To show you my 
 sincerity, I will tell you a secret, a secret to be 
 sure which you must know, sooner or later. 
 Listen. I am not the simple tradesman you sup- 
 pose me." 
 
 Nell started, but, immediately recovering her- 
 self, she asked with well feigned surprise : 
 
 " Indeed ! Who are you, then ? " 
 
 "The king!" 
 
 This announcement certainly did not produce 
 the effect that Charles had expected, for, acting 
 better even than she had done on the stage, 
 Nell burst into a musical peal of laughter. 
 
 " Oh, Lud ! " she cried. "To be sure, a king 
 without a crown. Ha! Ha! Ha! His majesty 
 would not be complimented if he could hear 
 you." 
 
 "But I assure you," said Charles, seriously, 
 "I am speaking the truth. I am the king." 
 
 "Then, if you are the king," she retorted, 
 mocking his grave tones, " I pray your majesty 
 to do something for us poor players." 
 
 " There is one player, rich beyond compare in 
 her beauty, both of mind and person, for whom
 
 50 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 I would gladly do anything. Do not be cruel 
 to me, Nelly. Tell me when I may see you 
 again." 
 
 " I am at the theatre every night, and surely 
 the first gentleman of the kingdom will experi- 
 ence no difficulty in persuading Killigrew to ad- 
 mit him to my tiring room." 
 
 " I shall be there, Nelly," he exclaimed, pas- 
 sionately; "I shall be there to-morrow night." 
 
 Nell flushed beneath the ardor of his gaze, 
 but still smiling, she managed to answer in the 
 same jesting tone : 
 
 "I shall expect you then. But I hear the 
 rumble of wheels. So," with a sweeping cour- 
 tesy, which for grace and elegance would have 
 done no discredit to the finest of the court ladies, 
 "so farewell until to-morrow, Sire /" 
 
 And before Charles could utter a word of pro- 
 test at her sudden departure, the airy, dainty, 
 radiant creature had vanished, leaving the king 
 a prey to the mingled tortures and delights 
 which that little rascally blind boy Cupid was 
 constantly inflicting upon his too susceptible 
 and alas, ever inconstant heart.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 
 
 THE palace of Whitehall, a heritage of the 
 time of the Tudors, had witnessed more 
 thrilling and varied scenes, scenes of joy and 
 revelry, scenes of sorrow and despair, than per- 
 haps any of the other famous buildings of Lon- 
 don. Situated almost at the extreme end of the 
 city, it occupied a large amount of ground, but 
 it was very low, built of brick, and with no 
 architectural pretensions whatever. It was in 
 the form of a hollow square, and the enclosed 
 space was laid out as a garden, in the center of 
 which rose a good sized pavilion in the Greek 
 style, the pure white marble of which it was 
 built forming an agreeable contrast to the green 
 of the shrubbery and the red walls of the palace 
 itself. 
 
 One morning, about a week after the king's 
 first meeting with Mistress Gwynne, there were 
 gathered together in the matted gallery, an 
 apartment of noble proportions overlooking the 
 gardens, a score or so of people, waiting to prof- 
 
 51
 
 52 NELL GWYSTNE. 
 
 f er petitions of various nature to the king. The 
 matted gallery was the place where on certain 
 days Charles was supposed to give public audi- 
 ences, although the indolent monarch appeared 
 or not as it happened to suit his pleasure. 
 
 Seated at a table at one end of the room was 
 Lord Shaftesbury, busily engaged with a for- 
 midable mass of documents. The men, high in 
 the councils of the king, had no sinecure, for his 
 majesty hated public business, and as a rule left 
 everything to the heads of the various depart- 
 ments. When he chose to exercise it, however, 
 he showed more observation and a keener and 
 truer judgment of men than one would have im- 
 agined from the easy and careless manner that 
 was natural to him. His councillors were not 
 always of the best, for his necessities often com- 
 pelled him to select such persons in the man- 
 agement of the nation's affairs as were more 
 suited for his present purpose than approved of 
 by his discernment. Like all the members of 
 his charming, unhappy family, it was his weak- 
 ness to be easily imposed upon and to trust too 
 much on all occasions to others. Shaftesbury, 
 however, was a faithful, conscientious servant, 
 save that he had somewhat too keen an eye for 
 his own interests ; and although the heavy con- 
 versation of the nobleman bored him, Charles 
 thoroughly appreciated his worth.
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 53 
 
 Near a broad open window, which looked out 
 upon the gardens, stood Lord Buckhurst, Sir 
 George Etherege and Sir Thomas Ogle, the 
 latter a pronounced dandy, but with more good 
 sense than his foppish manner would presage. 
 The three were staunch friends, and the esca- 
 pades of which they had been the joint heroes 
 would-fill a good sized volume. 
 
 "Tell me, Harry," Ogle was saying, in the 
 high pitched voice which he affected, "what 
 brings you to court ? Your laziness sheds the 
 light of his countenance too rarely upon this 
 classic place." 
 
 "I want a ship," replied Buckhurst, with a 
 sigh. " To fight the Dutchmen will be a diver- 
 sion. I scarce know, however, how to bring 
 my suit to his majesty's notice, now that the 
 influence of the Duchess, who stood my friend, 
 has waned." 
 
 This was said in all sincerity, for in spite of 
 the night at the tavern where he had been hail 
 fellow well-met with the king, Buckhurst would 
 have considered it beneath him to presume 
 upon that fact. In this he was very unlike 
 Buckingham, who, if it had been his good for- 
 tune to bring the king and a pretty actress 
 together, would have seen that he was well 
 recompensed for his trouble. 
 
 " It is true that Her Grace of Portsmouth is
 
 54 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 wofully out of favor," said Etherege. "They 
 say that she is crying her pretty eyes out. She 
 might well spare herself the trouble, for Charles 
 is too good-natured not to forgive her in the 
 end. But, meanwhile, there will be an inter- 
 regnum. I wonder who the next royal favorite 
 will be." 
 
 " 'Tis no French lady of quality this vttme," 
 remarked Ogle. " Have you not observed that 
 His Majesty has been four times to Drury Lane 
 in twice that number of days, and each time 
 little Nelly played? Will Chiffinch declares 
 that he is mad with love for the fresh little 
 rogue." 
 
 "It's a lie!" exclaimed Buckhurst, fiercely. 
 
 "How!" cried Ogle, clapping his hand upon 
 his sword-hilt. 
 
 "Of that knave, Chiffinch," added Buck- 
 hurst, recovering his composure. 
 
 " Here comes Sam Pepys across the garden," 
 said Etherege. " Let's ask him. He'll be cer- 
 tain to know all the latest gossip." 
 
 Followed by a slim youth of a serious cast of 
 countenance and clothed in sombre black, Pepys 
 entered the room by another window and ap- 
 proached Shaftesbury. 
 
 " Bear yourself easily, John," he whispered, 
 an admonition which failed of its effect, for a 
 being more awkward and ungainly than his
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 55 
 
 companion could scarcely be imagined. < My 
 lord," he continued aloud, addressing the Lord 
 Privy Seal, " allow me to introduce to your no- 
 tice my brother from the University. A modest 
 boy for whom I crave your lordship's indulg- 
 ence. I had a word to say to your lordship 
 touching the fleet and the payment of the 
 sailors." 
 
 "Another time, sir, another time," replied 
 Shaftesbury, shortly. " I have other business 
 now." 
 
 Pepys turned aw .ay, muttering to himself: 
 "Ay, ay, it's so with them all. Talk of money 
 and they're deaf as a posV 
 
 Closely followed by his ltnky brother, whose 
 face showed the frightened awe he felt at being 
 in this sacred place, he crossed the apartment 
 and joined Buckhurst and his friends. 
 
 " Gentlemen all, your servant. My brother, 
 John, who has come to seek his fortune at 
 court. A clever lad, clever, though with scarce 
 the polish I would wish." 
 
 Buckhurst smiled kindly at the blushing 
 young man. 
 
 "With you as his champion, good master 
 Pepys, he can scarce fail of success." 
 
 "You know all things, Master Pepys," broke 
 in Sir Thomas Ogle. " We were just discussing 
 who would be the next beauty to bask in the
 
 56 NELL GWY1STNE. 
 
 sunshine of the royal pleasure. It is report that 
 the king is sighing after Nell Gwynne." 
 
 "I tell you, it cannot be," ejaculated Buck- 
 hurst. 
 
 "As your lordship says, it is quite impos- 
 sible," said Pepys quickly, with a vivid recol- 
 lection of a previous conversation on the same 
 subject. " No ! No ! take my word of it. The 
 new ruler of the king's heart, and with it of all 
 Britain, will be La Belle Stuart." 
 
 " I have heard some rumor of this." 
 
 "And rumor, as usual, speaks with a leaven 
 of truth. His majesty is mad for Lady Frances, 
 forever getting her into corners, and " 
 
 He stopped abruptly, noticing that his brother 
 was listening with round eyes and wide-open 
 mouth. 
 
 "Further off, John," he commanded, with 
 dignified tone and imposing manner. " We 
 are on State matters." 
 
 The poor lad, abashed, shrank back. 
 
 "Speaking of angels," exclaimed Etherege, 
 who was nearest the window, "here comes one 
 who if not exactly in that category hopes to ally 
 himself with the very one under discussion." 
 
 "The Duke of Richmond!" cried Buckhurst, 
 looking over his friend's shoulder. " So, he has 
 arrived at last. He expected to be here some 
 days sooner."
 
 LA BELLE STUAKT. 57 
 
 The man approaching was a magnificent 
 specimen of humanity. Of more than ordinary 
 height, he carried himself with a marvellous 
 combination of dignity and manly grace. His 
 features were as regular and clear cut as those 
 of an Apollo. He wore his own brown hair and 
 in his dark eyes shone an expression of fearless 
 truth and honesty, before which the wily court 
 butterflies had more than once quailed. He had 
 just arrived in town from Chatham with reports 
 of the latest engagement of the Dutch. But it 
 was not of the enemy he was thinking as he 
 crossed the shady fragrant garden toward the 
 open windows of the matted gallery. His heart 
 was beating high with the joy of anticipation, 
 for was he not shortly to meet once more the 
 beacon star of his existence, the one woman of 
 the world to him, his first love and his last. This 
 was Whitehall, and after laying his flag at the 
 feet of the gracious sovereign it was his delight 
 to serve, a look, a word from the queen of his 
 heart would repay him for all the dangers 
 through which he had passed. 
 
 As Richmond entered the room where the 
 courtiers and petitioners were waiting, a man 
 detached himself from a group a short distance 
 away and advanced toward where the Duke was 
 receiving the greetings of Buckhurst and his 
 companions. He was a strange looking indi-
 
 58 NELL O WYNNE. 
 
 vidual, gaunt and raw-boned, with a cadave- 
 rous complexion and deep-set restless eyes. The 
 severe cut and sombre hue of his garments en- 
 hanced his sinister appearance. 
 
 "Welcome from sea, your Grace, laurels and 
 all," exclaimed Sir George. 
 
 " With never a willow among them," added 
 Ogle, with a low bow. 
 
 " I thank you, gentlemen," replied Richmond, 
 and there was an undercurrent of sadness in his 
 voice. " No willow among them. I would that 
 it were so. I fear, Sir Thomas, that you are dis- 
 posed to be merry." 
 
 "And why should he not be so ? Has he not 
 cause ? " fell upon their ears in hollow, solemn 
 tones. "The Dutch beating us at sea; the 
 plague preparing to scourge us again on shore ; 
 and the King's exchequer empty. Have we not 
 all rare cause for merriment, my masters ? " 
 
 " It's that fifth monarchy man, Major Wild- 
 ing," muttered Ogle to Etherege. 
 
 " The scurvy knave ! " replied Ogle. " Such 
 disloyal villains should not be allowed at 
 Whitehall." 
 
 "Cause for merriment!" said Buckhurst 
 lightly, turning to the new-comer. "At least 
 there's some merit in being merry under the 
 awful shadow of Major Wilding." 
 
 " Each to his calling, my lord," was the stern
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 59 
 
 response; "you thrust with your tongue, while 
 I wear my wit here much at your service," and 
 he laid his hand upon his sword. 
 
 "His Majesty is late," interposed Richmond 
 to prevent a possible quarrel. " I long to be- 
 hold his countenance again. Indeed," he added 
 with that frankness which was his distinguish- 
 ing characteristic, "there is but one counte- 
 nance here that I more desire to see." 
 
 Etherege and Ogle exchanged significant 
 glances. 
 
 "Your Grace, perhaps, may have a double 
 pleasure," remarked the former. "You may 
 see them together." 
 
 "That is not impossible," replied Richmond, 
 simply, not at all understanding the meaning 
 underlying Etherege's words. "At all events, 
 I am anxious to lay the Dutch flag I have at 
 his Majesty's feet." 
 
 " Nay," said Ogle, " that should be laid at the 
 feet of Britannia who figures on earth, as well 
 as on the British half -pence as La Belle Stuart." 
 
 " The King has been a hoarder of half -pence 
 ever since the coinage," laughed Etherege. 
 "It is an excellent device. It teaches him 
 economy." 
 
 At this, the Duke could not fail to perceive 
 what was being hinted at.
 
 60 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "Is this jesting, gentlemen?" he asked, 
 slowly. 
 
 " In regard to the ha'pence ? " queried Ether- 
 ege. " Nay, it is the sober truth. See ! " diving 
 into his pocket and drawing forth a coin. " By 
 my faith, it is a miracle that I have one/j Look, 
 my lord, on one side, the head of his Majesty, 
 may Heaven preserve him ! And, on the other, 
 the portrait of Lady Frances, with Britannia's 
 helmet and trident." 
 
 " The only fault the King has to find with the 
 die," chuckled Pepys, who had been listening 
 with rare enjoyment, as he always did when it 
 was a question of another's discomfiture, "the 
 only fault that the King has to find with the 
 die is that both faces are not on the same side." 
 
 Richmond took the coin, and his face grew 
 dark ; yes, there was no doubt of those features. 
 They were those of the woman he loved. As if 
 it had been an adder, he flung the coin from 
 him, far out into the garden. He started to 
 speak, but as a sudden thought struck him, he 
 paused. 
 
 This was done simply to chafe him, and he 
 would not allow Lady Frances' name to be 
 fouled by a quarrel with these mischief -making 
 popinjays. 
 
 Mastering his indignation, he turned abruptly 
 away and walked over to the other side of the
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 61 
 
 apartment, where lie stood moodily staring out 
 into the street. 
 
 " How he winced ! " exclaimed Ogle. 
 
 "Every shot told !" added Etherege. 
 
 Buckhurst said nothing. He was thinking: 
 " Poor fellow, I feel for him. Those tales about 
 Nelly and the King are equally distasteful to 
 
 me." 
 
 Gloomy Major Wilding also was silent, but 
 his thoughts were busy. He belonged to that 
 faction, vastly in the minority to be sure, but 
 still of respectable numbers, which had never 
 become reconciled to the Restoration, and he 
 was ever on the look-out for recruits to aid in 
 the overthrow of the monarchy and the rehabili- 
 tation of the commonwealth. In fact, it was 
 with that very purpose in view that he had 
 come to Whitehall that morning. The Duke of 
 Richmond's name would be one to conjure with. 
 Although his Grace was known to be of un- 
 swerving loyalty, still, jealousy was a powerful 
 passion. At all events, here was stuff to work 
 upon. 
 
 Pepys, shadowed closely by his brother, who 
 seemed afraid to be left by himself, slowly made 
 his way over to where the Duke stood. 
 
 " It is a duke, John," he observed, in a low 
 tone. " Observe how I accost him. It will be 
 a lesson to you. My Lord Duke."
 
 62 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 Richmond started and turned from his absent 
 contemplation of the scene without. 
 
 " May it please your Grace," proceeded Pepys, 
 oilily, " to recall your humble servant to your 
 memory." 
 
 "I remember you well," replied Richmond, 
 courteously enough. " Master Samuel Pepys, I 
 believe." 
 
 "The same, your Grace," answered Samuel, 
 with a gratified smirk. " I saw your Grace at 
 the Admiralty office, before the Rupert sailed, 
 about the pay of the sailors. Sad, grumbling 
 knaves, and with no consideration whatever. 
 Why, would your Grace believe it, no later than 
 yesterday one of them lay dying, beneath our 
 very office windows, of the scurvy ! " 
 
 " While the money that should go for their 
 food and medicine is lavished on these butter- 
 flies," retorted Richmond bitterly, still smarting 
 under the stabs he had received. " I never 
 come to Whitehall, Master Pepys, that I do not 
 long to shake the gold off those gentlemen's 
 coats into my poor fellows' pockets." 
 
 Politic Samuel saw that he was on the wrong 
 track, so he hastened to change the subject. 
 He saw an opportunity to obtain information ; 
 he had an insatiable craving to be the first to 
 obtain scraps of news of eveiy description, in 
 order to retail them himself and jot them down
 
 LA BELLE STUAKT. 63 
 
 in his diary, for which latter act he certainly 
 deserves the undying gratitude of an amused 
 and instructed posterity. So, he asked : 
 
 "But how about this late action, my lord? 
 Doubtless it was a victory, but I cannot hear of 
 any prizes being taken." 
 
 Richmond smiled sarcastically. He was in 
 an ill temper, and it pleased him to give vent to 
 it. Ordinarily, he would not have been so free 
 of speech. 
 
 "A victory! Oh, yes!" he replied in an 
 ironical tone. "We have lost but fourteen 
 ships." 
 
 "Mercy on me!" cried Pepys, throwing up 
 his hands in real or affected dismay. 
 
 "And seven run aground on the Galloper 
 Sand," continued Richmond, in the same satiri- 
 cal strain ; " and the enemy has not chased us 
 further than Chatham. So, past doubt it is a 
 victory." 
 
 "Alack-a-day, and there'll be more ships to 
 find and no money to pay for them. Still, it is 
 a comfort we have a Dutch flag." 
 
 " Let us make the most of it, for the Dutch 
 have some ten of ours in exchange." 
 
 He paused, as the scenes he had recently wit- 
 nessed rose up before his memory, scenes that 
 were a disgrace to England and her navy, 
 where the Dutch admiral, Van Tromp, dared to
 
 64 NELL GWYMTE. 
 
 sail up the Thames, with a broom at his mast- 
 head, while vessels bearing the English flag fled 
 before him, like chickens at the approach of a 
 hawk; where the so-called gentlemen captains 
 with their ships, as in the case of Barkely and 
 the Swiftsure, were never seen from the begin- 
 ning of the fight until the last gun was fired. 
 
 The Duke sighed deeply as he remembered all 
 this. 
 
 "Ah, Master Pepys," he said, bitterly, " what 
 can you expect of a fleet where the worst dis- 
 credit is to have followed the sea from boyhood 
 and the best title to promotion is the good word 
 of a royal mistress." 
 
 "Hush! Hush, your Grace!" exclaimed 
 Pepys, warningly. 
 
 But the caution came too late. The indis- 
 creet speech had been overheard. Major Wild- 
 ing stood at his side. 
 
 " Such words sound strangely here, my lord 
 Duke," said the fanatical republican, gravely, 
 "but I have seen the time when, even inside 
 these walls, the honor of England had more 
 such defenders as you. And," he added, after 
 a slight pause, approaching close to the Duke, so 
 that his words were audible to him alone, 
 although Mr. Pepys strained his ears to catch 
 their import, "and that time will come again 
 when you see a man at the head of this nation
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 65 
 
 instead of a courtier's puppet and a mistress's 
 plaything." 
 
 Richmond started, and upreared his head 
 haughtily. 
 
 " I forbid you, sir, to use such words to me," 
 he exclaimed. 
 
 And with that he turned his back completely 
 upon Wilding. The latter bowed and retired ; 
 but he was evidently not offended at this 
 abrupt, almost insulting dismissal, for a mys- 
 terious smile played about his thin lips, as he 
 moved away. 
 
 " Your Grace," began Pepys. 
 
 " Oh, pardon me," exclaimed Richmond, turn- 
 ing suddenly. " I had forgotten you for the 
 moment." 
 
 "With your grace's permission," continued 
 Pepys, "that was a dangerous speech of yours. 
 Still," he added, slyly, for he was itching to 
 give the duke a clearer understanding of the 
 rumors anent Lady Frances Stuart and the 
 king, and to see how he would bear the knowl- 
 edge. "Still, those were fine days when gal- 
 lant deeds of gentlemen won gentle looks from 
 ladies. To-day our ladies think more of a man's 
 leg in a coranto than of his hand in battle." 
 
 "Not all, Master Pepys," retorted the duke, 
 loyally. "Thank heaven there is still, at least, 
 one worthy to nerve a man's arm in battle, one
 
 66 NELL GWYNNE.. 
 
 whom an English gentleman need not blush to 
 live and die for." 
 
 "Well, I trust there may be," replied wily- 
 Samuel, hesitatingly ; "but I should be hard put 
 to it to name her ; there's no telling anything 
 about the women since Lady Bagot turned cruel 
 and Lady Frances kind." 
 
 Richmond flushed a dark crimson. Lady 
 Frances again ! What did it mean that her 
 revered name should be thus lightly on the 
 tongue of every flutterer about the court. He 
 would find out and at once. 
 
 Glancing at the younger Pepys, who had been 
 standing silently by through all the preceding 
 scene, he laid his hand upon the arm of the 
 elder one and led him further into the embras- 
 ure of the window, while the newly fledged 
 clergyman, for John Pepys had taken holy 
 orders, gazed in bewildered admiration at the 
 sight of his brother thus familiarly treated by 
 a duke. 
 
 " Come, Master Pepys," began Richmond, as 
 soon as they were out of hearing, " I have been 
 twelve months away from court, as you know. 
 What was this you were saying about about 
 Lady Bagot?" 
 
 Pepys smiled to himself, but his face was per- 
 fectly serious as he replied : 
 
 "It is said that she holds the Duke of York
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 67 
 
 at a distance, but it is not this that I wonder at 
 the most. It is the other transformation." 
 
 "What other?" 
 
 "Nay, I hate tale-bearing," replied the old 
 hypocrite, " but they do say that Lady Fran " 
 
 But the duke's torturing curiosity was des- 
 tined not to be satisfied for the present, at least, 
 for at that moment the enormous folding doors 
 at the extreme end of the gallery were thrown 
 open, and a page announced in a loud voice : 
 
 " His Majesty, the King ! " 
 
 Like a true courtier, Pepys with his brother 
 trotting behind him, hurried away to pay his re- 
 spects to his sovereign, while Richmond, sick at 
 heart, and feeling that he must have a word 
 with his lady-love, before he could meet the 
 king, concealed himself behind the heavy cur- 
 tains of the window. 
 
 All those who had been waiting more or less 
 patiently pressed forward a little, each anxious 
 for an opportunity to present his petition. 
 Shaftesbury pushed aside his papers and rose 
 to his feet. 
 
 Etherege glanced scornfully at a little group, 
 who were evidently, from their dress and man- 
 ner, of low degree. 
 
 " How good of his majesty to be thus accessi- 
 ble," he said, with a curl of the lip. " He is in- 
 deed the father of his people." .
 
 68 NELL GWYNKE. 
 
 " The father of his people," laughed Buck- 
 hurst, to whom the remark was addressed. 
 " Well, yes, he is, of a good many of them, at 
 all events." 
 
 The king appeared, attended only by Will 
 Chimnch, his secretary, and half a dozen of 
 those spaniels of which he was so fond and 
 which ever since have borne his name. 
 
 The dogs ran here and there, yelping and 
 snarling, causing annoyance to the entire com- 
 pany. One of them snapped at Buckhurst's leg 
 and carried away a piece of the silk hose in 
 which the limb was encased. 
 
 " Did Tray bite you, my lord? " said Charles, 
 suppressing a smile. " Poor little fellow. I 
 trust he may survive it." 
 
 Buckhurst was intensely irritated. There 
 was little of the courtier about him, and with 
 his usual bluntness, he did not hesitate to ex- 
 hibit his sentiments, even in the presence of 
 his sovereign. 
 
 " Hang the cur!" he exclaimed ruefully. 
 "May Heaven bless your majesty, but may it 
 damn your dogs ! " 
 
 The airy monarch laughed good-humoredly, 
 and, seating himself at Shaftesbury's table, pro- 
 ceeded to give audience to the various petition, 
 ers, treating each with that easy familiarity 
 and yet perfect courtesy which made him so
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 69 
 
 popular with all with whom he came in contact. 
 In fact, he carried his politeness to an excess 
 for he was perfectly accessible and would hear 
 anything against anybody. 
 
 The vast majority of the cases were finally 
 disposed of, the king, it must be confessed, 
 making many promises which he would prob- 
 ably forget to keep. 
 
 Pepys, fancying his opportunity had come, 
 advanced with a paper in his hand. 
 
 " Sire," he began, obsequiously, " I bring for 
 your Majesty's approval a list of the reserve 
 fleet." 
 
 Charles hated attending to public business 
 and shirked it whenever he could. 
 
 " Really, Master Pepys," he said languidly, 
 "I am not the Lord High Admiral. This is 
 matter for His Grace of York, not for me." 
 
 "Pardon me, your Majesty, but " 
 
 "Well, well, leave the paper there and I will 
 read it when I have time." 
 
 Pepys retired, discomforted, and was succeed- 
 ed by Shaftesbury. 
 
 "The business of the day's Council, your 
 Majesty " 
 
 "Odds fish, man," interrupted the king im- 
 patiently, "shall I not hear the business of the 
 council at the council ? " 
 
 " Let us hope so, your Majesty," replied
 
 70 NELL GTTYIsNE. 
 
 Shaftesbury, dryly; "these papers await your 
 Majesty's signature. Shall I not read them to 
 you?" he added, as the king took up the pen. 
 
 " What, is it not enough that I sign them for 
 you?" retorted Charles, hastily inscribing his 
 name at the foot of each paper. " Traitor, 
 would you kill your king with overwork? 
 There, Heaven be thanked, that's finished. 
 Now, Buckhurst, it's your turn." 
 
 As he spoke, he pushed the papers aside, and, 
 picking up one of the spaniels, began running 
 his white, jewelled hand through its silken 
 curls. 
 
 "I have nothing to ask, your Majesty," re- 
 plied Buckhurst, "or, if I have, it shall come 
 through other channels." 
 
 "Faith, you're considerate, and I will re- 
 member it when the time comes. Come oftener 
 to court, my lord. By my life, I believe that 
 you are the only one of my friends who does 
 not keep a tame knave for whom he wants a 
 favor. Well, Etherege, you desire a favor, I 
 know from your face." 
 
 "Yes, your Majesty, I desire an order " 
 
 "An order! Tilly -vally, man, I hate that 
 worse than physic. Can not your order wait? " 
 
 Etherege turned away, but, as he did so, he 
 said to Buckhurst, loud enough for the king to 
 hear:
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 71 
 
 "Nay, then, Davenant will have his way." 
 
 Charles pricked up his ears. 
 
 " What's that ? " he cried. " Davenant ? " 
 
 "Yes, sire," replied Etherege, "the Duke's 
 house will secure pretty Nelly." 
 
 The king put down the dog with which he 
 had been toying, and, for the first time, his lazy 
 expression gave place to one of interest. 
 
 "Nelly!" he exclaimed, vivaciously. "But 
 she's hired at the other house with Killigrew." 
 
 " Yes, your Majesty, but Sir William outbids 
 him four-score pounds, and, though Nelly be 
 loyal, yet money being everywhere scarce " 
 
 The king was now thoroughly roused and full 
 of animation. 
 
 "Zounds! these are grave matters, indeed, 
 Sir George. What ! Rob the king's playhouse, 
 and of its prettiest wench. Tempt Nelly from 
 her allegiance this must be looked to. Chif- 
 finch, send a messenger to bid Davenant and 
 Killigrew come to us at once in our private 
 closet. Oh ! and Chiffinch ! " 
 
 Chiffinch approached close to the table. 
 
 "Do not forget, Chiffinch," was the whis- 
 pered injunction, "to deliver that note at once 
 into Lady Frances' own hands." 
 
 " You can rely upon it, your Majesty." 
 
 The king rose and whistled the dogs to fol- 
 low him.
 
 72 NELL GWYN1STE. 
 
 "Carry off our Nell Gwynne! No, indeed, 
 we cannot do without Nelly ! " And with a 
 brief "good-morrow, gentlemen," he hurried 
 from the room. 
 
 Buckhurst watched him with frowning brows 
 and compressed lips. The king's words and 
 manner had confirmed his worst suspicions. 
 Desperate measures were imperative, or Nelly 
 was lost to him forever. 
 
 "Carry off Nelly!" he thought, darkly. 
 "So, you cannot do without Nelly! But you 
 shall, though, if I have to carry her off my- 
 self by force. Ah ! Why not ! Etherege and 
 Ogle will stand by me, I am sure." 
 
 He was interrupted in his reflections by the 
 entrance through the window near which he 
 was standing of a woman who was a vision 
 of stately loveliness. Her features were as 
 regular as those of a Greek statue, her hair 
 was of an exquisite golden hue, and her eyes, 
 large and liquid as those of the ox-eyed Juno, 
 were of that peculiar shade, between turquoise 
 and sapphire, to be found only in the corn- 
 flower. In her whole manner and bearing, 
 there was that indescribable something which 
 proclaimed her one highly born and highly 
 bred. 
 
 With a courteous salutation, she passed the 
 little group of gentlemen and crossed the gal-
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 73 
 
 lery on her way to the queen's apartments. 
 Just as she was opposite the window where 
 Richmond was concealed the curtains parted 
 and the duke appeared before her. 
 
 " Frances ! " 
 
 "Richmond!'* 
 
 She paused, her eyes fixed upon his face. 
 The rich color dyed her fair cheeks and then 
 faded away, leaving her pale as marble. She 
 made a movement as if to throw herself into 
 his arms, and then drew back, suddenly re- 
 membering that they were not alone. 
 
 "How the sight of her noble face strikes 
 scandal dumb," thought Richmond, as he 
 eagerly drank in the beauty of this one peer- 
 less woman, who, through so many weary 
 months of separation, had been the guiding 
 star of his existence. 
 
 But before he could speak, to his bitter an- 
 noyance they were joined by all the others in 
 the room, Pepys and his brother, Shaftesbury, 
 Buckhurst, Ogle and Etherege, all eager to bask 
 in the sunshine of the favor of her whom rumor 
 declared to be the new divinity of their royal 
 master. 
 
 Pepys was the first to address her. 
 
 " Madam, may it please you to allow me to 
 present to your ladyship my brother John, for 
 whom I would crave your countenance."
 
 74 NELL 
 
 "Your servant, sir,'* said Lady Frances,, 
 coldly. Why did these people weary her at 
 such a time as this ? 
 
 "And for myself " 
 
 "By your leave, Master Secretary," inter- 
 rupted Shaftesbury, gently but firmly pushing 
 him aside. " Fair Lady Frances, you are 
 often alone with the King, and here is a pa- 
 per I would fain lay before his majesty." 
 
 "Methinks, my lord, as president of the- 
 Council, your own hand were the more fitting 
 channel." 
 
 " Alas, madam, business never reaches the 
 royal ear, save in the disguise of pleasure." 
 
 " More shame, then, for councillors who stoop 
 so to disguise it," replied Lady Frances with 
 bitter scorn. 
 
 Shaftesbury colored and retired. He felt, 
 despite himself, that the rebuke was deserved. 
 
 " May I recall myself to Lady Frances' 
 memory ?" said Buckhurst, with an effort. The 
 part he was playing was hateful to him, but he 
 believed it to be the only way to obtain his de- 
 sire. 
 
 " Lord Buckhurst is not easily forgotten," re- 
 plied Lady Frances, more graciously than slie 
 had spoken to the other two. 
 
 " Madam, I have a suit to the king." Lady
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 75 
 
 Frances made an impatient movement. "It is 
 for a ship." 
 
 " Why appeal to me ? Surely the Lord High 
 Admiral " 
 
 "What is the Duke of York's pennant to 
 Lady Frances Stuart's petticoat?" interposed 
 Buckhurst. He did not mean to be discourte- 
 ous, but the inference to be drawn from his re- 
 mark was unmistakable. 
 
 The lady upreared her handsome head, and 
 there was a steely glitter iu her blue eye, as she 
 responded haughtily : 
 
 "My lord, Frances Stuart has no such 
 power as you suppose ; but if she had, she 
 would put it to a better use than to recommend 
 for command one who has not won the right to 
 have it." 
 
 Buckhurst said no more, but Ogle, who should 
 have been warned by his friend's fate, ventured 
 to urge his petition. 
 
 " Lady Frances, I crave " 
 
 But Lady Frances* patience was exhausted. 
 She had noticed the gathering clouds on Rich- 
 mond's face and knew well the cause. The 
 homage paid to her was, morever, excessively 
 distasteful to her, and she determined to put 
 an end to it. 
 
 "Your pardon, Sir Thomas Ogle," she said, 
 firmly, "any words would be useless. More-
 
 76 TSTELL GWYNNE. 
 
 over, gentlemen, once for all, I have no influ- 
 ence with his majesty and it is not to me that 
 you should appeal." 
 
 As she spoke she turned away from them and 
 was about to address Richmond, but she was 
 doomed once more to interruption, for Chif- 
 finch had entered the gallery, and seeing Lady 
 Frances there, hastened toward her. 
 
 "Your pardon, madam, one moment,'* he 
 said, handing her a folded slip of paper. " From 
 the king." 
 
 Richmond started, and from his eye shot a 
 fierce and dangerous gleam. 
 
 Lady Frances opened the note and read as 
 follows : 
 
 " I must see you and alone. CHARLES." 
 As she took in the meaning of the words, a 
 bitter anger filled her breast. Was this perse- 
 cution of the king's never to cease, and how 
 doubly hard it was that on this day of all others 
 she was forced to endure it. What would Rich- 
 mond think ? Richmond, her hero, beside whom 
 all other men were to her like shadows. Forc- 
 ing herself to be calm, she thrust the note in an 
 embroidered bag she wore by her side and said 
 quietly to Chiffinch : 
 
 " 'Tis well, sir. There is no answer." 
 "Very well, madam. Gentlemen," advanc- 
 ing to Buckhurst and the others, "his majesty
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 77 
 
 invites you to the tennis yard. His grace of 
 Buckingham, has challenged Sir Charles Sedley 
 to six sets and the games will be played imme- 
 diately." 
 
 They trooped noisily away out into the gar- 
 den in the direction of the tennis-court. 
 
 The long- separated lovers were alone for the 
 first time. Lady Frances turned eagerly to- 
 ward the duke, but his arms were folded and 
 his face sternly averted. 
 
 " Richmond!" she murmured, softly. 
 
 " Madam," was the grave response. 
 
 Her heart grew heavy within her Was this 
 the meeting she had looked forward to with 
 such joyful anticipation? "Madam," she 
 echoed in sorrowful reproach. 
 
 At this the duke turned, and as his eyes met 
 hers, his expression involuntarily softened. 
 
 " Pardon me," he said, " I am quick to catch 
 the tone of the court. There was a time when 
 I would have used less ceremony, but that was 
 when Frances Stuart boasted a scantier train 
 of followers." 
 
 "Richmond!" she exclaimed, indignantly, 
 and then with a sudden revulsion of feeling: 
 " But, no, no, I cannot be angry with you. I 
 see how it is. You have been listening to the 
 evil tongues that wag only too freely in this
 
 78 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 place. Oh ! Richmond, Richmond, was not your 
 trust proof against scandal ? " 
 
 "Tongues! Scandal I" he retorted, bitterly. 
 " It is what my own eyes have seen, my own 
 ears have heard this cringing before you of 
 the court, this note from the king. How am I 
 to reconcile such things with the fair fame of 
 Frances Stuart ? " 
 
 " Frances Stuart is a woman," she cried, her 
 eyes flashing and two crimson spots burning 
 upon her cheeks ; " how can she protect her- 
 self against these profligate f oplings ? Heaven 
 help me!" striking her hands passionately to- 
 gether. " I wear no sword. There was a time 
 when I believed I might trust the defence of my 
 good name to yours." 
 
 Richmond groaned. 
 
 " If I could but know " 
 
 " If you could but know I For shame, my 
 Lord of Richmond. You, of all men, should 
 know what I have been and am. I will not 
 stoop to clear myself with protestations. I will 
 but look you in the face thus, and say to you : 
 I am worthy of an honest man's love. Do you 
 believe me? I will be trusted or I will be noth- 
 ing to you. Do you trust me ? " 
 
 He gave one long look into those fearless eyes 
 and his doubts shrank away. His face cleared 
 as if by magic.
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 79 
 
 "Yes," he cried ; " I believe you." 
 
 But even as he opened his arms to fold her to 
 his breast, he saw her expression change. She 
 was looking beyond him, through the open win- 
 dow into the garden. 
 
 " What is it?" he asked in surprise. 
 
 " The King/' she exclaimed, nervously. "He 
 is coming this way. Go ! go ! " 
 
 His relief had been but short-lived after all. 
 In an instant his suspicion returned with re- 
 doubled strength. He turned and saw his maj- 
 esty approaching through the shrubbery, unat- 
 tended and evidently coming to the gallery. So 
 that note was a rendezvous ! Well, the king 
 would find a third at the interview. 
 
 " Go ! go 1 " reiterated Lady Frances, beseech- 
 ingly. "For your sake, for my sake, he must 
 not find you here." 
 
 " I will wait. The king owes me a hearing," 
 he declared, coldly. 
 
 "So be it, then. Remain!" she replied in 
 tones every whit as frigid as his own. 
 
 When the king entered the gallery he did no* 
 at first perceive Richmond, who was partially 
 hidden by the window curtains. He thought 
 Lady Frances was alone, and he exclaimed joy- 
 fully : 
 
 " Ah 1 my fair Britannia "
 
 80 NELL GWYJCSTE. 
 
 4^ 
 
 But he stopped abruptly as the duke ad- 
 Tanced and knelt at his feet. 
 
 Charles' natural good humor rarely deserted 
 him, save when he was interrupted or crossed 
 in a love affair. On such occasions he was 
 capable of harshness, even cruelty. 
 
 "How now 1" he exclaimed angrily. "Whom 
 have we here ? Oh! my lord of Richmond, I be- 
 lieve." And he cast a quick, suspicious glance 
 first at the kneeling form of the duke and then 
 at Lady Frances, who could not entirely conceal 
 her emotion. "What do you here, my lord 
 duke?" 
 
 " I am just from the fleet, your majesty, with 
 despatches and a flag from Sir Edward 
 Spragge." 
 
 " 'Sdeath, my lord," broke out the king 
 roughly ; " you are a better captain than cour- 
 tier or you would know that audiences are 
 asked, not taken as highwaymen take purses." 
 
 Eichmond rose to his feet, his face scarlet with 
 passion. 
 
 "Your majesty teaches me a subject's duty," 
 he muttered in a thick voice. 
 
 "And you, Lady Frances," continued the 
 king, who was so consumed with jealous rage 
 that he forgot his customary courtesy, "the 
 queen requires your presence, and immediately."
 
 LA BELLE STUART. 81 
 
 
 
 Then without another word he turned abruptly 
 and passed out into the garden. 
 
 Lady Frances cast one long, sorrowful glance 
 at Richmond. 
 
 "You would better have trusted her who 
 loved you," she said in a low, trembling voice. 
 
 Richmond would have spoken, but she waved 
 him aside, and with head erect and stately step 
 swept across the gallery and disappeared in the 
 direction of the Queen's apartments.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 
 
 IT was after the play, and Nell Gwynne was 
 returning, in a hired coach, to her modest 
 lodgings in Petticoat Lane. She had been act- 
 ing in tragedy, which was but little to her lik- 
 ing, or for that matter, to that of her audience. 
 In his immortal diary, Master Pepys says of her 
 appearance as Cydaria in The Indian Emperor : 
 "To the King's playhouse, where I find Nell 
 Gwynne come again, which I am glad of ; but 
 I was most infinitely displeased with her being 
 put to act the Emperor's daughter, which she 
 does most basely." 
 
 Although honest Samuel was a most unreli- 
 able critic so far as tragedy was concerned, 
 which, as he himself confesses he did most in- 
 continently detest, he was probably right in this 
 case. For Nelly's arch, merry expression, eyes 
 sparkling with fun, cheeks ever ready to dimple 
 into smiles, and laughter-provoking mouth, were 
 qualifications meet for the Comic Muse, while 
 her capabilities were utterly unsuited to the de- 
 
 88
 
 PRETTY, MAI? NELLY. 83 
 
 mands of Melpomene. Heroics, indeed! Neither 
 her face, voice, natural gifts, training nor incli- 
 nations fitted her for the sorrows and passions 
 of the lofty heroines of the stilted tragedies of 
 the day. But in comedy she was unapproach- 
 able. In gay, madcap parts Pepys pronounces 
 her beyond all imitation. "Lord, her confi- 
 dence!" he says, speaking of her representation 
 of a young gallant. "I can never hope to see 
 the like done again by man or woman." 
 
 The performance to-night had consisted of a 
 new tragedy called Tyrannic Love or The Royal 
 Martyr, in which Nell played the part of Vale- 
 ria, the daughter of Maximin, tyrant of Rome. 
 The play was founded upon the story of the 
 martyrdom of Saint Catharine, a saint much in 
 vogue just then, in compliment to the queen, 
 Catharine of Braganza. The audience yawned 
 through the dull acts, but, in truth, they were 
 no more bored than the fair heroine herself in 
 her endeavors to simulate the griefs of a role 
 entirely unsympathetic to her nature. Because 
 it was Nell Gwynne, however, the public en- 
 dured her with the best grace it could, while a 
 less popular actress would probably have been 
 hooted off the stage. 
 
 In the last act, before the weapon can be 
 wrested from her, Valeria stabs herself twice. 
 As the dead body of the princess was about to
 
 84 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 be carried from the stage, Nell commanded the 
 bearers to stop and set her upon her feet. 
 Then, to the open-mouthed wonder of boxes, pit 
 and galleries, she advanced and, descending 
 from the stilts she managed so awkwardly, she 
 recited, with all her old laughing grace, the. 
 following epilogue : 
 
 " I come, kind gentlemen, strange news to tell ye, 
 
 I am the ghost of poor departed Nelly. 
 
 Sweet ladies, be not frightened; I'll be civil 
 
 In what I was, a little, harmless devil. 
 
 To tell you true, I walk because I die 
 
 Out of my calling, in a tragedy. 
 
 Oh, poet ! damned dull poet, who could prove 
 
 So senseless to make Nelly die for love J 
 
 As for my epitaph, when I am gone 
 
 I'll trust no poet, but will write my own : 
 
 ' Here Nelly lies. Although she lived a slattern, 
 
 Yet died a princess, acting in St. Cath'rin.' " 
 
 At this innovation bold, to say the lejt&t of 
 it the house roared with laughter and ap- 
 plause, and the audience went home in high 
 good humor, fully forgiving the daring actress 
 for all her shortcomings in parts out of her 
 line, and holding her higher in favor than ever. 
 
 But it was not of the stage, its failures or its 
 triumphs, that Nelly was thinking as the car- 
 riage jolted over the wretched pavements. It 
 was of a pair of tender eyes, of a soft voice 
 which had murmured that very evening its 
 amorous pleadings in her ear. Ah 1 Nell, for
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 85 
 
 all your jests and jibes at the tender passion, 
 the slighted love- god has taken sweet revenge 
 at last. You are caught fast in his net and his 
 arrow has pierced deeply your hitherto impreg- 
 nable heart. 
 
 To do the young actress justice, that her lover 
 sat upon a throne had little, if any, weight with 
 her. It was the man himself she cared for, 
 not his rank and power. 
 
 All at once, she was roused from her reflec- 
 tions by the sudden stoppage of the coach, and 
 then the sound of an angry altercation fell upon 
 her ears. Hastily opening the door, she de- 
 scended, and by the faint light of a swinging 
 street-lamp saw her coachman and another, 
 whose vehicle was drawn up close by, engaged 
 in a lusty bout of fisticuffs. 
 
 " Stop ! " cried Nell. " Stop, at once ! " 
 
 At the ringing command the two Jehus 
 paused and fell apart. 
 
 " Come here, William," ordered Nell. 
 
 The man obeyed, holding his hand to one eye, 
 which was more or less damaged. Although he 
 was not her own coachman, he was well known 
 among his fellows as the one who invariably 
 drove the actress. 
 
 < What does all this mean ? " 
 
 "The knave drove into me, and, when I 
 cursed him, he said "
 
 86 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 The man hesitated and stammered : 
 
 " I do not like to tell you, madam." 
 
 " Rubbish, man 1 What did he say ? Out 
 with it!" 
 
 " He he said that he drove for a countess, 
 while I drove for a jade." 
 
 Nell was silent a moment, and then she 
 laughed outright, but there was a note in her 
 laughter that somehow sounded forced. 
 
 "Go to, my good William," she said, lightly, 
 " and never risk your carcass again, save in de- 
 fence of the truth. Mount your box, and let us 
 proceed." 
 
 But Nell was not destined to reach home that 
 night without further adventure. The coach 
 was within a stone's throw of her lodgings 
 when it was again arrested, and again a scuffle 
 took place. But this time there were six men 
 instead of one to fight, and the coachman was 
 quickly overpowered. 
 
 The door of the carriage was flung open and 
 a villainous looking head was thrust in. Nelly, 
 believing herself attacked by highwaymen, es- 
 sayed to shriek, but the sound was stifled by a 
 heavy hand clapped over her mouth. Her head 
 and arms were then muffled in a thick cloak, and 
 she felt herself lifted and carried along by a pair 
 of strong arms. How far or in what direction
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 87 
 
 she went she could not tell, but after a lapse of 
 time, which seemed to her interminable, she re- 
 alized that she was being carried up a flight of 
 stairs ; then she was seated in a chair, and the 
 cloak, which was half suffocating her, was un- 
 fastened. 
 
 Freeing her hands, she tore it off, and, gasp- 
 ing for breath, she looked about her with eyes 
 dazzled by the sudden light. 
 
 She found herself alone in a handsomely-fur- 
 nished apartment. Wax candles burned brightly 
 in candelabra upon the mantel and upon a table 
 set for two with a rich display of glass and chi- 
 naware. Nell collected her scattered thoughts 
 and endeavored to pierce the mystery. She 
 liked a jest well enough, but this was past a jest, 
 and she would make the perpetrator smart for 
 it. An abduction, evidently, but who was the 
 offender ? Oh, that he were there, that she could 
 scratch his eyes out ! But who could it be ? 
 Etherege ? No; he had too much sense. Harry 
 Jermyn ? No ; he had too much conceit to think 
 force necessary. Tom Ogle? No; he was too 
 poor ; he hadn't a groat to pay the bullies with. 
 Another name occurred to her, the thought of 
 which flushed her pretty cheek crimson. " Come, 
 come, Nelly, no nonsense," she said to herself, 
 hastily rising , " that way madness lies, as the 
 poet says."
 
 88 NELL GWYNITE. 
 
 She hurried over to the table and scrutinized 
 the napery and the china. JSTo crest 1 no initial 
 letter ! Nothing to guide her there. Hang it 1 
 She could not work herself up into a proper rage 
 until she knew who her abductor was. It might 
 be some one whom she liked. But where was 
 he ? One thing was clear, he certainly ought to 
 be here. Why, the man must be a fool to carry 
 a woman off by violence, and then, like Macbeth 
 in the play, "proceed no further in this busi- 
 ness." Oh I there was a door leading to another 
 apartment. She would investigate. Cautiously 
 crossing the room, she drew aside the curtain 
 and peeped in. Yes, there was some one there. 
 Tarquin, undoubtedly. He was sitting at a table 
 busily writing. His back was toward her, and 
 all she could see was that he was well dressed 
 and wore a flowing periwig ; but so did every 
 other gentleman of quality in those days. Who 
 could it be? It was scarcely courteous, to say 
 the least, to carry off a play-actress, and then 
 turn his back upon her and pen away for dear 
 life. 
 
 She dropped the curtain and reflected on what 
 she should do. She was consumed with curi- 
 osity, and she could not wait for matters to de- 
 velop themselves. Should she burst in upon him 
 and abuse him ? But how ? In Billingsgate or 
 in the vein of the injured tragedy queen ? Pshaw!
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 89 
 
 there was no sport in either, and if there was one 
 thing that her wilful, gay butterfly nature did 
 adore, it was sport sport in season and out of 
 season ; and yet, with all her fun-loving spirit, 
 she was never malicious. Her heart was too 
 tender to harm any living thing. 
 
 How should she induce this fox to break cover? 
 What role would it be best to assume ? Virtuous 
 despair! Yes, that would be the best jest of 
 all, and she tittered at the very thought. But 
 how to unearth him ? She could not go to him 
 and say : " Come, sir, and offend my ears with 
 your indiscreet proposals." Should she cough 
 him out ? No, that was old and trite. She had 
 done that eleven thousand times upon the stage. 
 Virtuous despair ! 
 
 Ah ! she would sob him out. 
 
 And suiting the action to the thought, she 
 threw herself down in a chair, and, covering 
 her face with her hands, began to sob and 
 moan in an exaggerated assumption of grief. 
 
 The stratagem was successful, for in less 
 than two minutes the curtain was raised, and 
 the man she had seen writing at the desk ap- 
 peared. 
 
 Nell peeped between her fingers. 
 
 "Why, bless my life," she murmured to her- 
 self as she caught sight of the new-comer's
 
 90 NELL 
 
 face, "if it isn't that solemn toad, Sam Pepys. 
 Oh! oh!" 
 
 And her pretty shoulders shook in a silent 
 convulsion of laughter, which Pepys mistook 
 for a sign of distress. 
 
 He approached her cautiously and wonder- 
 ingly. 
 
 "It grieves me greatly," he began, "to 
 see " 
 
 But he broke off short in amazement, for the 
 hands were removed and to his eyes was re- 
 vealed the roguish face of Nell Gwynne. 
 
 "Why, it's pretty, mad Nelly," he stam- 
 mered. 
 
 To tell the truth he was no more astounded 
 than Nell herself. She had never given the 
 politic secretary courage to carry out so high- 
 handed a proceeding as an abduction in the 
 public streets. But he should pay dearly for 
 his presumption. 
 
 She rose, and,, facing him with the sternest 
 expression she could assume, said to him 
 gravely : 
 
 " Samuel Pepys, you old sinner ! I'll tell 
 your wife ! " 
 
 At this to him most terrible of all threats, al- 
 though for the life of him he could not imagine 
 what she was going to tell, Pepys changed color 
 fisibly.
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 91 
 
 "Tell my wife!" lie ejaculated. "Now 
 Heaven forbid! But pray, Mistress Gwynne, 
 what is the matter ? "What have I done ? " 
 
 "Done!" retorted Nell, with no relaxation of 
 the accusing solemnity of her manner. "Done I 
 What haven't you done. The matter is that 
 I'll expose you to the town for a sheep-faced 
 knave." 
 
 Knave! Poor Pepys* heart shivered with 
 fear. What had this mischievous jade discov- 
 ered ? Was it the matter of the victualing of 
 the ships or the plate from Master Bowen, or, 
 worse than all, had she got wind of his last 
 escapade with Mistress Knipp of the Duke's? 
 
 "Nay, Mistress Gwynne," he began hastily, 
 and then, relapsing into a wheedling tone: 
 
 "Nelly, pretty Nelly, some one has vexed you 
 and so you fall foul of your friends ; sure we 
 are fast friends." 
 
 " Private friendship must give way to public 
 morality," retorted Nell, with all the rigid aus- 
 terity of a mother abbess lecturing a novice. 
 
 "You would not be so cruel." 
 
 " I'll tell all the world and your wife unless 
 you instantly conduct me back to my lodg- 
 ings." 
 
 "With pleasure, sweet Nelly, with great 
 pleasure," he responded with an alacrity in-
 
 92 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 spired by fear of her vague, and so doubly 
 alarming, threat. 
 
 He tried the door but it refused to open. 
 
 "Why, this door is locked." 
 
 " As if you did not know it ! Innocent 
 soul ! " snapped Nelly sarcastically. 
 
 "Indeed," replied Samuel, earnestly, "it was 
 not locked when I entered." 
 
 "You have the key of your own door, I sup- 
 pose." 
 
 "Yes, but this is not my door." 
 
 It was now Nell's turn to be astonished. 
 
 "Not your door ! Whose is it, then? " 
 
 "Whose should it be but my Lord Buck- 
 hurst's ? " 
 
 Nell started and a faint smile appeared at the 
 corners of her rosy mouth. So she had mis- 
 judged the honest Samuel, and Buckhurst was 
 the offender. She was not sorry for it. Here 
 was a chance for rare fun. She liked Buck- 
 hurst, but she would lead him a pretty dance 
 before she had finished with him, and make 
 him smart well for his temerity. 
 
 " I came to see my lord on a matter concern- 
 ing the fleet, and while waiting for him to 
 return I ventured to enter his study to make 
 some notes in my diary, and The Lord pre- 
 serve us," suddenly interrupting himself, his 
 countenance exhibiting every sign of alarm.
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 93 
 
 " He will return shortly, and if he finds me 
 alone with you, what will happen? He is a 
 dare-devil, and he said once that if he caught 
 me again in your tiring room he would slit my 
 ears." 
 
 Even as he spoke a step was heard on the 
 landing outside and a voice exclaimed : 
 
 "She is here, you say?" 
 
 Pepys, in great alarm, turned to flee, but 
 Nell caught him by his voluminous coat-tails. 
 
 " Let me go," pleaded poor Samuel, struggling 
 to release himself. 
 
 But Nell only held on the tighter. 
 
 " Oh, sir," she begged, assuming an air of the 
 most poignant distress, " do not desert me, I im- 
 plore. Do not leave me alone with this vile ab- 
 ductor." 
 
 " Nay, he won't hurt you." 
 
 " Oh, protect me ! protect me ! " And the mis- 
 chievous lass attempted to throw her arms about 
 his neck. 
 
 But Pepys' ears had caught the sound of a key 
 turning in the lock, and, in a fever of alarm, he 
 started back. As he did so Nell's flowing sleeve 
 caught in his wig, and off it came, leaving him 
 as bald as a tennis ball. 
 
 Not waiting to recover his property, he dashed 
 into the next room, the tails of his coat spread
 
 94 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 out behind him like the pennant of a ship in a 
 strong gale. 
 
 Choking with merriment, Nell thrust the wig 
 in her pocket. As she did so her eye fell upon 
 a black bound book which had fallen upon the 
 carpet. She picked it up, and without the slight- 
 est compunction opened it. As she read a word 
 or two she smiled wickedly, and hastily tore out 
 half a dozen leaves at random. 
 
 Pepy's bald cranium appeared between the 
 curtains. 
 
 "Nelly," he called in a cautious whisper, 
 " Nelly, my journal book ; I've lost my journal 
 book." 
 
 "Here it is," tossing it to him, "minus a few 
 pages," she added, sotto voce, " which I'll peruse 
 at my leisure." 
 
 The creaking of the opening door startled her, 
 and flinging herself- down in a chair, she buried 
 her face in her hands. 
 
 She was not a moment too soon. Indeed, if 
 Buckhurst had not found some difficulty with 
 the lock Pepys would have been discovered, and 
 her own contemplated bit of acting spoiled. 
 
 It was something of an unpleasant shock to 
 Buckhurst to find the disconsolate figure hud- 
 dled up in the arm chair, sobbing as if its heart 
 would break. He was prepared for reproaches, 
 sarcasm anything, in fact, but tears. He was
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 95 
 
 half ashamed of what he had done ; but pshaw ! 
 it was only a long and a tragical protestation, 
 and he was sure to be forgiven. 
 
 Approaching the fair weeper, he knelt down 
 by her side. 
 
 " Nelly," he began, coaxingly, "forgive me. 
 Love, too hot to be quenched by reason, fired me 
 to the act. But I kneel at your feet a true peni- 
 tent, and never will I rise till I hear you say that 
 you forgive the boldness of my passion." 
 
 He paused. No answer save a burst of sobs 
 twice as violent as before. He was in conster- 
 nation. Surely this could not be merry Nell 
 Gwynne ; it was a Niobe, all tears. Although 
 Nell failed to depict sorrow upon the stage, she 
 could counterfeit it admirably in private, and 
 Buckhurst was completely deceived. 
 
 "Nay, sweet soul, be comforted," he mur- 
 mured. "Although you entered here a pris- 
 oner, you shall remain a queen. I live but to 
 obey your lightest words." 
 
 But her affliction was apparently not to be 
 assuaged. Her whole frame shook with the 
 boisterousness of her anguish. 
 
 Sullen little devil!" he thought. "This is 
 not what I bargained for." 
 
 At this moment a discreet knock at the door 
 etartled him, and leaping to his feet he called 
 out:
 
 96 NELL GWYOTSTE. 
 
 " Come in ! " 
 
 A servant appeared. 
 
 "Well, what is it?" 
 
 "My lord " began the servant, hesitat- 
 ing. 
 
 "Well, rascal, what now?" 
 
 " My lord, the the servants who came with 
 
 with this lady The fact is, my lord, 
 
 they are in the hall, and they will not go un- 
 til " 
 
 " Oh, I see," said Buckhurst, helping the 
 man out in his embarrassment, " until they are 
 paid for their dirty work." 
 
 The servant made a sign in the affirmative. 
 
 Was the sound that came from behind the 
 screen of the lady's hands a manifestation of 
 grief or of amusement ? As we are somewhat 
 behind the scenes, we may decide that it was 
 the latter. 
 
 "Tell the knaves that they shall be paid to- 
 morrow," said Buckhurst, in a low voice. 
 
 "I have, my lord, but they say that they 
 never risk their necks on credit." 
 
 Buckhurst thrust his hands hurriedly into 
 his pockets, and as hurriedly withdrew them 
 empty. He had played with the Count de 
 Grammont the night before and lost every 
 penny in his possession. 
 
 The situation was becoming decidedly awk-
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 97 
 
 ward, when Nell removed her hands and dis- 
 played a demure face, which to Buckhurst's as- 
 tonishment revealed not the least trace of a 
 tear. 
 
 " Prithee, sir, come hither an instant," she 
 said softly to the servant. 
 
 The man obeyed. 
 
 " How much do the ruffians demand ? " And 
 she heaved a deep sigh. 
 
 "Two Jacobuses each, and there are six of 
 them, madam." 
 
 " What ! " cried Nell, with sudden energy. 
 " Twelve Jacobuses for carrying off an actress ! 
 It's outrageous, monstrous, rank extortion ! " 
 
 "So I said to them, madam, but my lord 
 promised." 
 
 " Oh ! " with another sigh, this time one of 
 resignation, "if my lord promised I suppose 
 that his promise must be kept." 
 
 And drawing out a well-filled purse she 
 counted out the twelve coins. The servant's 
 eyes opened wide ; it was a long time since he 
 had seen so much money beneath that roof. 
 
 When the man had disappeared Nell turned a 
 severe look on his abashed lordship. 
 
 " It was too dear," she murmured, "sadly too 
 dear. Really you ought to manage these things 
 better. Am I always to pay for every enter- 
 tainment it may be your pleasure to offer me?"
 
 98 NELL GWYNKE. 
 
 "Really, I " 
 
 " Now stop and listen to me. The next time 
 you desire to carry off a lady it will be much 
 the cheapest way to consult her in the first place. 
 Don't let her cost you twelve Jacobuses, for ten 
 to one she won't be worth them, and, even if 
 she is, she won't like to have to pay them her- 
 self. You see " 
 
 But the fun-loving witch could continue this 
 strain no longer. The whimsicality of the affair 
 overcame her, and she broke out into a burst of 
 laughter so rippling, so musical, so infectious, 
 that Buckhurst, much relieved, joined gleefully 
 in. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! ha ! you are a woman after my own 
 heart. Merry Nelly, I adore you ; ha ! ha ! ha ! " 
 
 " And I like you. I ought to, I'm sure, for you 
 cost me dear enough." 
 
 Peace thus restored, Buckhurst found little 
 difficulty in persuading his fair enslaver to re- 
 main to supper, although she insisted that im- 
 mediately afterward she must return to her lodg- 
 ings. 
 
 "But first," urged Buckhurst, "you must 
 swear to be mine, mine alone and mine forever." 
 
 "Indeed, that I will not," asseverated Nell, 
 stoutly. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because, you wretched deceiver, you have
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 9 
 
 been telling the same tale to every laced petti- 
 coat in Drury Lane." 
 
 "Of course I have," acknowledged Buckhurst, 
 " but henceforth I renounce them all and am the 
 devoted slave of one alone." 
 
 Nell cast up her eyes and breathed a tender 
 sigh. 
 
 "Is this true?" 
 
 " Upon my soul, it is. Here I swear eternal 
 fidelity to your bright eyes." 
 
 " Oh, my lord, such nobleness fills me with 
 gratitude, and I will not be behind you in self- 
 sacrifice. From this time forth I renounce little 
 Jermyn, Hart, Harry Sidney, Tom Ogle, Lacy, 
 Betterton and," demurely "yes, I think that's 
 all, and, like you, will devote myself to one." 
 
 "Swear it then, as I did," cried Buckhurst, 
 eagerly. 
 
 She slyly drew Pepys' wig from her pocket 
 and secretly attached it to her wrist. 
 
 " Swear," reiterated Buckhurst. 
 
 "I swear!" she exclaimed melodramatically, 
 raising her hand to Heaven. The voluminous 
 mass of curled hair waved to and fro in the air. 
 
 Buckhurst's face fell. Would she never be 
 done with her tricks ? 
 
 "What's that?" he demanded savagely. 
 
 Nell followed the direction of his eyes with 
 the most innocent air in the world.
 
 100 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 " Oh, Lud ! " she cried, with a most ad- 
 mirable assumption of vernal ingenuousness. 
 " Why, it's like those things you men wear 
 on your heads. Is it yours? " 
 
 " Mine ? you crocodile ! " retorted Buckhurst, 
 out of all patience. " No, it is not mine. But 
 the man who owns it is here; he must be 
 here." 
 
 " Here ! Why, where can he be ? " And she 
 maliciously fixed her eyes upon the curtain 
 which covered the door leading to the study. 
 
 Buckhurst observed the gaze and turned in 
 its direction. 
 
 " Oh, don't go there ! " cried Nell, in affected 
 alarm. " Indeed, I am not looking there. See, 
 I am looking in every other direction." 
 
 But Buckhurst strode into the study and in 
 another moment returned, leading by the ear 
 the shame-faced and frightened Samuel. 
 
 "Why, what do you call this?" cried Buck- 
 hurst. 
 
 " The head of a goose," laughed Nell. " And 
 now," clapping the wig upon the bald pate, "it 
 is the head of a wise man." 
 
 " My lord, appearances are against me," falt- 
 ered Pepys. " I vow I came here to see your 
 lordship, and " 
 
 "And I vow you made love to me in his ab- 
 sence," interrupted Nell. "Why, I adore him,
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 101 
 
 your lordship, my own solid, sanctimonious, 
 smug-faced Samuel. Why, he comes almost 
 every night to my dressing room, lends me pins 
 and watches all my metamorphoses. My tiring 
 wench calls him the scene-shifter. Ha I ha ! 
 ha!" 
 
 " Believe her not, your lordship," assever- 
 ated Pepys, in dismay. " She is a madcap, 
 and her tongue runs away with her. It's all 
 scandal, pure scandal ! " 
 
 He would have protested further, but Buck- 
 hurst checked him with a good-humored ges- 
 ture. He knew full well that he had no reason 
 to be jealous of the solemn and plain-faced 
 secretary. 
 
 " Mr. Pepys, forgive my heat," he said, 
 pleasantly. " I meant nothing by it." 
 
 " And he must sup with us," insisted Nell. 
 
 "Certainly," Buckhurst agreed, but, it must 
 be confessed, with no very good grace. "What, 
 ho, without there ! Supper! Supper!" 
 
 It was not supper, however, that appeared, 
 but a servant announcing that two gentlemen 
 desired to speak to his lordship immediately. 
 
 " Tell them I'm engaged and cannot see 
 them," said Buckhurst. 
 
 " But they will not be denied, your lord- 
 ship," and, coming close to his master, the 
 servant whispered a word or two in his ear.
 
 102 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "Hang it," muttered Buckhurst, "I shall 
 have to see them, I suppose, to quiet their 
 clamor. Surely, my custom should be sufficient 
 for these knavish tradesmen. But I shall not 
 be long, Nelly." 
 
 " Oh ! don't hurry yourself," retorted Nell, 
 cheerfully. "I am sure I shall enjoy myself 
 hugely with my beloved Samuel here. By the 
 way, my lord, I have more Jacobuses, if you 
 need them." 
 
 "Oh, the devil take your Jacobuses!" re- 
 torted Buckhurst, gruffly, as he flung out of the 
 room. 
 
 "Oh, Nell, Nell," began Pepys, reproachful- 
 ly, when they were alone, " how could you say 
 such things, when you know that I come to 
 your dressing room only to see if Knipp be 
 there." 
 
 "Excessively flattering to me, I'm sure," re- 
 plied Nell, sweeping him a mocking courtesy. 
 
 " Nay, nay, my child, I meant not that. But 
 suppose my lord had taken you seriously. He 
 is a terrible fellow, this Buckhurst. Heaven 
 preserve us!" with a shudder, "suppose that 
 he had slit my ears." 
 
 "That would have been no great harm. 
 They are too long as they are. Besides, it 
 would have prevented your learning things 
 that were not intended for your hearing. A
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 103 
 
 very bad habit, Master Secretary, that of listen- 
 ing at keyholes." 
 
 Nell, though only in jest, had hit the nail on 
 the head. More than one of those bits of in- 
 formation, which gossip-loving Pepys delighted 
 to pick up, had been obtained in the reprehen- 
 sible manner to which she alluded. Nell was a 
 thorn in the good man's flesh. He rarely met 
 the madcap actress that she did not alarm him 
 by a knowledge, sometimes real, sometimes 
 feigned, of the peccadilloes which it was the 
 aim of his life to conceal from his wife, who 
 was something of a virago, and of whom he 
 stood in great awe. 
 
 "Keyholes!" he cried in a tone of virtuous 
 indignation. " I do not comprehend you, Mis- 
 tress Gwynne. I " 
 
 But, before he could proceed further, the 
 door behind him was hurriedly opened, and a 
 woman, cloaked and masked, was pushed 
 forcibly into the room. 
 
 Both Nell and Pepys cried out in surprise. 
 
 The woman tore off her mask and exhibited 
 a coarse, flushed, ugly face, surmounted by a 
 disorderly mass of wiry, carrotty hair. 
 
 " Why, it's Orange Moll ! " 
 
 "Why, it's Nell!" 
 
 The two exclamations were simultaneous and 
 of equal surprise.
 
 104 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 ' Why, Moll, what brings you here ? " asked 
 Nell, as soon as she had recovered from her 
 surprise at the unexpected apparition. 
 
 " That's what I would like to know myself ! " 
 replied Moll, in a harsh, shrill voice. "Fine 
 doings, indeed, when a respectable woman can- 
 not go about her business in the public streets 
 without being attacked by a gang of despera- 
 does and carried off no one knows where. But 
 where am I? " 
 
 " In my Lord Buckhurst's house." 
 
 Moll grinned from ear to ear. 
 
 " Buckhurst ! Lord, my dear, perhaps I 
 was brought here at his orders." 
 
 The idea of Buckhurst abducting Orange 
 Moll was almost too much for Nell's gravity, 
 while Pepys chuckled audibly to his great mis- 
 fortune, for Moll instantly turned upon him 
 like a wild-cat. 
 
 "What are you snickering at, you moon- 
 faced loon?" she shrieked. Her temper was 
 none of the best, and she never sought to con- 
 trol the acerbity of her tongue. " Don't judge 
 all men by yourself! By my virtue there are 
 men who have better taste than to admire 
 skeletons with hatchet-faces like that Knipp 
 about whose petticoats you are always hanging ! 
 Oh, I know you, MasterPepys. I know you, 
 and "
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 105 
 
 "There, there, Moll," interposed Nell, sooth- 
 ingly. " Master Pepys meant no harm, I'll be 
 bound." 
 
 Moll allowed herself to be mollified. In her 
 weather-beaten heart there was a very soft spot 
 for the pretty actress, for many a kindness had 
 she received at Nelly's generous hands. After 
 her graduation from the ranks of the orange 
 girls, among whom, the prettiest and the blith- 
 est of all, she had stood in the front of the pit, 
 with her vine-leaved covered basket of fruit, 
 to the boards themselves, Nell never forgot her 
 old companions, but was ever ready to aid and 
 encourage them with kind words and to lavish 
 upon them in time of sickness or need the 
 entire store of her purse. 
 
 "We are both in the same boat, Moll," she 
 said when the orange woman's sudden burst of 
 temper was allayed. " I was brought here 
 against my will, too." 
 
 " What in the world can he want of both of 
 us?" ejaculated Moll. "But never fear, my 
 pretty, I am here, and I can defend us both." 
 
 And indeed, with her strapping figure and 
 muscular arms, she probably could have done 
 so on an emergency. 
 
 As Nell, giving up the effort to solve the mys- 
 tery of Moll's appearance, gazed at her ugly 
 countenance, a sudden thought came to her
 
 106 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 which caused her bright eyes to dance and the 
 dimples to come and go in her rosy cheeks. 
 
 "Oh, Moll," she exclaimed, enthusiastically, 
 " I have such an idea, oh, such a capital idea ! 
 Will you do me a favor? Dear Moll, will 
 you?" 
 
 "Bless the child's innocent heart," was the 
 fervid response, "of course I will. Can Nell 
 Gwynne ask anything of Orange Moll that 
 Orange Moll won't do ! What is it, my dear ? 
 Some trick, I'll be bound ! " 
 
 "Yes, but there is no time to be lost. Tar- 
 quin I mean my lord Buckhurst may be 
 back at any moment." 
 
 As she spoke she snatched up her cloak from 
 where it had fallen on the floor and draped it 
 over an arm chair with a high, carved back. 
 
 " Now, sit down here and put on your mask." 
 She hustled Moll into the chair and handed her 
 the vizard. 
 
 " There he is ! I hear him outside. Now, 
 never mind what he says, don't speak a word. 
 I will do all the talking." 
 
 And she slipped behind the chair where the 
 folds of the cloak concealed her slender figure, 
 but where, through the interstices of the carv- 
 ing, she could see everything. 
 
 When Buckhurst returned, after satisfying 
 with glib promises the demands of his creditors,
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 107 
 
 he found Nell, as he supposed, masked and 
 mantled, seated near the fire, while Pepys, with 
 a look of bewilderment on his round face, was 
 standing on the other side of the fireplace. 
 
 " Sulking again," he thought. "Hang her! 
 She's never alike two minutes at a time." 
 
 And indeed she never was. Like Cleopatra, 
 she was a woman of infinite variety, and per- 
 haps that was the chief of her many charms. 
 
 "Why, Nelly," said Buckhurst, approaching 
 the big chair, "what is the matter? Is this 
 another of your jokes ? " 
 
 "No, Harry," murmured a faint voice, "I 
 am cold. I am ill." 
 
 "Cold? 111? Let me give you a glass of 
 wine. It will do you good." 
 
 The head nodded, rather energetically for a 
 sick girl. 
 
 Buckhurst poured out a glass of claret and 
 handed it to her. She raised it to her lips and 
 drained it at a gulp. 
 
 " More ! " 
 
 Again the operation was repeated. 
 
 "Does that revive you?" asked Buckhurst, 
 tenderly. 
 
 "Yes, I think it does. I'll take another." 
 
 This somewhat staggered Buckhurst, for Nell 
 was well known to be exceedingly abstemious. 
 However, he complied with her request, and
 
 108 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 then, drawing up a chair, sat down beside her 
 and attempted to take her hand. She repulsed 
 him, however, somewhat roughly, keeping her 
 hands obstinately hidden in the folds of her 
 cloak. 
 
 "Nelly," he murmured, in his most persua- 
 sive accents, "remove your mask and let me 
 bask in the light of your loveliness." 
 
 "What a beautiful ring on your finger," was 
 the totally irrelevant response. 
 
 "A mere nothing a mere nothing. Now, 
 Nelly " 
 
 'I never did see so pretty a ring," persisted 
 his enchantress. 
 
 He drew it off his finger. 
 
 " If you admire it so much, it should be 
 yours. What will you give me for it, Nelly?" 
 
 " A kiss," shyly. 
 
 "The ring is yours," slipping it into her 
 hand. "Now, for my payment." 
 
 In an instant he was half strangled in a vig- 
 orous embrace, and a resounding smack was 
 imprinted upon his lips. 
 
 As he succeeded in freeing himself, a ringing 
 peal of laughter made music in the room, and 
 to his utter astonishment Nell's merry face ap- 
 peared above the back of the chair. 
 
 Durnfounded, he glanced from Nell to the
 
 PRETTY, MAD NELLY. 109 
 
 still masked figure, and from the latter back to 
 Nell again. 
 
 " Now what the foul fiend is all this?" he 
 magged to vociferate at last. " In the devil's 
 name, what witch is this ? " 
 
 "No witch at all," retorted a shrill, rasping 
 voice. And the mask was removed, revealing 
 to his horrified gaze a rubicund countenance 
 grinning from ear to ear. 
 
 Buckhurst involuntarily started back. 
 
 " That hag of the pit, Orange Moll ! " 
 
 Hag ! Moll was about to make some furious 
 retort, but Nell, laying her hand upon her arm, 
 checked her. 
 
 "Nay, Moll," she said, "you can afford to 
 forgive him, after the beautiful present he has 
 made you. Indeed, my lord Buckhurst, what a 
 terrible man you must be, to abduct two women 
 on the same night." 
 
 "Pshaw!" said Buckhurst, sulkily. "It is 
 a wretched jest of those rascals, Etherege and 
 Ogle. I was afraid to trust them and paid 
 others to do the business." 
 
 " Paid ? Ah, w.ell, we'll say no more of that. 
 But don't expect me to believe any such cock- 
 and-bull story. You always did have a weak- 
 ness for the orange girls, you know." 
 
 Nell " 
 
 < 'Oh, yes, you did; you know you did. Why
 
 110 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 what was that rodomontade you wrote of me, 
 when I cried my wares with the others ? Let me 
 see, how did it go ? Um um oh, yes 
 
 The orange-basket her fair arm did suit, 
 Laden with pippins and Hesperian fruit ; 
 This first step raised, to wond'ring pit she sold 
 The lovely fruit smiling with streaks of gold. 
 
 I forget the rest of it. I thought it vastly pretty 
 at the time. But," as if seized with a sudden 
 suspicion, "gad's my life, I believe that it was 
 Moll it was adjiressed to, after all." 
 
 "Oh, cease your nonsense, Nell, and let's to 
 supper." 
 
 Nell turned to Moll, who was busily examin- 
 ing the ring and mentally appraising the value 
 of it. 
 
 " Do you hear? " she cried, gaily. " Mistress 
 Mary Dobson, my lord Buckhurst invites you to 
 supper." 
 
 Buckhurst made a grimace and remarked 
 ironically : 
 
 " Mr. Pepys, can you tell me who is the mas- 
 ter of this house? " 
 
 "Why, I am, to be sure," interposed Nell. 
 "But stay," solemnly, "are you certain that 
 the supper is settled for?" 
 
 "Well, if it isn't," replied Buckhurst, laugh- 
 ing despite himself, " I assure you the cost of 
 it won't come out of your pocket."
 
 PRETTY,, ;<IAD KELLY.' Ill 
 
 " All's well, then! To table, good friends, to 
 table ! " 
 
 In spite of the incongruous elements of which 
 the company was composed, the entertainment 
 must have been a success, for Mr. Pepys chron- 
 icled in his diary that night : 
 
 To my lord Buckhurst's. A most excellent 
 supper and a very merry company. Nell pret- 
 tier and livelier than ever. Lord, what a whim- 
 sical creature it is! Did enjoy myself most 
 hugely.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 
 
 PERHAPS the most unhappy woman in all 
 England was she who was its queen. 
 
 Catharine of Braganza had been reared in a 
 Portuguese convent, had seen almost nothing of 
 the world when she came to London as Charles' 
 bride, and was not accustomed to the free con- 
 versation and licentious manners that prevailed 
 at the court of her husband. Much that she saw 
 and heard disgusted and terrified her. She re- 
 ally loved Charles, but she had never been able 
 to obtain the least particle of his affections, 
 freely bestowed as they were in other directions. 
 Her lack of beauty was undoubtedly the chief 
 cause of this failure, for, although she possessed 
 a pair of very fine eyes and an agreeable smile, 
 her figure was ungainly, her complexion was 
 muddy, and she had a bad, uneven set of teeth. 
 
 She was a woman of much cultivation, how- 
 ever, and excellent sense, and she used all her 
 endeavors to please the king, being particularly 
 attentive in promoting every sort of amusement 
 
 113
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 113 
 
 and pleasure at which she could be present her- 
 self. But her efforts were all of no avail; she 
 could not turn the king from his profligate 
 courses. Charles was always courteous to her 
 and exacted from all the respect which was due 
 to her position, but he openly neglected her for 
 such women as the newly-created peeresses, the 
 Duchess of Cleveland and the Countess of Castle- 
 maine, who had little but their beauty to rec- 
 ommend them. 
 
 Since the departure of the attendants she had 
 brought from Portugal, whom she had been ob- 
 liged to send away on account of the dislike 
 taken to them by Charles, who denominated 
 them " those Portuguese frights who call them- 
 selves maids of honor," the poor queen had been 
 painfully lonely. The only woman in whose so- 
 ciety she found any pleasure and in whom she 
 could confide was Lady Frances Stuart, who was 
 superior to the indelicacy of the court, and re- 
 frained from the outspoken language of the age 
 when young women, even of the higher classes, 
 conversed without circumspection or modesty. 
 
 Let us look in upon the queen's withdra wing- 
 room the morning affer the king's public recep- 
 tion. It was a beautiful room, furnished with 
 taste and luxury, for Charles was lavish in pro- 
 viding everything that could contribute to his 
 
 neglected wife's physical comfort, 
 s
 
 114 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 It was the hour of the king's visit, for each 
 morning he scrupulously devoted a certain por- 
 tion of his time to his wife, a visit which, when 
 out of her hearing he called doing penance, but 
 which the poor queen looked forward to as the 
 one bright spot of her day. 
 
 On this particular morning there were present 
 besides the king and queen, Winifred Price and 
 Mary Jennings, two newly-appointed and very 
 pretty maids of honor; Lady Sanderson, the 
 "mother" of the maids; Lady Frances Stuart, 
 and James, Duke of York, the king's brother. 
 No two brothers were ever more widely different 
 in feature and character than Charles and James 
 Stuart. The latter was ugly in person, arbi- 
 trary, obstinate and mean in disposition, and 
 with none of that charm of manner which dis- 
 tinguished his brother. Moreover, he was much 
 Charles' inferior in natural ability. His witty 
 and graceless grace of Buckingham was net far 
 wrong when he declared that the difference be- 
 tween them was that "the king could see things 
 if he would and the duke would see things if 
 he could." 
 
 York was a thorn in. Charles' flesh at all 
 times, and this morning he had been particu- 
 larly disagreeable, having had the bad taste to 
 lecture the king on the irregularity of his con- 
 duct in the presence of the queen, who sat si-
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 115 
 
 lently by, turning alternately white and red at 
 her brother-in-law's strictures. For this, how- 
 ever, Charles cared but little, for he made slight 
 attempt to conceal from the queen his misdo- 
 ings, but he was annoyed at his brother's 
 preachy interference. 
 
 " Odds fish, man," he exclaimed at last, im- 
 patiently, "the matter is not worth all this to- 
 do. I love a pretty face, yes, and," with a 
 twinkle in his eye, " that is more than can be 
 said for yourself. You are a Catholic, and by 
 Heaven, I believe your favorites are given you 
 as penance for your sins." 
 
 The maids of honor laughed aloud at this, for 
 Lady Bagot and the other ladies, whose society 
 the duke affected, were notoriously ugly. 
 
 York scowled. To a man of his serious dis- 
 position Charles' levity was particularly rasp- 
 ing. 
 
 "And that is not all," he said, gruffly, "your 
 majesty's escapades with Rochester, Bucking- 
 ham and their ilk are unseemly, nay, worse, in 
 you a crime." 
 
 " Since when was my brother my keeper to 
 bait me as he would a bear?" replied Charles, 
 with outwardly imperturbable good humor, "jtf* 
 crime ! tush, your grace, Heaven will not damn 
 a man for a little irregular pleasure." 
 
 "May Heaven forgive the blasphemy I" re-
 
 116 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 sponded the duke with pious fervor ; " but it 
 was not of the future world I was thinking, but 
 of this. The freedom with which you allow 
 your person to be approached by persons of all 
 conditions is dangerous to your life." 
 
 A smile flitted across the face of the king. 
 
 "No kind of danger, James," he replied, sly- 
 ly, " for I am sure no man will take away my 
 life to make you king." 
 
 At this thrust, even the queen could not re- 
 press a laugh, and, under cover of the merri- 
 ment, Charles crossed the room to where Lady 
 Frances Stuart was standing alone near the fire- 
 place. More than usually lovely did she look 
 this morning. Her robe of blue and silver bro- 
 cade, worn with an elegance gained by a long 
 residence in Paris and which was in striking 
 contrast to the slatternly carelessness displayed 
 by some of the ladies of quality, was peculiarly 
 becoming to her fair beauty. 
 
 " Is Britannia still obdurate? " asked Charles, 
 in a low tone, and fixing upon her a gaze full 
 of intense admiration. " Will she never grant 
 her king a moment in private ? " 
 
 "Her king has a right to command his sub- 
 ject and his cousin," replied Lady Frances, 
 calmly, although the rose in her cheek deep- 
 ened just a trifle. 
 
 The term " cousin " was not misapplied, for
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 117 
 
 Lady Frances was descended from the same 
 stock as royalty itself. 
 
 "Then you consent?" whispered Charles, 
 eagerly. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "After your majesty's departure, the queen 
 attends private mass. I will make some excuse 
 and remain here." 
 
 "I will depart at once then." 
 
 And suiting the action to the word, he re- 
 turned to the queen and took leave of her, with 
 a few pleasant, careless words, which meant 
 nothing but which set poor Catharine's heart 
 fluttering again with that hope which nothing 
 could entirely down. 
 
 After the king and the duke had gone, the 
 queen dismissed her ladies, all save Frances. 
 
 "My Frances," she cried when they were 
 alone, her eyes still aglow from the king's last 
 words, "My Frances, you, who are my only 
 friend since they banished my poor Portuguese, 
 let me talk to you. He was more affectionate 
 to-day than usual, was he not ? He may learn 
 to love me yet." 
 
 The wistful tone in which this was said went 
 straight to Frances' heart. 
 
 "Your majesty is so good," she said, eva- 
 sively ; " who could fail to love you ? "
 
 118 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " Ah, even were I good, goodness is not al- 
 ways potent over men's hearts. Oh, Frances, 
 teach me how to win his. I love him so, and I 
 know not how to make him love me." 
 
 Lady Frances scarcely knew what to answer. 
 She was convinced that the king's affections 
 would never be bestowed on her who should 
 have possessed them by right, but she could not 
 wound her gentle mistress by betraying her be- 
 lief. 
 
 " Time works wonders," she answered after a 
 pause. " Who can tell what the future may 
 have in store? And for the present, dear 
 madam, you have the king's respect, which 
 which those others have not." 
 
 The queen shook her head sadly. 
 
 " Respect is cold. I fain would have some- 
 thing warmer." 
 
 There was a moment's silence, and then Cath- 
 arine continued, timidly : 
 
 " Frances, I am cooped up here, weary. I 
 long for some amusement. Vauxhall, Spring 
 Oardens why should we not go there ? " 
 
 " We, your majesty ! " exclaimed Lady Fran- 
 ces in startled surprise. 
 
 "Yes, why not? Jennings and Price are 
 wild to go, and they have but little amusement 
 here." She paused and then continued almost
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 
 
 piteously: "Nay, I cannot play a part with 
 you, Frances. I myself long to go." 
 
 "You!" ejaculated Frances, more and more 
 astonished. 
 
 "Yes, I! some night when Charles is to be 
 at one of those places." 
 
 < But why, your majesty? " 
 
 The queen flushed and hesitated. 
 
 " Because," she faltered, " I would be a wit- 
 ness of what pleases him best. I would learn 
 what those amusements are which he affects. I 
 would see something real, be it what it may. At 
 the court I learn nothing." 
 
 Frances knelt down by the neglected wife's 
 side and took one of her hands in both her own. 
 
 " Dear madam," she began, earnestly but 
 affectionately, "may I speak my true mind to 
 you?" 
 
 "Oh, do, do!" cried the queen fervidly, re- 
 turning the warm pressure of the girl. "It is so 
 rare for me to hear the truth." 
 
 " No man's love that deserves the name was 
 ever won by woman's stooping. She that hopes 
 to win it must be man's superior. Oh, dear lady 
 and mistress, pray for him you love ; suffer for 
 him, die for him if need be ; but, never to win 
 return of his affection, descend from your dig- 
 nity of queen, your higher dignity of woman."
 
 120 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 Catharine made no reply, but she leaned over 
 and kissed Frances upon the forehead. 
 
 As she did so the faint reverberation of the 
 chapel bell fell upon her ear, and she rose hastily 
 to her feet, crossing herself as she did so. 
 
 *' May the Virgin and all the saints forgive 
 me ! " she murmured. " I have forgotten God 
 of soul for God of heart. Come, Frances." 
 
 " I pray your majesty to excuse me this morn- 
 ing ; I have a slight migraine." 
 
 "Oh, and I have been worrying you. For- 
 give me, dear child. Oh, my Frances, what 
 -should I do without you?" 
 
 She kissed the girl once again, and then hur- 
 ried away to her devotions. 
 
 Left alone, Frances' mind reverted to her 
 own troubles. The unwelcome attentions of 
 the king had become unbearable to her, and she 
 had determined, once for all, to put an end to 
 them. It was for that reason that she had con- 
 sented to see him alone, and for one other also, 
 to induce him to make amends for the unde- 
 served treatment he had accorded to the Duke 
 of Richmond. 
 
 She was roused from her meditations by the 
 cautious opening of the door, and looking up 
 she saw the smiling face of the king. She rose 
 at once and bent low in a profound obeisance. 
 
 ''Nay, Lady Frances," he protested, "no
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. *121 
 
 homage, I pray. In your presence Charles 
 would forget the king." 
 
 " Not as he did yesterday, I hope." 
 
 "What mean you? Ohl that salt-water 
 swab ! " 
 
 "Pardon me, your majesty, a noble gentle- 
 man and a faithful servant." 
 
 Charles made an impatient movement. 
 
 " I did not come here to speak of him." 
 
 "I refuse to speak on other subjects, your 
 majesty, until that matter is settled." 
 
 "So! so!" ejaculated the king, with some 
 anger. " What is this fellow to you that you 
 take such an interest in him?" 
 
 "Nothing, your majesty," replied Lady Fran- 
 ces, unflinchingly telling the lie, when to speak 
 the truth meant ruin to her lover. "But, as I 
 was the unwilling cause of his ill-treatment, I 
 would be the one to repair it." 
 
 " Ill-treatment ! What the plague did the 
 man mean by thrusting his frowsy flag in my 
 face when I would have been alone with you ? 
 But that is nothing beside your frowns. Do 
 but smile and I will perform any penance you 
 choose to impose." 
 
 "You will?" and there could be no com- 
 plaint of the lack of smiling brightness in her 
 face now. 
 
 <" Then, repair the injury you have done to
 
 122 FELL G WYNNE. 
 
 the Duke of Richmond," she demanded, with a 
 lightness and gaiety which did much to disarm 
 any suspicion that the king might have had 
 that it was a matter of personal moment to her. 
 
 But how ? " 
 
 " Grant him an audience forthwith before the 
 court with such honor as his name and gallant 
 deeds deserve." 
 
 This was a hard pill for Charles to swallow, 
 but with a grimace he forced it down. 
 
 " Needs must, I suppose, when the beauty of 
 Britannia drives," he said, and rang a silver 
 bell which stood upon the table. The page in 
 waiting in the corridor at once appeared. 
 
 " Go to his Grace of Richmond's mansion. It 
 is close by. Do you know where it is? " 
 
 "Yes, sire." 
 
 " Say to him that we grant him an audience 
 in half an hour." 
 
 "Sooner," whispered Lady Frances, impelled 
 by a twofold reason to expedite the repara- 
 tion due to Richmond and to cut as short as 
 possible the interview with the king. 
 
 "Plague take it!" muttered Charles. "la 
 half an hour," aloud to the page. 
 
 "And now," when the boy had departed on 
 his errand, "let the magnanimity of King 
 Charles the Second plead for the gracelessnesa
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 123 
 
 of that sad rogue, Charles Stuart, your most lov- 
 ing cousin." 
 
 This was said in his most winning manner, 
 but it had no effect upon his companion, who 
 answered him quietly : 
 
 "Ever my most gracious sovereign." 
 
 " Odds fish 1 " broke out Charles, impetu- 
 ously, "why will you be eternally thrusting 
 that accursed crown in my face?" Then ap- 
 proaching close to her side he continued with a 
 passion which fairly startled her : " Here is no 
 king, I tell you, but a man a loving and some- 
 what hot-blooded man." 
 
 Here was the opportunity she desired, and 
 instantly recovering herself, she grasped it like 
 the brave-hearted woman she was. 
 
 Looking the king full in the face she replied 
 calmly and distinctly, each word falling from 
 her lips as clear-cut as crystal : 
 
 " And here is a woman, an unprotected, or- 
 phaned woman. If your kingly crown restrain 
 you not, let her crown of maidenhood make her 
 sacred." 
 
 Involuntarily the king drew back, awed by 
 the purity of her face and the dignity of her 
 bearing. But he was not a man to be repulsed 
 so easily. He was at last alone with the woman 
 who had entirely captured his royal fancy, and 
 he was determined to make the most of it.
 
 124 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 "Pshaw!" he said, with a gleam in his eyes 
 that despite all her control made Frances Stuart 
 shiver, "away with all royalty, save that of 
 King Cupid, whose vassals we both are, the only 
 king who knows no law but choice, no will but 
 his own." 
 
 "Your majesty's love-canons and mine are 
 strangely different," said Lady Frances with a 
 sarcasm so quiet as to be scarcely apparent, 
 even to the king's quick wits. 
 
 " Let me teach you mine," he cried, eagerly. 
 
 Lady Frances drew herself up in all the pride 
 of her outraged womanhood. 
 
 "Nay, sire, why look for more pupils?" and 
 the irony now was plainly apparent. " Surely 
 you have enough already, and you would find 
 me as dull as you have found them apt." 
 
 "You do yourself wrong. Do not compare 
 yourself with those beings whose very names 
 poison the air you breathe. I am not the dull 
 fool you perchance think me. If I have been 
 their slave, I have never been their dupe. No, 
 it is not the king sated with many conquests 
 who now pleads before you, but the man who 
 for the first time loves with the passion which 
 purifies like fire." 
 
 As he spoke, his face became transfigured 
 and his tone had the ring of truth. He thor- 
 oughly believed for the moment what he said ;
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 125 
 
 and indeed, perhaps Frances Stuart did inspire 
 in Charles the Second the nearest approach to a 
 genuine, pure love that that monarch of many 
 amours ever experienced. 
 
 The lady herself was inwardly deeply agi- 
 tated, but she was more than ever determined 
 to put an end to what was causing her such 
 pain and discomfort. 
 
 " If I could believe this, sire," she began, hes- 
 itatingly. 
 
 " You would love me," cried the king ar- 
 dently. 
 
 " No ! " firmly and scornfully. " I would 
 never see you again ! " 
 
 There was no mistaking the sincerity of this 
 response, which was like a dash of cold water 
 upon the kindled hopes of the king. He was 
 not accustomed to be treated in this manner, 
 and the resistance with which he met served 
 but to increase his passion the more. Carried 
 away by his feelings he flung himself at her 
 feet. 
 
 <' Oh, Frances Stuart," he murmured in gen- 
 uine distress, "have you no pity on the most 
 unhappy man in England ! " 
 
 Frances started back. This was horrible. 
 
 " For heaven's sake rise, sire," she exclaimed 
 in a fever of anxiety and alarm. " If any one 
 should see you in this posture! Rise, I sayl"
 
 126 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 Slowly 4he king obeyed. The ardor died out 
 of his face and was replaced by an expression 
 of sullenness. 
 
 "Your majesty must remember whom I 
 serve," continued Frances, with a pleading 
 earnestness, "your wife, your wronged, un- 
 happy wife, whose heart is crying for your love 
 and whom alone you can love without shame to 
 yourself." 
 
 " Lady Frances Stuart, you forget yourself," 
 replied Charles, harshly, his anger rapidly ris- 
 ing. " I did not come here to hear a sermon. 
 Pah ! I know your sex. I can read this cold- 
 ness. It is not that you cannot love, but that 
 you love another." 
 
 Lady Frances started, and for a moment her 
 composure forsook her. 
 
 "Your majesty," she faltered in confusion. 
 
 "But let him beware!" interposed Charles, 
 furiously. "Let him not cross my path. Let 
 him who comes between you and me look to 
 himself. The king brooks no rival with Fran- 
 ces Stuart." 
 
 As these arrogant words fell upon her ear, 
 Lady Frances' whole demeanor was trans- 
 formed as if by magic. All the pride of her 
 royal blood flamed through her veins. Superb 
 in her fierce indignation, with glowing cheeks 
 and flashing eyes, she turned upon her king as
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 127 
 
 if she had been an insulted empress and he the 
 humblest of her vassals. Reckless of all conse- 
 quences, she cried impetuously and defiantly : 
 
 " Even did I love another, you could hardly 
 deny me the right to love one, you who love so 
 many ! The man whom Frances Stuart loves 
 will brave even Charles Stuart's anger!" 
 
 This sudden outburst had the effect of calm- 
 ing Charles. It was with no fury, but with icy 
 determination that he answered : 
 
 " 'Tis well. Whoever he is let him take heed 
 to his footing. They all plot against their king, 
 and their king, poor fo.ol, laughs and forgives 
 them. But for this one, let his foot trip, and 
 his head shall answer for it ! Aye, his head, 
 madam, though half the nation mourn about 
 his scaffold!" 
 
 There was a loud slam of the door, and Fran- 
 ces was alone, the threatening words ringing 
 dully in her ears like the clods of earth upon a 
 coffin-lid. All her imperiousness, all her bra- 
 vado was gone. Danger ! Danger to the man 
 she loved, and through her folly ! White, weak 
 and trembling she sank into a chair. What 
 was to be done ? Useless to appeal to the king's 
 generosity. In this case she knew full well 
 that the easy-going monarch would be as un- 
 yielding as steel. Why, oh, why had she been 
 given this fatal beauty to thus attract the
 
 128 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 king's caprice? And that other Charles, Rich- 
 mond, whom she loved with every fibre of her 
 being, with a first, last eternal love, and who 
 had so cruelly doubted her. And yet he would 
 doubt her even more in the future, lose all faith 
 in her, perhaps believe the worst of her. For, 
 there was but one thing to be done now she 
 must as jealously hide her love as she had once 
 thought proudly to avow it. Her love should 
 not destroy him, but save him. Ah ! cruel king, 
 his foot shall not slip 1 Frances Stuart will see 
 to that. It is woman's wit against man's cru- 
 elty, and woman's wit shall triumph in the end ! 
 
 She glanced up proudly, and there before her 
 stood the very man of whom her heart was full. 
 
 Instead of showing Richmond to the king's 
 closet the page had made a mistake and brought 
 him to the queen's apartments. He had entered 
 so quietly and Lady Frances had been so ab- 
 sorbed in her thoughts that she had not heard 
 him. 
 
 " Richmond," she murmured, faintly. 
 
 "Yes, Richmond," he replied, with cold re- 
 pression. " I scarce expected to find your lady- 
 ship here. I was told that his majesty had 
 deigned to grant me an audience, and the page 
 has even now gone to announce my presence." 
 
 As he spoke he was thinking: "The king 
 has been here. That flush upon her cheek may
 
 LOVE,S DESPERATE GAME. 129 
 
 be due to his caresses," and the very thought 
 fired his brain with a sensation akin to madness. 
 
 " It was at my request," said Lady Frances, 
 gently, "that his majesty has promised to re- 
 pair the the seeming slight he put upon you." 
 
 The blood mounted redly to Richmond's fore- 
 head and his grasp tightened to a vise-like grip 
 upon the battle flag he carried. 
 
 " At your request ! " he exclaimed, hoarsely 
 and with exceeding bitterness. "And I must 
 stoop to take honor from the hand that may but 
 now have pressed yours with passion. But that 
 he is my king " and he laid his hand threat- 
 eningly upon his sword-hilt. 
 
 Lady Frances started to her feet and grasped 
 his arm in an agony of entreaty. 
 
 " Richmond ! For the love of heaven be more 
 temperate ! Be master of yourself ! You shall 
 know all. It is true. The king has but a few 
 moments since urged his suit to me, and " 
 
 He roughly shook off her hand, and inter- 
 rupted with hot scorn : 
 
 "The confession comes somewhat late, my 
 lady. Thanks to the gossip with which the 
 court is ringing, I know all without your kind 
 offices. Pray, spare your lips and my ears the 
 recital of your shame." 
 
 A fierce thrill of indignation leapt up in her 
 
 aching heart, only to be immediately and stern- 
 G
 
 130 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 ly repressed. This was no time for resentment. 
 Matters were in too critical a condition for that. 
 Let him think of her as he would, hate her if 
 he chose ; so he would be safe until she dared 
 to reveal the truth. For the present it would 
 be words wasted to attempt to convince him of 
 the foul injustice of his suspicions. 
 
 "Richmond," she began, forcing herself to 
 be calm, "will you grant me one request? 
 Meet me this evening in the queen's gallery. I 
 have that to say to you which you must hear, 
 both for your safety and my honor." 
 
 For a moment he was silent, half tempted to 
 agree to hear her ; but it was only for a moment, 
 and then his miserable doubts, which were fast 
 assuming certainty in his mind, swept away all 
 other considerations, and he replied coldly : 
 
 " It is uncourteous perhaps to refuse the re- 
 quest of so fair and favored a lady, but what 
 you do me the honor to propose to me is impos- 
 sible." 
 
 " Impossible ! You decline me an interview, 
 then ?" 
 
 " I regret to be obliged to do so. But, my 
 flag and letters delivered, I return this evening 
 to the fleet." 
 
 " To the fleet ! To-night ! " 
 
 "Yes. The Dutch still hold the sea. We 
 can scarce fail to meet them ere long. And,"
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 131 
 
 with a mixture of stern determination and hope- 
 less despair, "it will go hard with me if I can- 
 not find a friendly bullet and a sailor's honor- 
 able grave. It is all I have to hope for now." 
 
 As he spoke, he turned his back upon her, 
 and walked away to the fire-place. 
 
 Frances grew white to the very lips and she 
 stretched out her arms toward him in agoniz- 
 ing supplication. But before she could speak 
 there fell upon her ears the announcement : 
 
 " His majesty, the king ! " 
 
 Ah ! The time had come. Away with all 
 weakness ! Her woman's wit must now come 
 to the rescue, and at all costs save the man she 
 loved. Yes, save him she must and would ! No 
 matter what the consequences might be, she 
 would prevent his throwing away his life and 
 with it hers that hung upon it. 
 
 The king hurriedly entered the room, accom- 
 panied by the Duke of York, Lord Shaftesbury 
 and Samuel Pepys, whom, as representatives of 
 the Admiralty, he had commanded to be present 
 at the audience with Richmond. 
 
 As Charles saw who the occupants of the 
 room were, Lady Frances' defiant words re- 
 turned to him. Was this sailor duke the man 
 she loved? Consumed with jealousy, he de- 
 termined to discover this if possible.
 
 132 NELL G WYNNE, 
 
 With a courteous enough salutation to Rich- 
 mond, he said to Frances : 
 
 " Lady Frances, a word with you," and draw- 
 ing her a little aside, he demanded abruptly: 
 "You pleaded with me for this duke; what did 
 it mean? " 
 
 Oh ! the strength of woman, when there is 
 question of him whom she loves ! Man, the so- 
 called lord of creation, can never hope to ap- 
 proach it. With consummate self-possession, 
 without a quiver of a feature or a tremor of the 
 voice, Lady Frances answered : 
 
 "And because I asked for simple justice, your 
 majesty infers that he may be the rival you~ 
 threatened so soundly." 
 
 " Beware ! 'tis ill to jest on some subjects." 
 
 She smiled up in his face in the most guileless 
 manner in the world. 
 
 " Nay, if your majesty is determined to sus- 
 pect all I ask favors for, your hands will be 
 full; for I have another suit to proffer." 
 
 "Command me, but not for this Richmond." 
 
 " On the contrary, my suit will be apt to of- 
 fend his grace of Richmond," replied Frances, 
 still smiling. 
 
 "*Tis granted, then," with a glance at Rich- 
 mond, who stood moodily apart, this whispered 
 conversation of Lady Frances with the king
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 133 
 
 being to his fevered imagination but another 
 confirmation of what he feared. 
 
 That others also drew their conclusions was 
 evident from the significant glances exchanged 
 between Shaftesbury and the Duke of York. 
 
 "Then, this is my suit," continued Frances, 
 "that your majesty take the Duke of Rich- 
 mond's command and give it " 
 
 "To whom?" 
 
 " To my lord Buckhurst." 
 
 Charles gave a quick glance into the fair, 
 calm face before him, and then breathed a sigh 
 of relief. So Richmond was not the man after 
 all ! Buckhurst ? But a moment's reflection con- 
 vinced him that this idea was absurd. Buck- 
 hurst was rarely at court, and, moreover, he was 
 not the man to take captive the fancy of such a 
 woman as La Belle Stuart. Well, so long as it 
 was not Richmond, that was enough for the 
 present. Besides, to send Buckhurst from Lon- 
 don was by no means disagreeable. His lord- 
 ship had been altogether too hot after pretty 
 Nelly, and it might be well to be rid of him. 
 
 "Your suit is granted," he said aloud. "At 
 Britannia's request, my lord Buckhurst shall 
 have the command." 
 
 " Master Pepys ! " 
 
 " Your majesty ! "
 
 134 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "What is the name of the Duke of Rich- 
 mond's ship?" 
 
 " The Rupert, sire," replied Pepys, thanking 
 his lucky stars that he happened to know, and 
 so the king had not caught him napping. 
 
 Charles turned toward the waiting duke. 
 
 " Now, my lord of Richmond." 
 
 Richmond advanced and, kneeling, laid the 
 flag and a bundle of papers at the king's feet. 
 
 "I am charged to present to your majesty 
 these letters from Sir Edward Spragge, contain- 
 ing an account of the last sea-fight; and this 
 flag, the trophy of the victory that has at- 
 tended your majesty's arms." 
 
 "'Tis well," returned the king, graciously. 
 " Sir Edward has selected a worthy messenger." 
 
 "And, this duty done, I crave your majesty's 
 permission to return to the fleet." 
 
 "Not so. We cannot risk all our dukes in 
 the struggle with these knavish Mynheers. We 
 would have your grace near our person." 
 
 "But, sire," protested Richmond, in astonish- 
 ment, " it is my dearest wish to serve your maj- 
 esty and defend my country at sea." 
 
 " And our good pleasure is to keep you for 
 use on shore. Your command is filled up." 
 
 At this abrupt and unexpected declaration, 
 Richmond turned scarlet with resentment and 
 indignation. Lady Frances' heart ached with
 
 LOVE'S DESPERATE GAME. 135 
 
 pity for him, but even had she had any desire to 
 undo what she herself had brought about it 
 was too late now. 
 
 Richmond rose slowly to his feet, and in a 
 voice choked with emotion, repeated : 
 
 " My command filled up ! Who has prevail- 
 ed upon your majesty to put this shame upon 
 me?" 
 
 The king was silent for a moment before 
 replying. It had suddenly occurred to him 
 that this might be a woman's cunning to avert 
 suspicion from Richmond. He determined to 
 watch them both. 
 
 " Your ship is wanted by a fair lady, and un- 
 der such conditions, I am sure that your grace 
 is too gallant to regret the sacrifice." 
 
 "May I ask the fair lady's name?" ejacu- 
 lated the duke with difficulty. 
 
 " Lady Frances Stuart, here. She has asked 
 the command of the Rupert to give it to Lord 
 Buckhurst." 
 
 As the king spoke, he was watching Lady 
 Frances narrowly, but not a muscle of the fair 
 countenance changed; it was as peaceful and 
 smiling as a May morning. Not so with the 
 duke, however. His brow grew black as night, 
 and upon his lips there trembled a furious mal- 
 ediction, which was with difficulty repressed.
 
 136 NELL 
 
 Charles was satisfied ; there was no collusion 
 here. 
 
 "Mr. Pepys," he said, "see that my lord 
 Buckhurst's commission is made out for the Ru- 
 pert. And now," he continued, in a sprightly 
 tone, "who's for the playhouse? It is already 
 after four. Fair Lady Frances, will you honor 
 my servants with your presence ? " 
 
 "With pleasure, your majesty," replied Lady 
 Frances, determined to play out her part to the 
 end, although no one but herself would ever 
 know the tortures it caused her to do so. 
 
 " My Britannia, you see how I obey," mur- 
 mured the king, as he led her from the room. 
 " At your bidding I have affronted the proudest 
 nobleman in England." 
 
 "I thank your majesty," replied Frances, 
 forcing her lips to smile, while her heart lay in 
 her breast like a lump of lead. 
 
 In the queen's withdrawing-room Richmond 
 stood alone dazed, crushed, desperate at the 
 insult thus publicly proffered him at the insti- 
 gation of the woman he loved, the woman who 
 had professed to love him.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DETHRONE HIM ! 
 
 HOW Richmond found his way out of the 
 palace and into the open streets, he 
 never knew. He strode away aimlessly, heed- 
 less of those about him, neither knowing nor 
 caring where he went. Once or twice he was 
 accosted ; but he returned no answer to the sal- 
 utations. In fact, he did not hear them. 
 
 One man who was thus ignored, a man with 
 a thin, cadaverous face and hollow eyes, turned 
 and walked after him. 
 
 On went the duke, followed at a short dis- 
 tance by the other, now turning to the right, 
 now to the left, now straight ahead, until he 
 came to Covent Garden, with its noisy, ill-smell- 
 ing market. Here he seemed to recover him- 
 self, for he passed his hand over his eyes and 
 looked about him, like a man suddenly awaken- 
 ing from a deep slumber. 
 
 Just across the way was a coffee-house, bear- 
 ing the sign of "The Royal Oak," a most popu- 
 lar one at that time on account of the friendly 
 
 137
 
 138 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 branches that had once sheltered the king when 
 a fugitive. 
 
 Into this coffee-house Richmond turned. The 
 public room, with its clean-swept brick floor and 
 its monumental fire-place was deserted save for 
 half a dozen, young gallants, who were making 
 merry at the expense of a rural squire who had 
 come to town to see the sights ; at his expense 
 both figuratively and literally, for. while his 
 purse paid for the wine they were consuming, 
 they were making merry with insolent jests at 
 his countrified dress, manner and accent. 
 
 Richmond sat down at a table in the corner 
 furthest from the noisy roysterers and ordered 
 of the waiter a stoop of Burgundy. Like one 
 fevered with a thirst which would not be 
 quenched, he drank bowl after bowl of the 
 strong beverage, while, oblivious to all around 
 him, he sat absorbed in his bitter reflections. 
 Could he be the same man who so short a time 
 before had come to London full of enthusiastic 
 loyalty to his king and his heart beating high 
 with the anticipated joy of beholding once 
 again the face that was all the world to him? 
 Now the thought of his king stirred his blood 
 to madness, and the idol of his soul lay pros- 
 trate, dishonored in the dust. She was false, 
 worse than false, a creature to take her place 
 among the other shameless beauties of the
 
 DETHRONE HIM I 139 
 
 king's seraglio. She had struck him in the 
 face before them all, broken his sword, broken 
 his heart, but he would have revenge upon her, 
 aye, and upon that satyr king, whose look cor- 
 rupted a woman, whose touch turned her to 
 stone. 
 
 " Curse him!" he muttered aloud, striking 
 his hand upon the table so fiercely that the 
 wine before him overflowed its receptacle and 
 discolored the white boards with a stain red as 
 blood. " Curse him ! " 
 
 " Curse not at all ! " sounded in low, deep 
 accents. " Curse not at all ! To curse is a 
 sin." 
 
 Richmond started, and as he raised his eyes 
 for the first time, they met the penetrating gaze 
 of Major Wilding, who, unperceived by the 
 moody duke, had entered and seated himself 
 on the other side of the table. 
 
 " Major Wilding ! You here ! " 
 
 " I crave your pardon, your grace," said 
 Wilding, gravely, " for intruding upon your 
 privacy, but I have that to say which may not 
 be unpleasant to your ears." 
 
 "You must be a conjurer then," retorted 
 Richmond, bitterly. 
 
 Wilding flashed a quick glance at him and 
 then continued, quietly : 
 
 " I will not affect, your grace, to be ignorant
 
 140 NELL GWYSTNE., 
 
 of the unmerited misfortune which has over- 
 taken you." 
 
 "So, is it already common gossip?" 
 
 "Not yet, but public business called me to 
 Whitehall this afternoon, and there I heard 
 that your command had been taken from you 
 and given to my lord Buckhurst." 
 
 He did not add that, immediately on being 
 informed of this by Master Pepys' busy tongue, 
 he had hastened away to waylay the duke for 
 purposes of his own. 
 
 Ordinarily, Richmond would have disdained 
 to discuss his private affairs, but the bitterness 
 of his humiliation and the strength of the fiery 
 potations he had indulged in, and to which he 
 was unused, had unnerved him and rendered 
 him reckless. 
 
 " Is it known at whose instance this this 
 exchange was effected ?" he asked. 
 
 "At whose could it be but at hers whose 
 word is his majesty's law." 
 
 A fierce malediction burst from Richmond's 
 lips. 
 
 " Alas," proceeded Wilding, "our poor coun- 
 try is in a sad state. You have seen what the 
 court is." 
 
 "Yes," broke in Richmond, furiously, "I 
 have seen what it is ! God help me ! I have
 
 DETHRONE HIM ! 141 
 
 seen it ! Bankrupt alike in credit and decency ! 
 All corrupt ! All impure ! " 
 
 Wilding gave a quick glance about the room. 
 To all intents and purposes they were alone. 
 The gay party at the other end were too intent 
 upon their own enjoyment to note anything else. 
 
 " True ! Only too true ! " said Wilding, fixing 
 his eyes again upon Richmond's flushed, scowl- 
 ing face. "And can this infamy last? Ought 
 it to last ! " 
 
 "We are powerless." 
 
 " No, not powerless. Your grace, the people 
 are never powerless. And it is not alone the 
 corruption of the court we have to complain 
 of," he continued hurriedly, " the very ex- 
 istence of the nation is in danger. The Dutch 
 at Chatham, and yet a woman's smile takes the 
 command of a ship from a man who has been 
 a sailor from boyhood and gives it to a novice ! 
 Duke of Richmond, there was a time when the 
 flag of England was not insulted, when all 
 foreign powers trembled at the name of Eng- 
 land, when the virtue of English matrons was 
 a higher power than the looseness of French 
 wantons." 
 
 " Would that those times were come again ! " 
 
 "But," said Wilding, "in those days Eng- 
 land was not a monarchy, but a republic."
 
 142 NELL GWY]STNE. 
 
 "Still, I say, would that those times were 
 come again ! " reiterated Richmond, recklessly. 
 
 This was what his companion had been look- 
 ing for, the opportunity to draw the outraged 
 duke into his net. Wilding, although a fanatic, 
 was an honest one, which adjective could not 
 be applied to some of his fellow conspirators in 
 the plot in which he was engaged. His puri- 
 tanical soul revolted at the light behavior of* 
 king, and courtiers. Anything that savored of 
 Popery was to him the very incarnation of 
 Satan, and not only was the Duke of York an 
 avowed Papist, but the king himself was strong- 
 ly suspected of a leaning toward Rome. To Wild- 
 ing's mind the only way to rescue the land 
 from destruction was to expel the king (and, if 
 necessary, he would not have shrunk from even 
 stronger measures than expulsion) and to re- 
 store the commonwealth. As has already been 
 intimated, a plot was on foot to effect these 
 very things and Wilding was heart and soul in 
 the movement. His every effort was exerted 
 to obtain recruits to the cause, and it was with 
 this end in view that he had followed the duke, 
 whose name would be a tower of strength in 
 the contemplated uprising. 
 
 With eyes glittering with excitement, Wild- 
 ing leaned across the table closer to Richmond. 
 
 "My lord of Richmond," he said in low
 
 DETHRONE HIM ! 143 
 
 tense tones, "a few minutes ago I heard you 
 invoke curses on the man who has sought to 
 work your destruction. Again I say to you, 
 curse him not." 
 
 He paused and then, with the utmost intensi- 
 ty, hissed, rather than spoke, two words preg- 
 nant with meaning : 
 
 "Dethrone him!" 
 
 Richmond started violently. 
 
 "What mean you, Major Wilding? This is 
 treason." 
 
 " Treason ! Nay, it is loyalty 1 loyalty to our 
 country, to our homes, to the honor of our sons, 
 to the virtue of our daughters ! Duke of Rich- 
 mond, I know you to be an honorable gentle- 
 man, and to your ears I am about to intrust 
 a secret of no small moment to all true pa- 
 triots." 
 
 And before Richmond could protest, he pro- 
 ceeded with much ardor and eloquence to in- 
 form him of the plans of himself and his com- 
 panions. If, a week previous, any one had 
 dared to hint to Richmond that he would have 
 listened to words of disloyalty, to threats 
 against his sovereign, he would have stretched 
 the bold speaker senseless at his feet. But, 
 smarting as he was now under his unmerited 
 disgrace, tortured by the thought of his lady 
 love's shameful infidelity, he not only listened,
 
 144 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 but his heart bounded with fierce joy at the pos- 
 sible downfall of his royal rival. 
 
 "The feebler spirits are still led by titles," 
 concluded Wilding, almost certain from Rich- 
 mond's excited attention that he was theirs ; 
 "each known name brings us a thousand 
 meaner ones. My lord of Richmond, our holy 
 cause asks your support." 
 
 "I will think of it," replied Richmond, un- 
 steadily, draining the cup before him to the 
 dregs. 
 
 "Nay, my lord," urged Wilding, his deep- 
 set eyes flashing with excitement, "why delay ? 
 See ! " throwing back his coat and drawing 
 from an inside pocket a bundle of papers. " See ! 
 here are documents in duplicate signed by the 
 heads of our plot. The disaffection must break 
 out first in the fleet ; the fire is already smolder- 
 ing; it needs but a spark to burst into flame. 
 One of these copies I am to take to the fleet, 
 the other I leave with the Duke of Bucking- 
 ham ; thus we mutually bind ourselves." 
 
 "Buckingham!" exclaimed Richmond, in 
 blank amazement, that the king's closest com- 
 panion should have aught to do with such a 
 scheme. 
 
 Wilding's pale face flushed. The mention of 
 the duke's name had been a slip, but it was too
 
 DETHKONE HIM ! 145 
 
 late to rectify it, and now, more than ever, 
 must he have Richmond's name. 
 
 "My lord, there is a blank," he said eagerly, 
 " a blank left next to Buckingham. I would 
 fain see that blank filled by a noble name. 
 What, do you hesitate?" 
 
 Richmond drew a long breath. This astonish- 
 ing disclosure had partially sobered him. 
 
 "Yes, Major Wilding," he replied, gravely 
 and sadly, " I do hesitate. To you it is a small 
 matter to subscribe to the upsetting of the king; 
 your place is among the people, but I was born 
 by the side of the throne. We of the nobility 
 lend our lustre to the crown and draw our lustre 
 from it. Besides, I am half drunk now. Wait 
 until I am sober. Perhaps I shall be unhappy 
 enough then to sign anything that is, if I 
 live." 
 
 "What means your grace?" asked Wilding, 
 touched in spite of himself at the utter despair 
 of the last words. 
 
 " Major Wilding, I would die defending my 
 country from the invader rather than " he 
 paused, abruptly. No, her name should not be 
 mentioned. " I am going to my lord Buck- 
 hurst at once, this moment, to crave his per- 
 mission to serve under him in the ' Rupert '." 
 
 "What!" cried Wilding, in astonishment. 
 
 "Lord Buckhurst takes your command from 
 10
 
 146 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 you and you would beg him to let you serve on 
 board the Rupert ' as a volunteer ! " 
 
 " Your pardon, Major Wilding, but pray say 
 no more. My resolution is taken," replied 
 Richmond, haughtily. 
 
 Wilding possessed both sense and tact, and 
 he saw that it would be useless to combat the 
 duke's determination, or for the present, to urge 
 him further to sign the paper. It would be dan- 
 gerous, however, now to be without his signa- 
 ture, and he determined to leave no stone un- 
 turned to obtain it. 
 
 " I have placed myself in your grace's power, 
 and " 
 
 "You need have no fear, Major Wilding. I 
 shall not betray you." 
 
 " When may I see your grace again ? " 
 
 " When you please," replied Richmond, indif- 
 ferently, rising and preparing to leave the cof 
 fee-house. 
 
 He was fortunate enough to find Buckhurst 
 at home and with him the worthy secretary of 
 the Admiralty, for Master Pepys with his usual 
 eagerness to be the first to relate any news, had 
 at once hurried away to inform the new com- 
 mander of the " Rupert " of his good fortune. 
 
 Buckhurst was greatly astonished at Rich- 
 mond's appearance, and still more so when he 
 heard the request that nobleman had to proffer.
 
 DETHRONE HIM ! 147 
 
 He did all that he could to dissuade him from 
 his design, but without effect, and he finally 
 consented to accede to his grace's request, that 
 is, if there was no objection in higher quarters. 
 
 When this was arranged, Buckhurst said, 
 gaily : 
 
 <4 And now, after business, pleasure! Shall 
 we go to the theatre ? We shall be in time for 
 the last act or two. Mistress Gwynne acts Celia 
 in The Humorous Lieutenant, in which part she 
 is excellent." 
 
 " It could not be better done in nature," cor- 
 roborated Pepys, solemnly. 
 
 Richmond was about to refuse, but he sud- 
 denly remembered that Lady Frances was to be 
 there, and with that insane desire for self-tor- 
 ture, which seems to belong exclusively to un- 
 happy lovers, he determined to go. 
 
 Lady Frances was not there, however. Either 
 she had not come at all, or she had retired early. 
 Richmond fixed his eyes upon the stage, but he 
 neither saw the actors nor heard a word of the 
 play. When Buckhurst proposed to pay a visit 
 to Nell Gwynne in her dressing-room, he lan- 
 guidly consented. It mattered but little to him 
 what he did. But he was cold and absent, and 
 even Nell's liveliest sallies could not draw from 
 him a smile.
 
 148 NELL 
 
 "What is he? A bear?" she whispered to 
 Buckhurst. 
 
 "My dear," was the half jesting, half serious 
 answer, "he is a man who is dying of love." 
 
 At once Nell grew interested. 
 
 " I am delighted to see him then, for that is a 
 malady I have never met with outside of a play- 
 book." ' 
 
 It was long after midnight when Richmond 
 separated from Buckhurst. For the first time 
 in his life he drank long and deep, and he re- 
 tired to bed to sleep the blessed sleep of forget- 
 fulness, oblivious alike of the joys and sorrows 
 of this world.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 BROKEN TIES. 
 
 RICHMOND awoke the next morning with 
 a throbbing head, and that dull ache at 
 his heart, that vague sense of calamity we all 
 have felt the day after some terrible misfor- 
 tune, before we are thoroughly aroused and 
 our senses are in their normal condition. 
 
 As the events of the day before came back to 
 him in all their dread reality, he leaped from his 
 couch and proceeded hastily to dress. In the 
 full possession of his faculties, it seemed to him 
 all a horrible dream. It could not be true that 
 Lady Frances Stuart was what she had ap- 
 peared to be. He had known her from child- 
 hood, and he had never known her anything 
 but honest, piire and loyal. It was not her 
 fault, she was under some spell, or but it was 
 useless to speculate. He would see her, see her 
 once more and solve the question beyond the 
 shadow of a doubt. But how could he manage 
 an interview? It would be scarcely dignified 
 to go to Whitehall after the slight put upon. 
 
 148
 
 150 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 him by the king, and, moreover, it was un- 
 likely that she would consent to see him. He 
 must try to meet her as if by chance. But 
 how ? And then he remembered that when he 
 was in London before, it had been her majesty's 
 custom to walk every fine morning in Saint 
 James' Park, attended by her ladies. He would 
 go there and perhaps fate would be kind to 
 him. 
 
 It was a beautiful morning, the park, with its 
 smooth turf and its beautiful elms and lindens, 
 looked fresh and fair in the rays of the early 
 sun ; and Richmond felt his heart grow lighter 
 as he strolled beneath the shade of the trees 
 that bordered the canal. 
 
 Suddenly a burst of merry laughter rang out 
 upon his ears, and, glancing through the 
 branches, he saw on the other side of the 
 stream a group of ladies attended by one or two 
 gentlemen. One of the latter he recognized as 
 Sir Thomas Ogle, who was gentleman in wait- 
 ing to the queen. Here, then, must be the 
 object of his search. As he gazed with eager 
 eyes one of the ladies detached herself from 
 the group and strolled slowly along the bank. 
 She was masked, as was the custom of all 
 ladies of quality, when appearing in public, but 
 there was no mistaking that exquisite figure, 
 that graceful carriage. It was she. He
 
 BROKEN TIES. 151 
 
 watched her slowly walk along, until she 
 reached a rustic bridge that spanned the 
 stream. Then she paused, removed her mask, 
 and stood leaning upon the rail and gazing 
 dreamily down into the sluggish waters. 
 What would he not have given to know her 
 thoughts. Suddenly a gentleman joined her, 
 they remained a few moments in conversation, 
 and then, crossing the bridge, they came direct, 
 ly toward the spot where Richmond was stand- 
 ing. 
 
 Not caring to meet her in the presence of a 
 third party, the duke hastened to conceal him- 
 self behind the trunk of a large elm. 
 
 If Richmond had slept heavily the previous 
 night, such had not been the case with Lady 
 Frances. In vain had she wooed the drowsy 
 god, he had been deaf to all her entreaties. Be- 
 fore her eyes was ever the face of the man she 
 loved, pale and anguish-stricken as she bad seen 
 it last. Now she longed to fly to him and ex- 
 plain all, and now her pride revolted at the 
 thought of the contemptuous manner in which 
 he had refused her request to meet her in the 
 queen's gallery. It was cruel of him to judge 
 her thus without giving her an opportunity to 
 clear herself. Had he no faith in her? Was 
 his love so shallow that he could not trust her? 
 He was unworthy of her ; she would think no
 
 152 NELL GWYJSTSTE. 
 
 more of him. And yet and yet she loved 
 him more than ever. Away with all disguise ! 
 He had won her maiden heart, wholly and unre- 
 servedly, she had given herself to him and 
 his she was and his alone forever. 
 
 When morning dawned at last, she rose, 
 wearied alike in mind and body, and prepared 
 to accompany the queen to the park. Once 
 there, however, the vapid compliments of Sir 
 Thomas Ogle and the frivolous chatter of Jen- 
 nings, Wells and the- other maids of honor 
 jarred upon and disgusted her. So, making her 
 excuses to the queen, she walked away by her- 
 self, with her own sad thoughts as her sole 
 company. As she stood upon the bridge, little 
 conscious that the man of whom her heart and 
 mind were full, was, at that very moment, 
 devouring her with his eyes, she was startled 
 from her revery by the unwelcome sound of a 
 voice pronouncing her name. 
 
 Turning, she saw Lord Buckhurst, who had 
 approached from the other side of the bridge. 
 Annoyed at having her privacy thus intruded 
 upon, she returned his greeting coldly enough, 
 but Buckhurst, who was in the highest of spir- 
 its, did not appear to notice her chilliness. 
 
 "Is it indeed you, Lady Frances?" he cried, 
 gaily. "I thought at first that I had wandered 
 into the realms of mythology, and that the god-
 
 BROKEN TIES. 153 
 
 dess of the dawn herself was before my enrap- 
 tured vision." 
 
 Lady Frances frowned slightly, but made 
 no reply. She detested the high-flown compli- 
 ments so much in vogue. 
 
 "Sweet Lady Frances," proceeded Buck- 
 hurst, more soberly, " I am your debtor be- 
 yond all words to express for the favor you 
 have conferred upon me, for I hear that it is 
 to your influence that I owe my appointment 
 to the Rupert. I am indeed fortunate to have 
 for a patroness one who is all potent with his 
 majesty." 
 
 Lady Frances grew hot with mortification. 
 She felt instinctively what inference Buckhurst 
 was drawing from the success of his suit at 
 her hands, and yet she was powerless to pre- 
 vent it. There was nothing in his words which 
 she could resent. It was inexpressibly galling 
 to her proud nature to be classed in men's 
 minds with the Portsmouths and the Cleve- 
 lands, but, to save her lover, she had drawn it 
 upon herself and she had no right to complain. 
 
 " I trust, my lord, that you may prove your- 
 self worthy of the command entrusted to you." 
 
 " Worthy ! Ah ! that depends on the point of 
 view. As captain of a ship, I shall have ample 
 leisure and shall write such sea-songs." 
 
 Songs, and the nation in danger 1 Was this
 
 154 NELL O WYNNE. 
 
 the man for whom she had craved command of 
 a ship ! She said nothing, but her eyes spoke 
 such boundless contempt that Buckhurst quail- 
 ed beneath her gaze. To do him justice, the 
 careless way of speaking which had become 
 habitual to him was at fault and not his real 
 feelings. He had long desired a ship and he 
 was determined to do his duty to the best of 
 his ability. He saw his mistake and hastened 
 to say : 
 
 " Forgive me, Lady Frances. I meant it not. 
 My wild tongue runs away with me. I will try 
 to deserve your confidence, believe me. By the 
 way, who do you think came to me, yesterday, 
 to beg me to allow him to serve as a volunteer 
 in the Rupert?" 
 
 " Indeed, I cannot imagine," replied Lady 
 Frances, carelessly. 
 
 "Why, who but her former commander, his 
 grace of Richmond." 
 
 Instantly the lady was all attention. 
 
 "Richmond!" she exclaimed, "Richmond!" 
 
 "Yes, what think you of that ! It was a sad 
 lowering of his pride, was it not?" 
 
 Lady Frances was silent. Richmond a vol. 
 unteer on the Rupert! Were then all her 
 efforts, the efforts which had already cost her 
 so dear and were likely to cost her much dearer 
 in the future, to be of no avail ? Suddenly she
 
 BROKEN TIES. 155 
 
 became aware that her companion was regard- 
 ing her with a peculiar expression, and she 
 flushed as if she had betrayed her inmost 
 thought. 
 
 "My lord," she said, a little nervously, 
 "will you walk with me a short distance? 
 I I need the exercise." 
 
 She must have time to decide what to do in 
 this new complication, and she could not stand 
 there with Buckhurst apparently reading her 
 countenance. Buckhurst, although somewhat 
 surprised, gladly assented to the request, and 
 they walked in silence down the broad avenue 
 between the elms. 
 
 Lady Frances at last made up her mind as to 
 what course to pursue, and, as chance would 
 have it, she halted under the very tree behind 
 which Richmond was concealed. 
 
 "My Lord Buckhurst," she began composed. 
 ly, idly toying with the mask she held in her 
 hand, "what was it you said? The duke of 
 Richmond desires to serve as a volunteer on 
 board the Rupert?" 
 
 " Yes, your ladyship. An odd idea, is it not ? " 
 
 "More than that; it is folly. My lord, you 
 said a few moments ago that you owed me some- 
 thing in return for the command which the king 
 gave you, at my entreaty." 
 
 At her entreaty ! The words fell like a knell
 
 156 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 upon Richmond's listening ears. He had hoped 
 that there might have been some mistake, some 
 reason for her conduct of yesterday. But there 
 could be no doubt, now, after that shameless 
 confession. His first impulse was to rush out 
 and confront her, but, on second thoughts, he 
 concluded to wait and hear further. 
 
 " I am deeply your ladyship's debtor indeed," 
 Buckhurst was saying. 
 
 " Then, like a hard creditor, I shall demand 
 payment at once, or rather make myself your 
 debtor in return." 
 
 " I am your ladyship's to command." 
 
 " This request of the Duke of Richmond is 
 not for his credit, it is madness, and I therefore 
 ask you not to permit him to serve under you." 
 
 Buckhurst hesitated a moment before reply, 
 ing. 
 
 " I would most gladly obey you, Lady Fran- 
 ces," he said, at last, "but, not to deceive you, 
 when the duke came to me, I practically acced- 
 ed to his request. If I deny him now, I shall 
 seem to break my word." 
 
 Lady Frances' lip curled, and then she re- 
 plied curtly, with a cold threat in her tone and 
 manner : 
 
 " My lord, your commission is not yet made 
 out. It needs but a word from me, and "
 
 BROKEN TIES. 157 
 
 .Buckhurst understood, and he hurriedly in- 
 terrupted : 
 
 "Nay, my fair patroness, since you are so 
 peremptory, there's nothing more to be said. 
 The Duke of Richmond shall not set foot upon 
 the Rupert while I command her." 
 
 This was too much for Richmond's self-con- 
 trol. He emerged from his place of conceal- 
 ment, and, dark and glowering, stood before 
 them. 
 
 With a little cry, Lady Frances turned a 
 startled look upon the intruder. When she 
 recognized him the color forsook her cheek and 
 she staggered a little as if about to fall. Buck- 
 hurst made a step toward her, but, recovering 
 herself, she proudly waved him back. 
 
 "Your ladyship may well be alarmed," said 
 Richmond, folding his arms, and speaking with 
 the most cutting irony, "at the appearance of 
 the victim of your treachery, but thank Heaven, 
 I am your dupe no longer. Oh ! woman, 
 woman, why do you continue to persecute me ? 
 Was it so great a crime to love you ? Is every 
 path of honor to be closed to me because you 
 have forfeited men's respect?" 
 
 Lady Frances started as if stung by an 
 adder. 
 
 "Are you mad?" she cried hoarsely. 
 '/What," struggling hard to regain a sem-
 
 158 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 blance of composure, "what is our our mis- 
 understanding to this gentleman ? " 
 
 " What is it to you whether I go on board 
 the Rupert or not?" demanded Richmond 
 roughly. 
 
 " Nothing," was the icy answer, " from this 
 moment, nothing. My lord," addressing Buck- 
 hurst, "I withdraw my request." 
 
 Buckhurst bowed and gladly took advantage 
 of the opportunity to retire from a position in 
 which he was entirely out of place. 
 
 The uninterrupted interview, which both had 
 desired so strongly, was now theirs, but neither 
 man nor woman was in a temper to bring about 
 the explanation which would have averted so 
 much pain and .disaster in the future. After 
 the conversation between Buckhurst and Lady 
 Frances which he had overheard, Richmond 
 leaped at once to the conclusion that she was 
 all that his worse suspicions had given her 
 credit for; while Lady Frances, on her side, 
 was too outraged by the duke's insulting words 
 and manner to care for the moment what error 
 he might fall into. 
 
 " What can your object be in thus thwarting 
 me on every side ? " demanded Richmond, with 
 rising passion. "You have ruined me both 
 body and soul. I was a man of honor. I loved 
 truth, I loved my country, I loved you. But
 
 BROKEN TIES. 159 
 
 in one day you robbed me of my faith in 
 woman, and my hopes of glory. Cannot you, 
 who have reached the highest pinnacle of your 
 ambition, leave me at least the chance of 
 death?" 
 
 Lady Frances grew harder with every mo. 
 ment and every word he uttered. How dare 
 he not only think, but speak, so foully of her? 
 Fixing upon him a cold, steady gaze, she re- 
 plied, contemptuously: 
 
 " What, is glory to be gained only on board 
 the Rupert ? Honor has a thousand paths. 
 Take any one of them, my lord ! Be yourself 
 again, a nobleman and, above all, a man." 
 
 . " And you say this ; you who have unmanned 
 me." 
 
 "A doubting heart has unmanned you, Duke 
 of Richmond. Your mind has been poisoned by 
 unworthy suspicions, and " 
 
 "Unworthy suspicions!" interrupted Rich- 
 mond passionately, the angry pain and despair 
 at his heart dominating him more and more as 
 he proceeded. " Unworthy suspicions, for- 
 sooth ! Have I not eyes to see, ears to hear I Is 
 it not known throughout all the court who is 
 the real monarch, who pulls the strings that 
 Charles Stuart may dance?" 
 
 " Stop, my lord ! Be yourself, for your own 
 sake, if not for mine."
 
 160 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 But Richmond was too beside himself to 
 pause now. 
 
 *" We obey our friends and not our enemies, 
 still less a treacherous enemy like you, your 
 ladyship or perhaps I should say your grace, 
 for in the ranks of duchesses is, by the king's 
 command, mop^than one woman of your ilk." 
 
 If the lightninj^Sl(^|H^^gdj3yes could deal 
 death, Richmond would have rScrw^^fei^.j.t^ 
 neath the blaze that Lady Frances flashed upon 
 him at this insult. All her pride was up in 
 arms, the royal blood in her veins seemed 
 turned to fire. 
 
 "How dare you!" The voice was low, but 
 fraught with passion, and each word was as 
 cutting as the thrust of a rapier. " How dare 
 you address such words to me ! But, hence- 
 forth your words and actions are alike indiffer- 
 ent to me. I mingle no further in your affairs. 
 Either I am what cowards and liars say I am, 
 the king's minion, or I am Frances Stuart 
 sans peur et sans reproche. In either case I am 
 no more to you that which I was. I am noth. 
 ing to you and you are nothing to me ! Un- 
 mannerly, ungrateful, dishonored duke, fare- 
 well forever ! " 
 
 How magnificently beautiful she looked, how 
 superb she was in her indignation ! And Rich- 
 mond's head bowed before her in involuntary
 
 BROKEN TIES. 161 
 
 shame. But even had he desired to proffer 
 an apology it was too late now. With head 
 erect, a bitter, scornful smile upon the perfect 
 lips, and with the stately motion of an offended 
 Juno, she passed out of his presence, and to 
 the desperate man it seemed as if a never-to-be- 
 lifted pall settled down over his^fca**^ 
 
 That night, when^Ji||81 l HVndmg returned to 
 his home^Jtai^mr so with the utmost joy and 
 wrtBlrtSffon, for upon the documents carefully 
 hidden away in his breast was inscribed, just 
 beneath that of the Duke of Buckingham, the 
 name of Charles, Duke of Richmond, signed, as 
 that reckless, hopeless nobleman frantically 
 declared, "with his blood and that of all his 
 house ! " 
 
 11
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 
 
 SIX weeks have passed away, weeks which 
 have brought more or less important 
 changes to many of the characters of our s*feory, 
 but none perhaps more striking than to the 
 leading light of his majesty's company of 
 players. 
 
 Nell Gwynne no longer lives in modest lodg- 
 ings in Petticoat Lane, but occupies a hand- 
 some mansion in one of the finest districts of 
 the city ; no longer does she drive to and from 
 the theatre in a hired vehicle, but in her own 
 luxurious coach drawn by gray Flemish mares, 
 then the height of fashion. In vain will Dave- 
 nant of the Duke's endeavor to draw her away 
 from Drury Lane, for she is under the king's 
 protection and nothing can sway her from her 
 allegiance. 
 
 Let us not be too severe upon poor Nelly, nor, 
 in our superior virtue, be too ready to cast 
 stones upon her. The actions of one age should 
 not be judged according to the ideas of another, 
 
 162
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 16$ 
 
 and to arrive at a just estimate of the good or 
 evil of another's life, there should be taken into 
 account the surroundings of that life and the 
 circumstances which affected it. 
 
 Nell Gwynne lived in a time when virtue was 
 almost universally sneered at and to be the fav- 
 orite of a king was the highest ambition of 
 many a woman of birth and breeding. 
 
 And Nell was not a woman of either birth or 
 breeding. She was born of low estate and of 
 poor parents, and, when a mere chit of a girl, 
 was engaged as female tapster in a fourth-class 
 ern, where, 
 
 *~***9er flfStr 'employ ment was, with open throat, 
 To cry fresh herrings, even ten a groat." 
 
 From here she took the only dowry that For- 
 tune had bestowed upon her, a pretty face, a 
 melodious voice and a quick wit, to the market 
 for which they were best fitted the theatre. 
 The first footing she obtained here was in a 
 most humble capacity, that of orange girl. 
 While in this position she attracted the atten- 
 tion of Lacy, one of the most popular actors of 
 his day as well as a man of more than usual 
 literary attainments. He undertook her educa- 
 tion and tutored her in acting, the lover's part 
 being that he most preferred. Through his in- 
 fluence she rose to that platform for which 
 nature had intended her, the stage. She was
 
 164 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 not much more than fifteen when she made her 
 first appearance and almost immediately leaped 
 into unexampled popularity. The stage at that 
 time was a hotbed of vice, and Nell did not pass 
 through it unscorched. Is it a wonder, then, 
 that, brought up in such a school, she failed to 
 turn a deaf ear to the soft pleadings of a king, 
 especially when that king was the first and only 
 man she ever really loved ? 
 
 With all her failings, Nell had a tender as 
 well as a generous heart. When raised to 
 wealth, she expended her riches on others 
 rather than on herself. She was continually 
 doing good, "as -if," a writer of the times ob- 
 serves, " doing good was her business instead 
 of her nature." The king trusted her absolute- 
 ly, as indeed he had reason to do, for, from the 
 time of her connection with him to the day of 
 her death, she was absolutely faithful to him, 
 being in this and in many other respects a strik- 
 ing contrast to her rivals in his affections. She 
 was never rapacious, accepting smilingly what 
 he chose to give her and never asking for more ; 
 and she never abused the influence she possess- 
 ed, but used it invariably for good objects. 
 
 She understood the nature of the king thor- 
 oughly, never worrying him for favors nor up- 
 braiding him for his infidelities, and it is little 
 wonder that Charles turned with relief from the
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 165 
 
 greediness and vapors of his favorites to the 
 unvarying good humor and sparkling wit of the 
 actress. 
 
 It is needless to say that she was hated by 
 such women as her grace of Cleveland, erst 
 Barbara Palmer, and her grace of Portsmouth, 
 who as Louise de Querouaille had been sent 
 over by the French king to obtain an ascend- 
 ancy over Charles' susceptible nature, an office 
 in which she only too lamentably succeeded. 
 
 However bitterly they felt toward merry 
 Nelly, these noble dames nevertheless rarely 
 ventured to display their rancor in her presence, 
 for, though remarkably sweet-tempered by 
 nature, she could hold her own in a duel of 
 tongues and was an astonishing mistress of 
 invective when occasion required. 
 
 The people adored her, the mob never at- 
 tacked her as it did the others of the king's 
 mistresses, and she was never the butt of the 
 lampoons and invectives so freely and vicious- 
 ly flung at Portsmouth, Cleveland, Mazarin 
 and the others. 
 
 The following anecdote is a good illustration 
 of the feeling of the populace toward her: 
 Once, when Charles had ordered an extrava- 
 gant service of plate for Louise de Querouaille, 
 rudely called by the citizens of London Madam 
 Carwell, a great crowd collected before the
 
 166 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 windows of the jeweller in Cheapside where it 
 was displayed, cursing the duchess and wish- 
 ing that the plate were melted and poured 
 down her throat; "but," they added, "what a 
 pity that it should not be bestowed on Madam 
 Ellen." 
 
 And Nell was happy ; yes, strange as it may 
 appear, she was happy. She loved her art, she 
 rejoiced in the hearty good will shown her by 
 the public, she delighted in the kindnesses she 
 was enabled to show to the needy and deserv- 
 ing, aye, and to the undeserving, too, and, more 
 than all, was she happy in her devotion to the 
 king. What she gave him was not all virgin 
 gold, perhaps, but that lack was almost atoned 
 for by the unselfishness and single-heartedness 
 of her attachment. 
 
 Of the change in Nell's condition, her jeal- 
 ous swain, Buckhurst, knew nothing, -for news 
 in that day of sluggish conveyances traveled 
 slowly, and he had long since departed to take 
 command of his ship. Take command ! Well, 
 it could only be called that by courtesy, for like 
 the others of the so-called gentleman captains of 
 which there were far too many, Buckhurst was 
 deplorably deficient in seamanship, and he was 
 therefore like the rest of his ilk, forced to 
 abandon the working of his ship to his un- 
 derlings, which, succeeding as he did a man
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 167 
 
 like Richmond, who had followed the sea from 
 boyhood, made him despised by his crew and 
 was fatal to all discipline. 
 
 For a time the Dutch had been held in check 
 and even forced back to the mouth of the river, 
 but this was due more to a fortunate chain of 
 circumstances than anything else, and Van 
 Tromp speedily recovered his ground, so that 
 the Dutch fleet had now penetrated further up 
 the Thames than ever, to the great alarm of the 
 citizens. London was in a most excitable con- 
 dition, and loud and numerous were the grum- 
 blings against the indolence of the government 
 and especially against the naval administration, 
 which, beyond doubt, was a prodigy of waste- 
 fulness, ignorance and corruption. 
 
 The time now seemed ripe for the outbreak of 
 the plot with which Buckingham was connect- 
 ed and of which Major Wilding was the master- 
 spirit. The temporary success of the English 
 fleet had compelled the postponement of the 
 contemplated uprising, for it had been deter- 
 mined that the movement should begin in the 
 fleet, and a time of apparent success was not a 
 time to preach revolt. But now that the Dutch 
 had recovered from their setback, it was a fit- 
 ting opportunity to begin operations. The 
 Rupert was to be the point of attack, for the 
 seamen of that vessel were already enraged at
 
 168 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 being deprived of their old commander, in whom 
 they had the utmost confidence and to whom they 
 were deeply attached ; and there was little doubt 
 but that they would blindly embrace any scheme 
 to which the Duke of Richmond had lent his 
 name. The fleet once in revolt, the city, in its 
 alarm, would rapidly grow even more disaffect- 
 ed than it was, and would be only too eager to 
 follow any leader that would promise it peace 
 and safety. 
 
 And this leader Buckingham had determined 
 to be. He had become connected with the plot 
 through mere accident when smarting from 
 some real or fancied slight put upon him. 
 Thus do trifles in the most decisive manner 
 sometimes influence the course of events, and 
 lead to the most important actions of our lives. 
 Once fully informed as to the purpose of the 
 conspirators, the duke affected to be with them 
 heart and soul, but it was only to further his 
 own schemes and not theirs. Why, in case of 
 an upheaval, should he not become the head of 
 the commonwealth and eventually the founder 
 of a new monarchy ? For Buckingham had no 
 sympathy with republican principles; he fully 
 believed that, though aristocracies might crum- 
 ble and be brushed away, aristocracy itself was 
 eternal. Brilliant, profligate and unscrupulous, 
 he had the most absolute faith in his own star
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 169 
 
 and his ambition was boundless. Entirely de- 
 void of either gratitude or natural affection, he 
 gave not a thought to the long and intimate 
 friendship he had enjoyed with the king, or to 
 the endless favors the latter had heaped upon 
 him. He would have sacrificed Charles ruth- 
 lessly, if by so doing he could have obtained his 
 own ends. It was to such a plot that Charles, 
 Duke of Richmond, a truthful, honorable gen- 
 tleman and a hitherto loyal subject of the 
 crown, had, in a moment of madness, become 
 pledged. It is doubtful if, in the days that fol- 
 lowed, he realized much what he had done. 
 True, he did attend one meeting of the conspira- 
 tors, but he was in no condition to understand 
 what was discussed or agreed upon. To drink 
 and thus obtain forgetfulness was his one object 
 in life now. A weakness, if you like, but a 
 weakness which was, so to speak, the direct re- 
 sult of a strong nature. In glaring contrast to 
 his sovereign, Richmond was not a man, when 
 one woman proved faithless, to bask contented, 
 ly in the sunshine of the smiles of another. He 
 could love but once, as he had loved, with the 
 whole strength of his noble heart. There had 
 been but one woman in the world to him, and all 
 other women were as naught. Frances Stuart 
 had been the anchor of his existence, and now 
 that the cable which had bound him to her was
 
 170 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 snapped, his life ship was drifting aimlessly 
 amidst the- reefs and shoals. 
 
 In all our passions there is something of dis- 
 ease, and so it was with Richmond. In his de- 
 lirium he could not see clearly, and he was 
 firmly convinced of his lady's faithlessness. 
 He had no longer any confidence in her, and 
 when disbelief becomes a faith, which sounds 
 rather paradoxical, it is more stubborn and 
 immovable than belief itself. Atheism is ever 
 more bigoted than religion. 
 
 But if Richmond were miserable, what shall 
 be said of Lady Frances ? She could not seek 
 oblivion as he had done, and she had naught 
 but her pride to sustain her, and pride is a 
 pretty poor quantity from which to draw one's 
 daily bread. Possibly never in her life had she 
 loved Richmond as she did now, even after he 
 had openly insulted and reviled her. In one 
 way, perhaps, this was but natural, for it is less 
 from the pleasure experienced in the presence 
 of the being loved than from the painful void 
 caused by his or her absence that a real pro- 
 found love can be recognized. All bitterness 
 had fled from Lady Frances' heart, and with a 
 generosity of which only a loving woman is 
 capable, she reproached herself for having 
 given the duke apparent reason for his unfound- 
 ed suspicions. Still, no power on earth could in-
 
 AN ASMODEAN GLIMPSE. 171 
 
 duce her to see him or speak to him again. She 
 had said farewell to him forever, and forever it 
 should be. Thus she thought, forgetting that 
 the only eternal farewell between lovers is the 
 one that is never spoken. 
 
 But the loss of her lover was not the only 
 trial La Belle Stuart was called upon to endure 
 in those days. The king, emboldened by her 
 apparent encouragement in asking of him a 
 favor, persecuted her more than ever with his 
 attentions, which she could not entirely repulse. 
 In her fear that the king might become suspi- 
 cious again and visit his resentment in some 
 terrible manner upon Richmond, she was forced 
 to play a double part and act as patroness to 
 more than one suit. This, of course, but in- 
 creased the court gossip, and scandal was rife 
 with her name and fair fame, a fact of which 
 she could not be unaware and which was gall 
 and wormwood to her proud spirit. 
 
 Chattering, idle tongues have done more to 
 smirch spotless innocence than all the blandish- 
 ments of libertines in the world. De mortuis 
 nil nisi bonum may be a good precept, but 
 all consideration for the living, for the dead 
 only the truth, is a better. Calumny can not 
 hurt the dead, but the living may die of it. 
 
 Let it not be supposed, however, that Lady 
 Frances, with all the tortures she was endur-
 
 172 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 ing, gave any outward sign of her suffering. 
 Her cheek might be a little paler than usual, 
 perhaps, but her smile was as frequent, her 
 manner as calm, sweet and gracious as ever. 
 Hers was not a nature to wear her heart upon 
 her sleeve and to pour forth her woes to an un- 
 sympathizing world. She, with her royal blood, 
 was not a Du Barry to shriek upon the scaffold, 
 but a De Rohan to die mute. 
 
 Strange to say, none of the tales anent the 
 king and her favorite maid of honor had pene- 
 trated to the queen's ears. Either the poor, 
 neglected wife lived so much in the privacy 
 of her apartments that she was not likely to 
 hear the gossip, or the scandal-mongers were 
 ashamed to wag their scurrilous tongues in her 
 presence. 
 
 Frances was thankful from the bottom of her 
 heart that this was so, not only on her own 
 account, but on account of the queen 
 
 What would become of the already unhappy 
 woman if there should once enter her mind a 
 suspicion of the only one in whom she could 
 confide and to whom she could freely unburden 
 her sorrows. 
 
 For some days the queen had been uneasy 
 and restless, as if she had something on her 
 mind which she hesitated to divulge. 
 
 Lady Frances was beginning to fear that
 
 AN A8MODEAN GLIMPSE. 173 
 
 after all she had obtained some inkling of the 
 odious stories that were circulating about the 
 court, when her doubts were put to rest on that 
 score at least. 
 
 " It is really very dull for you all here," said 
 the queen one morning, after their return from 
 mass, to which Frances, although a Protestant, 
 almost invariably accompanied her. The girl 
 had been brought up in Paris indeed, she 
 spoke French better than her mother tongue 
 and consequently felt none of that horror of 
 Catholicism which was shared by a large pro- 
 portion of the English people at that time. It 
 was, in fact, this violent antagonism to any- 
 thing savoring of Popery that prevented Cath- 
 arine of Braganza receiving that meed of sym- 
 pathy which she otherwise probably would 
 have received. 
 
 " It is really very dull for you all here, and 
 you ought to have occasionally some amuse- 
 ment, instead of being cooped up here with me 
 all day." 
 
 This was said with a somewhat timid glance 
 at Lady Frances, who, as she was the one 
 apparently addressed, replied in all sincerity : 
 
 "I do not care for amusement, your majesty. 
 But if these ladies," indicating Mistresses Price 
 and Jennings, who were also in the room, "find 
 it dull, we might organize the masquerade that
 
 174 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 was suggested the other day, with the dancers 
 in the sets representing the different nations." 
 
 " Pshaw!" ejaculated the queen somewhat 
 pettishly. " I did not mean anything so hum- 
 drum as that. 
 
 ."No?" said Frances, as the queen paused as 
 if for a reply. 
 
 " No. Why can we not go to the piazza of 
 Covent Garden, or Spring Gardens?" 
 
 Lady Frances understood. The queen had 
 not abandoned her idea of seeing one or more 
 of those places of public resort which she knew 
 her husband loved to frequent in disguise. She 
 had, doubtless, been encouraged in her project 
 also by those of the maids of honor who were 
 young and giddy and longed for adventure. 
 
 Frances did her best to combat the plan, but 
 her objections were overruled. The queen ob- 
 stinately contended that they could be in no 
 possible danger, as they would go masked, at- 
 tended by one or two gentlemen of the court. 
 
 At last, to the evident satisfaction of Jen- 
 nings and Price, it was arranged that they 
 should undertake the expedition that very even- 
 ing, Lady Frances, for the sake of her royal 
 mistress, reluctantly consenting to accompany 
 them.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 LB EOI S'AMUSE. 
 
 SPRING Gardens, Vauxhall, was outside the 
 city proper, on the other side of the river 
 and nearly opposite Westminster. It was the 
 favorite resort of the bucks and gallants of the 
 time, and was really a very pretty place. As 
 its name implied, it was a large tract of land 
 laid out as a garden and hedged round with 
 gooseberry, raspberry and rose bushes. The 
 beds, some planted with flowers and some with 
 vegetables, were all bordered with jonquils, 
 gilliflowers or lilies. The turf was beautifully 
 smooth, the walks were sanded, and the trees 
 were trimmed into odd and fantastic shapes. 
 In the middle of the garden were a clearing for 
 dancing and a pavilion in which the fiddlers 
 were stationed. Scattered all about through 
 the shrubbery were little arbors furnished with 
 tables and benches, at which were served ales, 
 wines and cakes, as well as tea, which was just 
 coming into fashion, was very expensive and 
 
 175
 
 176 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 was generally imbibed in combination with 
 strong drinks. 
 
 It was already dark ; the lamps were twink- 
 ling among the trees, giving that chastened 
 light so favorable to the soft murmurings of 
 lovers, and the strings of the fiddles twanged, 
 as the musicians tuned their instruments, pre- 
 paratory to striking up a jig or coranto. 
 
 The waiters, or drawers as they were called, 
 hurried hither and thither, taking the orders of 
 the early comers or preparing for the speedy 
 influx of guests, for on such a fine evening as 
 this the number of visitors was sure to be large. 
 
 Although all the others were busy, there was 
 jne drawer who stood moodily apart, his back 
 to a tree and his hands thrust into the pockets 
 of his white apron. His broad-brimmed hat 
 was pulled down over his eyes and the collar of 
 his blouse was pulled up about his neck. But 
 if one could have got a fair look at the face, it 
 would have been seen that it was not that of a 
 common servant, but the countenance of one of 
 the most exquisite of the young gallants. 
 
 What could my lord Buckhurst be doing in 
 London and disguised as a drawer, when he 
 was supposed to be miles away on board the 
 Rupert, repelling the attacks of the Dutch? 
 The fact of the matter was that the young 
 nobleman had arrived in town that morning,
 
 LE ROI S' AMUSE. 177 
 
 having after the most strenuous exertions ob- 
 tained a short leave of absence. The first piece 
 of news that he heard was the unpalatable one 
 of the change in Mistress Gwynne's situation. 
 If he had been wise this should have been 
 " ware hawk " to him and he would have done 
 well to return at once to the fleet. But such a 
 proceeding was not at all in accordance with 
 Buckhurst's impetuous nature. He was wild 
 with jealousy and disappointment, and he de- 
 termined to see Nell once more, although he 
 knew that his passion was hopeless. At the 
 actress's residence he was informed by a lackey 
 that his mistress was out, but whether this 
 statement was true or not is more than open to 
 question. 
 
 For the greater part of the day Buckhurst 
 haunted the vicinity of Bloomsbury Square, but 
 without being awarded the slightest glimpse of 
 his inamorata. At last, toward nightfall, by 
 dint of bribing the lackey, he obtained the in- 
 formation that Mistress Gwynne had ordered her 
 coach for that evening to convey her to Spring 
 Gardens. To that resort he therefore repaired, 
 and, with the consent of the proprietor, who 
 knew his lordship well and was accustomed to 
 pranks of all descriptions, he borrowed the suit 
 of a deaf and dumb drawer and took his place 
 
 for that evening. 
 12
 
 17S NELL 
 
 Buckhurst had a pretty shrewd suspicion 
 that Nell had refused to see him, but he deter- 
 mined to obtain a word with her by stratagem, 
 since open measures had failed. What he in- 
 tended to effect he did not know himself ; his 
 only idea was to see her and speak to her. 
 
 The gardens were filling rapidly, but still no 
 sign of her whom he had come to seek, when 
 suddenly a laugh a laugh that could issue but 
 from one pair of lips rang out on his ears; 
 and, peering through the trees, he saw Nell 
 come tripping toward him. With her were two 
 gentlemen, Pepys and yes, his unfortunate 
 predecessor, the Duke of Richmond. 
 
 The little party entered one of the arbors and 
 Pepys called lustily for wine. 
 
 Buckhurst drew his hat still further over his 
 face and obeyed the summons. 
 
 "Wine! wine!" exclaimed Richmond, who 
 had evidently been indulging too heavily.. 
 " Wine ! the stirrer of sluggish pulses and the 
 chaser of heavy thoughts. Wine, I say ! Dost 
 hear, sirrah?" 
 
 "Your pardon, your grace," interposed Pe- 
 pys, "but this is the deaf and dumb drawer. I 
 know him by his hat and jerkyn Permit 
 me " 
 
 He took the tablet which hung from the sup- 
 posititious waiter's belt and wrote the order.
 
 LE ROI S'AHUSE. 179 
 
 Buckhurst glanced at the writing, nodded and 
 retired. But, as he did so, a stray breeze blew 
 back the flap of his hat, and Nell's quick eye 
 caught a glimpse of the face beneath. An ex- 
 pression, half of amusement, half of vexation, 
 gathered about her lips, but she said nothing to 
 her companions of the discovery she had made. 
 
 " How fortunate it was I met you, Florimel," 
 said Richmond, with a ghastly attempt at mer- 
 riment. "I was mortal dull without you." 
 
 " I am afraid that you are mortal dull with 
 me," retorted Nell, slyly. Her tender heart 
 was aching for this unhappy duke, and, meet- 
 ing him by chance, she had determined to make 
 a martyr of herself in the almost vain hope of 
 cheering him a little. " Ah ! here is the wine, 
 and canary, on my life ! " 
 
 " Aye ! " cried Richmond, taking a long 
 draught. " Hail to the grape, which furnishes 
 the only true Lethe. A song ! a song ! Music 
 goes with wine." 
 
 " In public? Oh, no!" laughed Nell. "Let 
 Master Pepys favor us. Come, my smug-faced 
 Samuel, fling aside your hypocrisy for once and 
 tell us your true sentiments." 
 
 Pepys, who was enjoying himself immensely, 
 his only regret being that his beloved Knipp was 
 not there, was nothing loath, and, in a by no
 
 180 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 means unmusical voice, trolled forth the follow- 
 ing verse : 
 
 " When grim death doth take my breath 
 He'll find me with companions merry; 
 
 He'll find me drinking, drinking deep, 
 Sing derry down, derry down, deny ! 
 Death we defy ! Pain comes not nigh 
 While drinking, drinking, drinking ! " 
 
 " Bravo ! " cried Nell, clapping her little 
 hands in approbation. "Who would have be- 
 lieved it of your sanctimoniousness?" 
 
 " 'Fore heaven, a good song, Master Pepys, 
 and a true one," exclaimed Richmond. "Pain 
 comes not nigh while drinking, drinking, drink- 
 ing ! Your health, Master Pepys ! Mistress 
 Ellen ! " 
 
 "Wait!" commanded Nell, with a swift 
 glance at Buckhurst, who stood silently by. 
 " I'll give you a toast ! A toast to be drunk in 
 silence ! To the health of the departed Buck- 
 hurst." 
 
 Buckhurst started so violently that a plate he 
 held in his hand fell to the ground and was 
 dashed into a thousand pieces. 
 
 " Clumsy knave ! " scolded Nell, in affected 
 anger. 
 
 " To Buckhurst ! The departed Buckhurst 1 " 
 
 "To the memory of my lord Buckhurst!" 
 added Pepys, solemnly, " and may the sea bring
 
 LE ROI S' AMUSE. 181 
 
 him wisdom, for he has a plentiful lack of it, 
 A shallow man shallow, shallow ! " 
 
 Oh ! good Master Pepys, you who pride your- 
 self so on your policy, you have put your foot 
 in it again. If you .did but know it, your ears 
 are nearer being slit than when you boasted of 
 your intimacy with NelFs tiring room. 
 
 Nelly shook with a convulsive fit of laughter, 
 at which Pepys smirked and bowed, thinking it 
 a tribute to his own humor. 
 
 " Faith, Florimel, you're the merriest creature 
 alive," said Richmond. " You make a new man 
 of me. Hark, the fiddles ! A dance, a dance, 
 and then to our wine again ! " 
 
 "Go; and you, too, Master Pepys," rejoined 
 Nell, after a moment's hesitation. " I want to 
 speak, or rather write, a few words to this man 
 here ; his wife is one of my pensioners. I will 
 join you presently, my lord duke, and dance you 
 such a coranto as will send the blood tingling 
 like fire through your veins." 
 
 " Don't delay, for my legs are itching to be at 
 it," and Richmond, with Pepys, walked away in 
 the direction of the music. 
 
 Buckhurst knew he was discovered, even be- 
 fore Nell's ironical salutation of 
 
 " Good day to you, my lord Buckhurst." 
 
 Buckhurst dashed his hat impetuously upon 
 the table. "Traitress!" he broke out, angrily.
 
 182 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " Tilly-vally, my lord," interposed Nell, com- 
 posedly, making use of one of the king's favor- 
 ite ejaculations, " no heroics an' you love me ! 
 We are not acting a tragedy." 
 
 "No," replied Buckhurst, quickly, "it is a 
 comedy a comedy of intrigue. Plague on you 
 all ! The memory of Buckhurst, eh ! Zounds, 
 my lady Nelly, but you shall have cause to re- 
 member him! " 
 
 " Indeed ! " 
 
 "Ay, indeed! So you have graduated from 
 stage to court since my departure ! You change 
 your lovers with facility. The latest fish in your 
 net is that sea monster of constancy, my lord 
 duke of Richmond. But the king shall know of 
 it ! ay, the king shall know of it ! " 
 
 " And you would be the Mercury to bear him 
 the tidings," said Nelly, just a trifle out of tem- 
 per. " Do so, by all means, but it will be you 
 who will suffer, not I. The king knows, or may 
 know, all that I do. He allows me complete 
 liberty of action." 
 
 Which was strictly true. Nell was entirely 
 open and fearless in all her actions, as, indeed, 
 there was no reason why she should not be, for 
 she had nothing to conceal. " When a woman 
 has need to be guarded she does not deserve the 
 trouble," she said once to the king, and Charles,
 
 LE ROI S'AMUSE. 183 
 
 who had complete confidence in her, acquiesced 
 and let her go on her merry way as she pleased. 
 
 "But there," Nell continued, suddenly relax- 
 ing into a smile, and laying her hand in an 
 almost pleading way upon Buckhurst's arm, 
 " why need we quarrel ? Come, come, my lord, 
 you fancy yourself ill-used. Yes, fancy. Stop 
 and ask yourself if it is not all fancy. Now 
 smooth away those wrinkles. Cease thinking 
 of senseless vengeance. We have always been 
 good friends ; let us be good friends still. Come, 
 Harry, give me your hand." 
 
 A much more ill-natured man than Buck- 
 hurst, who certainly was anything but ill- 
 natured, would have found it difficult to resist 
 the frankness and good-humor of her tone and 
 manner. He took the proffered hand and peace 
 was restored. 
 
 It was a most distinguished company at 
 Spring Gardens that evening, for many of the 
 highest in the realm were there, aye, even the 
 highest in the realm. For, when his subjects 
 enjoyed themselves, why not the king ? More- 
 over, who would recognize the handsome, 
 debonair Charles in the rough sailor with strag- 
 gling gray hair, a slouched hat and a patch 
 over one eye ? 
 
 With his majesty was his secretary, Chif- 
 finch, also muffled beyond recognition.
 
 184 NELL G WYNNE.. 
 
 They had been strolling from group to group, 
 apparently seeking for some one ; but if so their 
 search had as yet been unsuccessful. 
 
 " I fear you are mistaken, Chiffinch," said 
 the king, after a close scrutiny of a little party 
 seated at one of the tables. "La Belle Stuart 
 would not come hither. I know that Price and 
 Jennings and Wells are given to gad-about 
 tricks, but that the stately Lady Frances should 
 join in such a frolic I can scarce believe. If 
 she is here, however, I cannot fail to discover 
 her, for, though of course she will be masked, 
 that tell-tale mole upon her chin will disclose 
 her identity." 
 
 " I am certain that I am not mistaken, your 
 majesty," began Chiffinch. 
 
 "Take care," interrupted the king, warn- 
 ingly. " Use no titles here. You may be over- 
 heard. Ah ! there is a bevy of fair ones we 
 have not seen before. We may have better 
 luck with them." 
 
 And better luck, if luck it could be called, 
 they did have, for in one of the fair ones the 
 king discovered the lady he was looking for. 
 
 At the prying, impertinent glances of the 
 rough looking sailor, the queen in alarm seized 
 'Lady Frances' arm. 
 
 "You were right," she whispered. "We
 
 LB ROI S'AMUSE. 185 
 
 have done wrong to venture into this place. 
 Let us return." 
 
 Mistresses Jennings and Wells, however, did 
 not share their royal mistress' opinion. They 
 were delighted that some one should be rude to 
 them, for there. had been no sport in sitting 
 mumchance and eating cakes at a table. 
 
 The attendant cavaliers, Etherege and Ogle, 
 were on thorns at the insolent manner of the 
 unprepossessing stranger. If any harm should 
 come to the queen, their fortunes were marred 
 forever. 
 
 ''Your pardon, sir," said Ogle, stepping be- 
 tween the intruder and the ladies, " we would 
 be private." 
 
 " Tush, man. Such a flock of vizards needs 
 a better shepherd than you," was the bold re- 
 sponse. 
 
 " How now, you saucy jack," exclaimed 
 Etherege, drawing his sword. "Stand back or 
 I'll break my rapier about your ears." 
 
 But before he could put his threat into execu- 
 tion he was plucked by the sleeve, and a voice 
 which he recognized as that of Chiffinch mut- 
 tered low in his ear : 
 
 "Have a care, Sir George. It is the king." 
 
 The point of the rapier was instantly lowered 
 and Etherege would have knelt had not the 
 king prevented him by a rapid gesture.
 
 186 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 The ladies meanwhile stood huddled together, 
 the giddy maids of honor rather enjoying the 
 excitement, while Lady Frances was annoyed 
 and the queen frightened. None of them had 
 the least suspicion of the identity of the 
 stranger. 
 
 " Let us go ! Let us go ! " whispered the 
 queen to Frances. But before they could make 
 a movement the ill-favored individual was close 
 to them and was addressing them in a some- 
 what guttural voice : 
 
 "Your pardon, fair ladies; but seeing that 
 you have not sufficient protection in this ill- 
 mannered place, I venture to put my sword and 
 myself at your command." 
 
 Frances glanced about for Etherege and Ogle, 
 but those gentlemen were deep in conversation 
 with the maids of honor, and to her amazement 
 and indignation had apparently left the queen 
 and herself to extricate themselves. 
 
 This man must be got rid of at once, how- 
 ever; so, advancing a little, in order to shield 
 the queen, Lady Frances said proudly and 
 coldly : 
 
 "We accept no protection from strangers." 
 
 "Strangers!" retorted the unknown, and 
 there was something in the voice now, dis- 
 guised as it was, that struck Lady Frances as 
 strangely familiar. " Strangers ! Perhaps I am
 
 LE ROI S' AMUSE. 187 
 
 not such a stranger as you think. Nay, I know 
 that black vizard intimately." 
 
 Lady Frances, to gain time, was forced to re- 
 ply, although she was burning with anger at 
 the neglect of those who should have protected 
 them from such annoyance. 
 
 "The mask, perhaps, but not the wearer," 
 she said. 
 
 " Are you so sure ? Shall I guess ? " 
 
 The queen, who was just behind Frances, 
 grasped her hand beneath the cover of her 
 domino, as if to say, "Should he discover us?" 
 
 "Fear nothing," whispered Frances, with a 
 reassuring pressure, "this is no courtier." 
 
 But, low as the words were spoken, the king 
 caught them. 
 
 " No courtier ! " he retorted, repressing a 
 laugh. " No ! no more a courtier than you are 
 court ladies. How could you be, indeed ? The 
 ladies of the court are too discreet to venture in 
 such places. They take pattern after the queen 
 and that paragon of virtue, La Belle Stuart." 
 
 Lady Frances started. This was becoming 
 serious. Who could this man be ? Did he know 
 them ? Before she could decide what to do, her 
 tormentor continued : 
 
 " Courtier or not, you'll find me the most de- 
 voted of slaves, the most amusing of compan- 
 ions. I'll sing you the latest song, tell you the
 
 188 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 story of the last new play, or give you the last 
 bit of court gossip. The latter concerns that 
 same Lady Frances. Listen, ladies, you'll find 
 it most amusing the pleasantest tale in life. 
 'Tis of how the king told his passion to the fair 
 and frozen Frances " 
 
 A low cry of horror and amazement rang out 
 on the air, and the queen hurriedly withdrew 
 her hand from the clasp in which it had lain. 
 
 "Sir, whoever you are, in pity's sake leave 
 us ! " implored Frances, in an agony of appre- 
 hension, and with a suspicion which was very 
 near the truth gradually forming in her mind. 
 
 "Nay, madam," replied the king, who, if he 
 knew Lady Frances, had not the faintest idea 
 who her companion was. "Nay, madam, if 
 you are not interested in my story, this lady ap- 
 pears to be. Let her hear how the fair and 
 frozen Frances preached him a sermon and laid 
 before him his whole duty to his wife ; how the 
 wicked king was abashed and had a minute's 
 mind to eschew gallantry and turn a good hum- 
 drum husband." 
 
 The queen again slipped her hand into that 
 of Lady Frances. Thank Heaven, she at least 
 had proved true. 
 
 "But the devil whispered a doubt if the 
 Stuart were as cold as she seemed," proceeded 
 the king, drawing closer, and abandoning little
 
 LE ROI S'AMTJSE. 189 
 
 by little his assumed voice, " and insinuated 
 that she followed her own diversions in secret. 
 So the king watched and watched, and Satan 
 watched, too, in the likeness of Will Chiffinch 
 and led the king to a certain garden, where 
 whom should he meet but this pink of purity, 
 this statue of snow, this Diana in a laced petti- 
 coat, Lady Frances Stuart." 
 
 Lady Frances by this time was in an agony 
 of fear and apprehension. She knew now who 
 the story-teller was. How could she stop him? 
 How could she prevent the queen hearing any- 
 thing further? Suddenly, to her horror, the 
 king grasped her arm and went on, rapidly and 
 passionately, his hot breath fanning her cheek. 
 
 " The king accosted her, she was masked 
 and thought herself unknown, and clasping 
 her wrist with one hand, he flung his other arm 
 about her waist." 
 
 As he spoke he suited the action to the word. 
 
 "Holy saints!" murmured the queen, stag- 
 gering back faint and weak, while Lady 
 Frances, struggling in the king's embrace, 
 cried aloud for help. 
 
 Etherege, Ogle and Chiffinch involuntarily 
 started forward, but the king fiercely ordered 
 them back, and, straining the helpless Frances 
 to his breast, pressed kiss after kiss upon the 
 mole which had made the mask useless.
 
 190 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 "I implore," pleaded Frances, desperately. 
 "Your majesty " 
 
 " So you have divined the truth. Yes, I am 
 the king, who henceforth holds Frances Stuart 
 as any other woman, save that he loves her 
 more than any other woman in the world." 
 
 But what was this ? A cry of anguish, a cry 
 of despair, and in a voice that pierced the 
 king's brain and restored him to his sober 
 senses, rang out the words : 
 
 " No ! No ! Not before my face ! Charles ! 
 Charles ! my husband ! " 
 
 And Lady Frances* companion, to whom 
 Charles had paid but scanty attention, reeled 
 and would have fallen had not Chiffinch sprang 
 forward and caught her in his arms. The 
 mask became unloosened and revealed to the 
 king's horrified gaze the white, drawn counte- 
 nance of his outraged wife. 
 
 " The Queen ! " 
 
 Lady Frances tore off her own mask and 
 faced him with blazing eyes. 
 
 " Ay, sir, the queen,''' she repeated, bitterly. 
 " Oh ! this was well done ! You have stained a 
 spotless honor and broken a loving heart." 
 
 To do the king justice, he was shocked be- 
 yond measure. Not for half his kingdom 
 would he have had such a thing happen. All 
 his better nature came to the fore. He seized
 
 LE EOI S' AMUSE. 191 
 
 the queen's cold hands and chafed them in his 
 own. 
 
 "Kate! Kate! my poor Kate!" he mur- 
 mured. " How came she here ? Would that 1 
 had known it ! ' Kate, look up ! Kate ! " 
 
 But for once her ears were deaf to his voice. 
 Pale, rigid, without consciousness, she lay in 
 Chiffinch's arms. 
 
 With a groan, Charles turned to the others, 
 who stood near by, hushed and horrified. 
 
 " Not a word of this, on your lives ! " he com- 
 manded in a choked voice. " Her name must 
 not be mentioned here. That pavilion is 
 empty. Bear her in there ! We will send for 
 Pierce at once ! Bear her in ! Gently ! gently I " 
 
 Into the pavilion they carried the poor wom- 
 an, while Charles followed, racked with anx- 
 iety and shame. Lady Frances was left alone. 
 How could she follow ! Poor queen ! Dear 
 mistress! Would she ever dare to look upon 
 her face again ! Oh ! what sort of a king was 
 this who dared to trample upon all that came 
 between him and his desires ! And what would 
 become of her? Who would ever believe now 
 that Lady Frances Stuart, who had held her 
 head so high, was innocent? And there was 
 no one to defend her ! No one ! No one ! 
 
 With a choking sob, she sank down upon a 
 neighboring bench and covered her face with
 
 192 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 her hands. Oh, Richmond I Richmond ! Yes, 
 he was right and she had been wrong. All 
 feigning was a mistake and led only to worse 
 ills. She would go to him ; she would humble 
 herself before him and ask his forgiveness, she 
 would 
 
 But at this point in her bitter reflections she 
 was startled by the sound of voices and laugh- 
 ter. She rose to her feet, hastily readjusted 
 her mask, and shrank into the shadows of the 
 shrubbery. 
 
 From her retreat she peered between the 
 leaves and saw coming toward her, with twa 
 male escorts, one on either side, a woman whose 
 uncovered face she at once recognized as that 
 of the chief actress of his majesty's playhouse. 
 But who was that on her right ? A fierce pang 
 shot through Lady Frances' heart. Yes, it was 
 Richmond ! Richmond, evidently in liquor and 
 with that woman ! She was not ignorant of the 
 excesses into which Richmond had plunged. 
 How could she have been, living in that hot-bed 
 of gossip and scandal, the court ? To be a devo- 
 tee of the winecup was bad enough, but to find 
 consolation in this way was worse. Ah ! he 
 had not loved her as she had loved him or he 
 never would have stooped so low ! Humble her- 
 self before him! Ask his forgiveness now I 
 Never I All was over 1 There was nothing left
 
 LB ROI S' AMUSE. 193 
 
 to her now but pride, silence and a breaking 
 heart. 
 
 Nell, Richmond and Pepys, who was the third 
 of the party, sat down at a table near by, and 
 Lady Frances could distinctly hear the actress' 
 merry words. 
 
 "A fig for Jacob Hall, after that! Why, 
 you have danced the breath out of my body ! 
 Order us some wine, sober Samuel." 
 
 "Ay," exclaimed Richmond, eagerly. "You 
 are right, my Florimel! More wine! More 
 wine 1 " 
 
 Even as he spoke, what was that noise that 
 broke dully upon the ear ? A low, far off, hol- 
 low boom. 
 
 "What's that?" cried Nell, starting in alarm. 
 
 Richmond started, too, but not from the same 
 sensation. 
 
 Again the sound was repeated. 
 
 Richmond rose hastily. 
 
 "It sounds like distant firing," he said. "I 
 will go and learn what it means." 
 
 " I like that man ! " said Nell, emphatically, 
 to Pepys. " He is not like most of your sex I 
 He is constant. Eh, mercy on me ! What is 
 this I " 
 
 The exclamation was caused by the appear- 
 ance of a poorly dressed figure, with gray hair 
 
 13
 
 194 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 and a patch over the eye, which was descend- 
 ing the steps of the pavilion". 
 
 " He's as old as the hills," said Pepys. 
 
 "Yes, old as father Time. I'll speak to 
 him!" for the figure had now advanced close to 
 them. " Ho ! there ! venerable father, where 
 are your hour-glass and scythe? " 
 
 "You here, Nelly?" was the response in a 
 well-known voice, which startled them both. 
 
 "Your majesty!''' 
 
 " Yes, but say nothing. Master Pepys, I rely 
 upon your discretion." 
 
 And he passed hurriedly on, only to be 
 stopped a few paces away by Lady Frances, 
 who, in her anxiety as to the queen's condi- 
 tion, emerged from her concealment. 
 
 "The queen, sire! How fares it with the 
 queen ? " 
 
 "Better, much better. She has recovered 
 consciousness. It is nothing serious. But let 
 me take you from this place. It befits you not 
 to be here." 
 
 But Lady Frances drew herself up proudly. 
 
 "As little as it befits your majesty. I will 
 gd alone." 
 
 Once again came that heavy, ominous rever- 
 beration. 
 
 "What's that?" exclaimed the king in sur- 
 prise.
 
 LB ROI S' AMUSE. 195 
 
 Scarcely were the words out of his mouth, 
 when Richmond hurriedly returned and, in a 
 voice which was easily heard by Lady Frances 
 and the king, announced to Nell and Pepys that 
 it was the roar of distant cannon, the Dutch 
 guns. 
 
 All were struck with consternation. This 
 was the first time that an enemy's guns had 
 ever been heard in the capital. 
 
 " Oh ! would I were a fireship to drive the 
 Dutchman out of the waters I" exclaimed Nell, 
 with fiery patriotism. 
 
 Boom ! Boom ! Boom ! 
 
 The muffled sound filled the king with anger 
 and alarm and drove Richmond, in his excited 
 state, half mad. De Ruyter in English waters 
 and he not there ? Ah ! it was to her that he 
 owed that ! But, ship or no ship, he would 
 hasten at once to the fleet. 
 
 " Good-bye, Nelly," he said, abruptly. 
 
 Nell looked up in surprise. 
 
 " What, already 1 The Dutch are not upon 
 us yet. Well, if you will, you will, but we 
 must have a parting health before you go." 
 
 " No ! " retorted Richmond, shortly. " Those 
 guns have sobered me. They ring the knell 
 of England's honor in my ears." 
 
 As the king heard these words, he flushed 
 hotly. But there was worse yet to come, far
 
 196 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 worse. As if seized by a sudden impulse, Rich- 
 mond snatched a beaker of wine and held it 
 high in air. 
 
 " A health, did you say, my Florimel ! Ay, 
 I'll give you a health!" he cried wildly, and 
 then continued, his frenzy increasing with 
 every word he uttered, and utterly oblivious of 
 all Nell's attempts to stop him. "Fill your 
 glasses high, for I drink to the memory of a 
 man, by birth a yeoman, but by soul an em- 
 peror. Raise your glasses high, dwarfs, for I 
 drink to a giant. While he lived, no Dutch- 
 man swept our seas, no profligate women lord- 
 ed it in high places. Drink, drink with rever- 
 ence and honor to the memory of the Protect- 
 or ! Ay ! the Protector ! the Protector of every 
 honest man and every chaste woman in the 
 land; and the scourge of cowardly soldiers, cut- 
 purse nobles and lascivious kings ! " 
 
 He raised the glass to his lips and drained it 
 to the dregs ; then flinging it crashingly from 
 him, he turned on his heel and rushed madly 
 away. Nell and Pepys gazed at one another in 
 horrified silence. This treason in the presence 
 of the king ! For his majesty was only a few 
 steps away and must have heard it all. 
 
 Yes, his majesty had heard it all. Amaze- 
 ment had held him rooted to the spot until 
 Richmond had finished his impassioned tirade
 
 LE ROI S' AMUSE. 197 
 
 and 'famished. Then, with a savage impreca- 
 tion, h<3 hissed between his teeth : 
 
 " 8ucli speeches as these lay the tongue that 
 utters them in the dust ! " 
 
 Lady Frances grasped his arm, and mur- 
 mured through white trembling lips : 
 
 " Oh ! heed him not, sire. He is drunk, he 
 is mad, and I am to blame for it ! " 
 
 But before the king could reply, Chiffinch 
 appeared, saying that the queen was quite re- 
 covered and had asked for his majesty. 
 
 Charles shook off Lady Frances' hand. 
 
 " Cromwell's health pledged in my presence ! 
 Ah ! he shall dearly pay for this ! Ay ! with 
 his life!" 
 
 And he was gone, leaving Lady Frances to 
 digest his words as best she could. A hand, 
 cold and unyielding as steel, seemed to-grasp 
 the poor girl's heart. The lights danced before 
 her eyes, the music seemed far, far away. 
 
 " Good Master Chiffinch," she said faintly, 
 stretching out her hands like one groping in 
 the dark, " take me home 1 take me home 1 "
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE REIGNING FAVORITE. 
 
 * < /"""^ AD'S my life, but this is scandalous 1 
 
 exclaimed -the king, abruptly entering 
 the apartment where Nell Gwynne sat, idly 
 strumming the lute and singing snatches of 
 song for her own amusement. 
 
 "What is scandalous, Sire? " she asked, cast- 
 ing aside the instrument, and rising to receive 
 her sovereign and lover. 
 
 Very pretty and girlish she looked, with her 
 auburn curls falling about her bright young 
 face. She wore a gown of white silk, brocaded 
 with flowers and cut so as to display the soft 
 whiteness of her beautifully moulded neck and 
 arms. The robe was looped over a petticoat of 
 pale blue quilted satin, from beneath which 
 peeped a daintily shod foot. 
 
 The king was by no means blind to her 
 beauty, as fresh and smiling as a May morning, 
 and much of the irritation faded from his face 
 as his eyes rested upon her. 
 
 Day by day, Nell's ascendancy over the king 
 
 198
 
 THE REIGNING FAVORITE. 199 
 
 was increasing. She was a constant diversion 
 to him because of her good spirits and the live- 
 liness of her wit ; her musical laughter delight, 
 edand her unswerving fidelity satisfied him. It 
 was with the deepest sense of relief that he 
 turned to her after the exactions and caprices 
 of the Portsmouths and Castlemaines. 
 
 " What is scandalous, Sire? " 
 
 "See what was found attached to my door 
 this morning," and he tossed her a bit of paper 
 with writing upon it. " Read that. There was 
 a time when asses spoke; now they write." 
 
 Nell unfolded the paper and read as follows : 
 
 " Here lies our sovereign lord the king, 
 
 Whose word no man relies on, 
 Who never said a foolish thing 
 
 And never did a wise one." 
 
 " I wish I knew who dared write it," growled 
 the king. " He should dearly rue it." 
 
 Nell's gray eyes were sparkling with merri- 
 ment. She thoroughly appreciated the force 
 and the truth of the mock epitaph, and she 
 could not but be amused by it. 
 
 " It is the tomfoolery of that mad rogue, 
 Rochester, my life on it," she said, and then 
 added, demurely : " But your majesty should 
 not be angry at so flattering an effusion." 
 
 "Flattering!" flinging himself down in a 
 chair. "How so?'
 
 200 NELL GWYJS T KE. 
 
 "Do you not see the meaning hidden beneath 
 the words? I gave your majesty credit for 
 more wit. Why, there is no doubt about it. 
 The writer intends to imply that your discourse 
 is your own, but your actions are your min- 
 istry's." 
 
 The king laughed outright, his good humor 
 entirely restored. 
 
 " 'Fore Heaven, Nelly," he said. " I believe 
 you could find good in everything, and persuade 
 me that my enemies are my friends." 
 
 Nelly came and sat down beside him. 
 
 " There is one whom you consider your enemy 
 that I would fain persuade your majesty was 
 your friend at heart." 
 
 " Of what could not those rosy lips persuade 
 me?" 
 
 " Nay, your majesty, I am serious." 
 
 " By my faith, a miracle! Nell Gwynne 
 serious ! " 
 
 " Yes, your majesty, for I have a petition to 
 lay at your feet." 
 
 " Now, this is more and more astonishing. 
 You with a petition ! I expect that from Ports- 
 mouth, but not from my pretty Nell. Well, 
 what is it ? It is granted, of course." 
 
 Nell was silent a moment, and then, raising 
 her eyes, half pleadingly, half timidly, to the 
 king, she said seriously :
 
 THE REIGNING FAVORITE. 201 
 
 " I would ask the pardon of that poor, mis- 
 guided nobleman, the Duke of Richmond." 
 
 At mention of this name, Charles' face cloud- 
 ed over and he replied, brusquely : 
 
 " It is ill jesting on grave matters." 
 
 But Nell was not to be put off. She was 
 greatly interested in Richmond and his unhappy 
 love affair, and she had set her heart upon ob- 
 taining from the king forgiveness of the duke's 
 rash speech in Spring Gardens. 
 
 "Nay, I am not jesting," she said, earnestly. 
 " Oh ! forgive him, sire ! He meant not a word 
 of what he said ! I feel it ! I know it ! Think 
 of his position," she went on rapidly. <<He 
 loved his country, he was devoted to your maj- 
 esty's person, when, suddenly, through no fault 
 of his own, yes, through no fault of his own, he 
 was disgraced from his command that it might 
 be given to my lord Buckhurst. Think of what 
 he felt when he heard those guns and he was 
 not there. Thank Heaven, the Dutch have 
 been repulsed, but they would never have come 
 up so far again, had his grace of Richmond 
 remained captain of the Rupert." 
 
 The king was silent for a moment. He knew 
 that much that Nelly said was true, and he had 
 reproached himself before this for having too 
 abruptly deprived a capable officer of his com-
 
 202 FELL GWYNNE. 
 
 mand, at a time too when the fleet was in sore 
 need of capable officers. 
 
 " Still," he said, thoughtfully, "that is no ex- 
 cuse for his drinking Cromwell's health." 
 
 "No excuse, sire," replied Nell, quickly, 
 "But his fault is not beyond pardon. It was 
 the folly of a brain maddened by drink. In his 
 sober senses he never would have been guilty 
 of such a thing. Clemency is the prerogative 
 of kings, your majesty, and even his enemies 
 have never accused Charles of being lacking in 
 generosity." 
 
 "I have not defended my rights sufficiently, 
 Nell, nor been severe enough when occasion re- 
 quired. But that was perhaps the result of 
 laziness rather than generosity." 
 
 " Be lazy now then, sire, and refuse to visit 
 your displeasure upon Richmond." 
 
 Charles smiled and Nell knew her cause was 
 won. 
 
 "You are a spoiled child, Nelly, and I can re- 
 fuse you nothing." 
 
 " Then the duke is forgiven?" 
 
 Ye es." 
 
 "And you will give him a new command? " 
 
 " Cormorant ! " 
 
 4 Will you ? Ah ! your majesty, a man of 
 parts doomed to idleness is as severe a blow to 
 his country as a lost battle."
 
 THE REIGNING FAVORITE. 203 
 
 "Where did that little head learn so much 
 wisdom ? Ah ! well. They all have their cap. 
 tains by favor. Why not you ? " 
 
 In genuine delight at the success of her suit, 
 Nell stooped and kissed the hand that rested 
 upon the arm of the chair. 
 
 " Nay, sweetheart," said Charles, with ten. 
 der gallantry, "not the hand, but the lips. 
 Here I am not the king, but Charles Stuart, 
 a wearied man who comes here to find rest." 
 
 " And it is not the king I love, but the man," 
 said Nell, softly. 
 
 " I know it ! I know it ! Ah ! Nell, would 
 there were more who were as sincere as you. 
 Your playhouse poet was right when he wrote 
 uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. My 
 child, I am torn to death by the clamors of the 
 people of England. What shall I do to please 
 the.n?" 
 
 Nell glanced up at him from under her long 
 lashes and then answered boldly : 
 
 " May it please your majesty, there is but one 
 way left." 
 
 "And what is that?" 
 
 " Dismiss your ladies, may it please your maj- 
 esty, and mind your business." 
 
 Charles started, but it was impossible to be 
 angry with Nelly 
 
 "Odds fish, I believe you are half right," he
 
 204 NELL GWY1STNE. 
 
 said, with a laugh. " But if there were only 
 some one whom I could trust with the execution 
 of public affairs all would go well." 
 
 " Indeed, there is a good, honest, able man 
 that I could name," replied Nell, with a sly 
 twinkle in her eye, "whom if your majesty 
 would employ and command to see things well 
 executed, all things would be soon mended." 
 
 'Indeed, and who is that?" asked Charles, 
 with some curiosity. 
 
 " One Charles Stuart, who now spends his 
 time in employing his lips about the court and 
 hath no other employment; but if you would 
 give him this employment, he were the fittest 
 man in the world to perform it." 
 
 Charles made a grimace at her and pinched 
 her pretty cheek. He could not but swallow 
 the pill, thus cleverly sugar coated as it was 
 with flattery. 
 
 " Since you are so wise," he said, half jesting 
 and half serious, "if you were in my place, 
 what would you do first?" 
 
 Nelly leaned her curly head upon a hand 
 which, for whiteness and delicacy of shape, 
 would have done honor to the finest lady of 
 quality. 
 
 "What would I do first?" she repeated re- 
 flectively. "Ah, that I know not. I was not
 
 THE REIGNING FAVORITE. 205 
 
 bred to the business. But I know of one thing 
 that I would certainly do at some time." 
 
 "And that? " asked the king, amused and in- 
 terested. 
 
 Nell's pretty face, usually so merry and 
 laughing, grew very, very serious. 
 
 " It is an idea I have had in my head a long 
 time," she said slowly, " a dream I long to see 
 realized. All about the city are poor disabled 
 sailors and soldiers who have fought your maj- 
 esty's battles, and some of them by their age 
 doubtless those of your majesty's father too. 
 Everywhere you can see them without legs and 
 without arms holding out their hands for 
 charity." 
 
 "A most remarkable achievement, truly, 
 Nell," remarked the king, slyly. " Men with, 
 out arms holding out their hands, eh." 
 
 " Tilly vally, you know what I mean," said 
 Nelly, making a pretty \noue, " I say it is a 
 shame," she went on, paying no further atten- 
 tion to the interruption, "that old men who 
 have fought at Edge Hill and Marston Moor, 
 and younger ones who can show that they 
 have bled at Naseby and Worcester, where 
 you were yourself, sire." 
 
 " Ay, I was there and ran away from Crom- 
 well with all the rest of them," put in the king 
 with grim humor.
 
 206 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " That is neither here nor there," continued 
 Nell, severely. " I say that it is a shame that 
 those veterans, covered with wounds and glory, 
 should be allowed to beg their bread in the 
 streets and sink into their graves without a 
 home to shelter them. I say it is a shame, nay, 
 a sin, fo let old sailors and soldiers carry about 
 their scars as witnesses of their king's forget- 
 fulness. Is it not cruel that those who, for 
 their king's sake, have left some of their limbs 
 in a strange country should have no resting- 
 place for the limbs they have in their own?" 
 
 The king was serious enough now. The 
 merry monarch's sins toward his people were 
 sins of omission rather than commission. He 
 was careless and thoughtless enough, but not 
 cruel or heartless, and a case of suffering or 
 injustice was rarely brought to his notice that 
 he did not make an effort to relieve the pain 
 and right the injustice. 
 
 While the plague was at its height, he sent a 
 thousand pounds a week for the relief of the 
 destitute multitudes who were ill or had been 
 turned out of work, and a thousand pounds a 
 week is no mean gift even for a king. 
 
 "What would you have me do, Nell?" he 
 asked, as Nell paused breathless. 
 
 Her cheeks flushed and her eyes kindled. 
 
 "What would I have you do?" she cried
 
 THE KEIGNING FAVORITE. 20? 
 
 excitedly. " I would have you do this, Charles ! 
 I would have you build a large, substantial, 
 commodious, genteel looking house on some 
 nice spot by the banks of the Thames, where 
 the old sailors and soldiers could live happy and 
 contented, where they should sit down to roast 
 and boiled every day and plum pudding on 
 a Sunday and an allowance for a little tobacco ; 
 ay, and a drop of grog too, to drink the health 
 of his majesty, God bless him ! for he would be 
 blessed I know 1 " 
 
 The king took the pretty cheeks between his 
 hands and looked into the brave eyes with 
 something suspiciously like a tear trembling in 
 his own. 
 
 " And Heaven bless you, my little Nelly," 
 he said in a voice that shook just a little, 
 " Would there were more like you I In your 
 face there is an eternal sweetness, youth and 
 air which never dwelt in any face but yours, 
 and your character is like your face. Your 
 dream shall be realized, my lass. The house 
 shall be built, my old faithful soldiers shall be 
 fed and clothed, and their scars shall be no 
 longer a reproach to their king. Ay, and 
 you, sweet Nelly, shall have the ordering of it 
 all." 
 
 " You mean it ? You will do this ! " 
 
 "Foide roil"
 
 208 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 And the king kept his word. For to this day 
 the Royal Hospital of Chelsea stands, an endur- 
 ing monument of the kindness of heart and ten- 
 der, unselfish solicitude for others of Eleanor 
 Gwynne, "the indiscreetest and wildest creat- 
 ure that ever was in a court."
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE! 
 
 THE truth of the old adage as to the turbu- 
 lent course of true love was certainly 
 most abundantly exemplified in Lady Frances' 
 case. The road the poor girl was forced to 
 travel those days was stony, rough and full of 
 briars ; for now she was not only called upon to 
 bear the pangs of estrangement from her lover 
 and the tortures of being placed in a false and 
 shameful position, but there was the added 
 agony of fear as to Richmond's probable fate. 
 The words he had given utterance to in his mad 
 fury were treason, treason to his country and 
 his king, and there was nothing less likely than 
 that the latter, under the circumstances, would 
 pardon them. For a moment Lady Frances 
 thought of going to Charles and interceding 
 with him for the offender, but a little reflection 
 convinced her that such a course would be 
 worse than useless. It would awaken again all 
 the king's slumbering suspicions, and would 
 only be adding fuel to the flame. 
 
 14 209
 
 210 . NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 Torn with anxiety she passed two forlorn, 
 miserable days. When she went to inquire for 
 the queen and tender her services, her majesty 
 refused to see her, and although she felt this 
 refusal keenly, it was not an unmixed grief, for 
 it enabled her to hide her white face and hag- 
 gard eyes in the privacy of her own apartment. 
 All her pride was gone, her haughty spirit was 
 bowed in the dust. She loved, and the man she 
 loved was in danger. In presence of such a ca- 
 lamity what mattered all else ? The indignities, 
 the suspicions, the insults even to which she had 
 been subjected s\ink into insignificance and 
 seemed petty enough now. She lived over 
 again the past her first meeting with Richmond 
 at her ancestral home, the gradual dawning of 
 her love amidst the hop gardens of Kent, the 
 rapturous hour when she knew that that love 
 was returned, the days of cloudless happiness 
 that followed, the outbreak of the war and 
 Richmond's departure to join the fleet, followed 
 almost immediately by her summons to court 
 as ward and kinsman of the king, the kindling 
 of Charles' hateful passion, Richmond's return, 
 and the ghastly succession of circumstances 
 which had culminated in her present despair. 
 She took out Richmond's letters, and with eyes 
 which the scalding tears ever and anon blinded, 
 read the lines so full of devotion.
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 211 
 
 Bitterly did she reproach herself that, misled 
 by her fears, she had ever deviated in the 
 slightest degree from the straight path of truth. 
 
 If she could but reverse the hour-glass of 
 time, how differently she would act. With 
 every moment of her despair, her love, over- 
 riding all else, grew stronger and stronger, until 
 it took complete possession of her body and 
 soul. 
 
 Oh, Jupiter, what are all thy thunderbolts; 
 oh, Minerva, what is all wisdom ; oh, Diana, 
 what is all thy pride, when compared to the 
 power of the frail bow and arrow of the little 
 blind love god ! When touched by thy winged 
 shaft, Cupid, the strongest, the wisest, the 
 proudest fall helpless and vanquished. 
 
 When the morning of the third day dawned, 
 Lady Frances could endure the suspense no 
 longer, and she determined at all costs to know 
 what Richmond's condition was, if he had been 
 arrested on a charge of treason ; to see him if 
 possible, speak to him, soothe his wounded 
 spirit, bring him back to belief in her, respect 
 for himself, force him to plead for the king's 
 pardon, and make him once more the Richmond 
 she had loved, loved still the star of chivalry, 
 the flower of manhood, the soul of honor. 
 
 In accordance with this idea, she muffled her. 
 self in a heavy cloak with a hood attached, and
 
 212 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 thus proceeded, alone and unattended, to Rich- 
 mond's house, which was only a short distance 
 away. The servant who answered her sum. 
 Tnons informed her that his master was out, 
 but had left word that he would return at 
 twelve o'clock. 
 
 Richmond had not carried into execution his 
 intention of joining the fleet, but had yielded 
 in this respect to the pleadings of Nell Gwynne, 
 who, resolved to use all her influence to obtain 
 his pardon from the king, had sought him out 
 the morning after his indiscreet outbreak and 
 had finally wrung from him a promise to remain 
 in London for at least three days. Richmond 
 was somewhat influenced in giving this promise 
 by the fact that the ominous sound which had 
 so disturbed him in Spring Gardens had not 
 been repeated during the night, and this au- 
 gured well for the success of his countrymen. 
 Later, also, he learned that the Dutch had 
 once more been forced back to the mouth of the 
 river. 
 
 As it wanted but a few minutes to the stroke 
 of noon Lady Frances asked the servant, to 
 whom she was known, to show her to the duke's 
 study, at the same time warning him not to 
 inform his master of her presence there. 
 
 When she found herself alone in the hand- 
 some, though somewhat sombrely furnished
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 213 
 
 room, she wa? suddenly seized with a qualm of 
 something like horror at the bold step she had 
 taken. For the first time it occurred to her that 
 her action might be misread. Full of nervous 
 anxiety she paced up and down, longing for 
 and yet dreading Richmond's appearance. How 
 slowly the seconds ticked forth from the tall 
 timepiece in" the corner. Presently her eye fell 
 upon a carved desk which was open and littered 
 with papers. Involuntarily she approached. 
 Before her lay a packet of letters tied with a 
 blue ribbon and a lock of hair, golden as the 
 ripened corn. Her letters ! and her hair ! How 
 well she remembered the day she had permitted 
 him to sever the soft curl. It was the day he 
 had departed to take command of the Kupert. 
 He had kept it and her letters too ! Perhaps he 
 had been reading them at the very moment she 
 was reading his. She snatched up the packet 
 and pressed it to her lips. Had not his hand 
 touched it? 
 
 But what was that noise outside ? A coach ! 
 It was he ! She hurriedly flung down the let- 
 ters and flew to the window. Yes, a handsome 
 carriage had stopped before the door. But who 
 was this alighting ? Not the duke, but a wom- 
 an, a woman young and fair. Lady Frances* 
 heart contracted with a spasm of jealousy as
 
 214 KELL GKWYNNE. 
 
 she recognized her. What was this actress 
 doing here? 
 
 She turned from the window in despair. 
 What had that lackey said? That the duke 
 had left word that he would return at twelve 
 precisely. It was an appointment then. Oh, 
 shame ! shame ! Hark, there were footsteps 
 outside. Great Heavens ! she was coming 
 there ! Lady Frances Stuart must not be dis- 
 covered in the house of the Duke of Richmond 
 by this play actress. Was there no escape? 
 Like a hunted animal she looked wildly about 
 her for some means of escape. At 'one end of 
 the room was a sort of alcove, a place that had 
 been used as an oratory by a former occupant 
 of the house, and the duke on coming into pos- 
 session had not disturbed it. The altar with 
 its candles and crucifix was still there. The 
 opening was draped with heavy velvet curtains 
 which fell in thick folds to the floor. Behind 
 one of these curtains Lady Frances darted, 
 maddened at the thought that she was compell- 
 ed to conceal herself, to hide her head before 
 this woman of the theatre. 
 
 She was not a moment too soon, for scarcely 
 was she in hiding, when a blithe voice was 
 heard, exclaiming: "Less ceremony, my good 
 man. I do not need your services. I can make 
 my entrance without a call boy," and fresh,
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE I 215 
 
 bright and smiling, like a ray of sunshine, Nell 
 Gwynne burst into the room. 
 
 "Humph!" she ejaculated, as she saw the 
 study was empty, "he is late. That is scarce- 
 ly courteous of his grace." 
 
 She drew up a chair by the fire and ensconc- 
 ing herself within, prepared to make herself as 
 comfortable as possible during the enforced per. 
 iod of waiting. 
 
 Lady Frances was on thorns. She did not 
 dare to move for fear of being discovered, and 
 behind that curtain she must remain, doomed 
 perhaps to be an ear if not an eye witness of a 
 love scene between Richmond and another. 
 
 But there was little of the lover in Rich- 
 mond's tone and manner when he finally 
 appeared. 
 
 " I am sorry to keep you waiting, Nell," he 
 said in a dull, heavy voice. 
 
 Nelly gave him a- quick glance. His face 
 was pallid and wan, but he had not been drink- 
 ing, at least that morning. 
 
 " What a solemn face," she said, gaily, "and 
 for the love of the saints, man, don't call me 
 Nell in those graveyard tones. I'm not the 
 knell that summons thee to Heaven or ahem t 
 the region beneath the stage." 
 
 Richmond sighed wearily. He was in no 
 mood for pleasantry.
 
 216 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 " I have kept my word," he said, flinging 
 himself down in a chair. "The three days 
 are up." 
 
 "You have been a good child," said Nell, 
 nodding her curly head approvingly, " and de- 
 serve to be rewarded. You may follow your 
 own inclinations now. Here, read that ! " and 
 drawing a paper from her pocket she tossed 
 it into his lap. 
 
 Richmond opened it mechanically and pro- 
 ceeded to obey; but as he read on, and saw 
 that the document was his reappointment as 
 commander of the Rupert in place of Lord 
 Buckhurst, who had been transferred to the 
 Royal Monarch, a fierce joy lighted up his 
 features. 
 
 "Nell!" he cried, breathlessly. 
 
 " Ah, that's better," she laughed. " That's a 
 very different sort of Nell from the other." 
 
 " And you have done this ! " 
 
 "Ay, and that's not all, although you don't 
 deserve it. The king has pardoned your silly 
 toast of the other night." 
 
 "The king? Does he know of it ?" 
 
 "Why, you silly, he was there himself I Ha 
 had come to Spring Gardens in disguise and 
 heard every word. But like the good, kind, 
 generous man he is, he has consented to for- 
 give it"
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 217 
 
 To the woman listening eagerly behind the 
 curtain this was good news indeed. In spite of 
 her awkward position her heart seemed unbur. 
 dened of a heavy weight. At all events, that 
 danger was removed. To Richmond it meant 
 much less. He had been in ignorance of the 
 king's knowledge. of what had taken place in 
 Spring Gardens, and, moreover, he was well 
 aware that he had become involved in a plot 
 which, if it became known, would doom him 
 to the scaffold. Still, he was commander of 
 the Rupert once more, and it would go hard 
 with him if a Dutchman's bullet did not save 
 him from the guilt of treason yet. The path 
 of honor was open to him once more ! No 
 more plotting and conspirators for him ! He 
 would die gloriously, fighting for his country 
 and the throne he had signed a compact to 
 destroy. 
 
 " How can I ever thank you," he cried to 
 Nell, his eyes on fire with enthusiasm. 
 
 "Repent and sin no more !" was the solemn 
 answer, delivered with all the gravity of a dis- 
 senting parson. 
 
 Richmond leaned over and took her hand. 
 
 ''You are a good girl and I love you.'* 
 
 Nell glanced up at him demurely from under 
 her long lashes. 
 
 " Love ! " she repeated, pursing up her rosy
 
 218 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 lips. " I doubt if you know how. He who 
 loves Nelly must not be jealous. I could never 
 endure gloomy eyes and a frowning brow. I 
 love sport too much for that. Jealousy is not 
 befitting a hero." She was looking straight at 
 him now, and the next words were spoken very 
 slowly and meaningly. " It drives him to mad 
 courses, drink, dice, and disgraceful compan- 
 ions." 
 
 Richmond started. He was silent for a 
 moment, and then he answered, the blood rising 
 slowly into his cheeks : 
 
 " Then you know ? " 
 
 " Why, bless your soul, of course I know I 
 All the world knows that you are eating out 
 your heart for the sake of that cold prude, 
 La Belle Stuart." 
 
 The duke winced ?- little at the mention of 
 that name, and then crushing between his 
 hands the paper which he held, he exclaimed 
 vehemently : 
 
 " Oh, cure me, Nelly, no matter how ! Teach 
 me to forget her, thinking of whom I forgot 
 myself. I have been mad, I am mad. She 
 is destroying me. Good, kind, honest Nelly, 
 help me to root out of my heart her who is 
 unworthy of any honest man's love." 
 
 "Humph!" said Nell meditatively. "Cure 
 you ! Well, perhaps. But before I physic you,
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE I 219 
 
 let me know the disease from which you are 
 suffering. So you love the Stuart ? Have 
 you loved her long? Have you been true to 
 her ? Odds bodikins ! What a question to ask 
 a man ! Of course you haven't. 
 
 But Richmond's tone was very serious and 
 his expression very sad, as he replied slowly : 
 
 "She was the very sun of my existence. 
 And now that that sun has set, the whole world 
 is dark for me forevermore. My love for her 
 ruled my whole existence. If I have resisted 
 temptation and led a severe life, it was that she 
 might have no occasion to blush for me. If I 
 have sought honor in war, it was that she 
 might be proud of my achievements. And see 
 now to what that love has reduced me. Com- 
 pare what I was once, when I believed in her 
 as fanatics believe in their God, to what I am 
 now a rusted sword, a ship breaking upon the 
 rocks, a duke drunken and worthless." 
 
 Nell looked at him curiously and sighed. 
 She envied him for a moment as she thought 
 half sadly that she could never love any one 
 enough to allow him to make her miserable and 
 ruin her life. 
 
 "Do not think of what you were," she said 
 aloud, " nor of what you are, but of what 
 you might be and what you are not. Come," 
 blithely, " if I am to be your physician, you
 
 220 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 must tell me all your symptoms, and any dan- 
 ger to which you have been exposed. What 
 has the fair lady done that you should be in 
 this terrible state of despair?" 
 
 " Done ! " retorted Richmond, violently. " Is 
 she not quoted in all mouths as the king's 
 favorite, and " 
 
 He stopped abruptly, for Nell had flushed to 
 the very roots of her ruddy hair, and he sud- 
 denly remembered to whom he was speaking. 
 He would have stammered forth some sort of 
 apology, but Nell stopped him with a gentle 
 
 " Never mind me ! Well, what besides ? " 
 
 " Seeing that I knew the truth, she influen- 
 ced the king to rob me of my command, to dis- 
 grace me publicly and force me to rust here, a 
 butt for the gibes and jests of the idle court. 
 But," smoothing out the commission and put- 
 ting it carefully away in the breast of his 
 doublet, "thanks to you, sweet Nelly, her plans 
 have come to naught." 
 
 " Ham ! Well, what more ? " 
 
 "What more? "repeated Richmond, in in- 
 dignant surprise. "What more? Is not that 
 enough? Her fair fame is soiled, her nature 
 is corrupted until she hates me whom once she 
 loved." 
 
 " The saints preserve us ! " exclaimed Nell, 
 lifting her hands in mock dismay, " how fast
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 221 
 
 you run on. Now listen to me," she continned 
 more seriously, "and let us see if I cannot 
 knock a little sense into that addlepate of yours. 
 Oh ! you men ! you men ! It takes a woman 
 to understand another woman, and the way to 
 do so is to put yourself in that other woman's 
 place. Now let us apply the test. I am Lady 
 Frances Stuart, though Heaven knows even on 
 the stage I never undertook so difficult a part. 
 You are my lover well, I do not so wholly dis- 
 like that. The king woos me ahem! Now, 
 if I favor the king, you are in my way. So I 
 say to the king: < Here's an ass that loves me, 
 but, luckily, he loves laurels, too. Make an 
 admiral of him. Send him to sea and get him 
 handsomely knocked on the head ! ' But say I 
 favor you " 
 
 "Well, what then?" eagerly asked Rich- 
 mond, who had followed attentively every 
 word she uttered. 
 
 " Why, then, my pupil, I keep you by my 
 side for my own pleasure and thereby check 
 to the king." 
 
 "Nelly!" 
 
 "What! Is daylight breaking in? Do you 
 realize at last what an idiot you have been? 
 Oh, well, I forgive you for it. You have had 
 no experience in love-making, and you are 
 something of a numbskull in knowledge of
 
 222 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 the sex. But that old Rowley and he has 
 had enough experience with the women, Lord 
 knows ! that old Rowley should have been 
 gulled by her into taking away your command, 
 that does amaze me. Well, it's lucky for you 
 both that I am not a man. I would have whip, 
 ped her away from under your very noses, you 
 pair of nincompoops ! " 
 
 While she was speaking Richmond's face be- 
 came transfigured, and, as she ended with a 
 burst of musical laughter, such a light shone 
 upon it as might irradiate the features of one 
 who, after suffering the tortures of hell, saw 
 the gates of Paradise suddenly open before 
 him. 
 
 " Nelly ! " he gasped once again, unable to 
 say more in the turmoil into which this revul- 
 sion of feeling had plunged him. 
 
 " Oh, you really believe now that your judg- 
 ment is not as infallible as you thought," said 
 Nell, with gentle satire. "Yes, almost any- 
 thing is possible, even what is most unlikely. 
 The skies may rain Burgundy, for instance, 
 Portsmouth may turn virtuous or Nell Gwynne 
 become a Puritan. All these things may hap- 
 pen, but one thing is certain the woman who 
 clipped your wings to keep you by her side 
 loves you. There is no doubt about that ! " 
 
 Richmond leaped impulsively to his feet.
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 223 
 
 The old fire had returned to his eyes, the old 
 ring of hope and joy was in his voice. He was 
 himself once more, the noble, honorable gentle- 
 man. The unworthy role of drunkard and 
 gambler was cast from him forever. 
 
 Another good action to be recorded in your 
 name, Nelly, to counterbalance the errors that 
 were more the fault of the age than of your 
 own sunny nature. 
 
 " May Heaven bless you for what you have 
 done to me to-day," exclaimed Richmond fer- 
 vently, and his words found an echo in the 
 heart of her who, pale and trembling, stood 
 concealed behind the curtain only a few steps 
 away. " What foul fiend led me to be so blind, 
 and not to see the truth. Your words have 
 carried conviction to my brain and heart. You 
 have taught me a lesson. I believe in her ! I 
 love her once again ! " 
 
 But, although his great grief had disappeared 
 thus as if by magic, the consequences of his 
 folly remained to be met. There still lurked 
 one drop of poison in the cup of his joy. 
 
 Even as he was exulting in his recovered hap- 
 piness, a servant entered with a note which was 
 to call him down to the earth again. 
 
 " This from the Duke of .Buckingham, your 
 grace/' 
 
 Richmond started. He had forgotten for the
 
 224 NELL GWTNNE. 
 
 moment the plot to which he had so foolishly 
 pledged himself. Oh ! what a triple idiot he 
 had been ! 
 
 With a frown and an impatient gesture he 
 took the note. Upon the outside was written : 
 Haste, post haste, and inside were these words : 
 Your lackey tells me you are engaged. I await 
 you below. Come to me on the instant. Our 
 sky clouds. Warehawk. Richmond tore the 
 paper into fragments and cast them into the 
 fire. A conspirator! Oh, why did he ever 
 plot? But now that his sweetheart was true, 
 he would engage no further in the desperate 
 business. He would see Buckingham and tell 
 him so. 
 
 " Your pardon, sweet mistress," he said, turn- 
 ing to Nell, who had been watching him nar- 
 rowly, and wondering what could be in that 
 note that had caused such a change in his 
 demeanour. "Your pardon, but the Duke of 
 Buckingham awaits me. I must see him, 
 but " 
 
 " But you would come back and talk further 
 of La Belle," interrupted Nell, anticipating his 
 thought. " Shall I await your return ? " 
 
 "Pray do. It would be a crowning charity." 
 
 Left alone, Nell rose and leaning one rounded 
 elbow upon the carved mantel gazed down into 
 the fire. The blazing logs upon the andiron*
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 225 
 
 cast a ruddy glow upon her, making her 
 auburn locks shine like burnished copper. 
 
 " I've lifted twenty years off that man's 
 head," she thought. 
 
 And she, the other woman, her haughty 
 ladyship ! Ah ! she would never know how 
 much she owed to the greatest coquette in 
 London. But if any one should tell her of 
 it, what would she think of it ? How would 
 she act ? And with her eyes fixed upon the 
 glowing embers Nell fancied she could see 
 her now, as with her queenly figure drawn up 
 to its fullest extent, she extended coldly her 
 white fingers, saying : " Here is your reward. 
 You may kiss the Stuart's hand." 
 
 And then 
 
 "Mistress Gwynne ! " fell in low, faint 
 accents upon her ears. 
 
 Nell, with a start, turned toward the place 
 whence the voice seemed to proceed. 
 
 Was she dreaming? There before her stood 
 the very woman of whom she had been think, 
 ing, but different, oh, so different to what she 
 had pictured her. There was no pride in that 
 humbly bowed head, no haughtiness in those 
 white, tear-stained cheeks, no coldness in those 
 trembling accents. 
 
 Nell's eyes grew round in amazement. 
 
 15
 
 1STELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "The Stuart ! " she murmured. " The Stuart, 
 or or her ghost !" 
 
 "It is I," came in faltering accents. "I, 
 Frances Stuart. I was behind that curtain." 
 
 In an instant Nell was herself again. She 
 realized that startling as the apparition was, it 
 was flesh and blood she had to deal with, and 
 no spirit. So, Lady Frances had been behind 
 the curtain ! Why, what the plague ! Then 
 she must have heard all. 
 
 "What!" and the tone and manner were 
 quite calm and composed. " Did you hide 
 yourself to listen? " 
 
 " Oh, no, madam," replied Lady Frances, 
 simply, raising her great liquid eyes, in which 
 there trembled something suspiciously like a 
 tear. " I was awaiting my lord, when you came, 
 and, fearing that you would expose me, I hid." 
 And then, after a pause, very softly: "I did 
 not know you then." 
 
 There was something inexpressibly touching 
 in the gentleness of this queenly woman, who, 
 from her stately dignity, had won at court the 
 epithet of the frozen, and Nell's tender heart 
 melted at once. 
 
 "Well, Lady Frances," she said, with a gulp, 
 and an attempt at a laugh, which was like the 
 ghost of Nell Gwynne's usual ringing laugh, 
 "for once the proverb has proved false, you
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 227 
 
 listened and heard some good of yourself. Well 
 well, the best I can do now is to call ray 
 coach and leave you to the duke." 
 
 But Lady Frances moved a step or two 
 nearer, and with a slight gesture of protest, 
 said reproachfully: 
 
 " What, before I have said one word to you ? " 
 
 For once in her life, Nell Gwynne, with all her 
 readiness and wit, was at a loss what to say or 
 what to do. She would have had no difficulty 
 had Lady Frances behaved as she had pictured 
 her doing. She could have met coldness with 
 coldness, arrogance with arrogance, for, when 
 she chose, Nell could play the disdainful lady of 
 quality with the best of them, but before this 
 sweetness and gentleness she was entirely dis- 
 concerted. 
 
 "Ah, I understand," said Lady Frances, 
 sadly, as Nell remained persistently silent. 
 "You think that I am ungrateful. You have 
 heard that I am cold; yes, I am cold to the 
 false-hearted, Mistress Gwynne. I live in a 
 court, where truth is unknown. But you have 
 showed me this day that there was a generous, 
 an honest heart not a stone's throw from 
 Whitehall. What, you turn away from me ? 
 You lay me under so huge a debt and will not 
 let me thank you ? That is unkind that is 
 unlike you."
 
 228 NELL GWYNISTE. 
 
 "Why," murmured Nell, too astonished to be 
 conscious of what she was saying, "why, it is 
 a woman like myself !" 
 
 " Of course it is," replied Lady Frances heart- 
 ily. "And what would you do if I had ren- 
 dered you such a service as you have rendered 
 me to-day?" 
 
 At this question, in spite of her emotion, Nell 
 took heart o' grace and managed to answer, 
 with what was after all a poor attempt at merry 
 bravado : 
 
 "What would I do? Something, I'll be 
 sworn, that Lady Frances Stuart would never 
 do." 
 
 "Well, what?" 
 
 "Faith, I should take the impudent jade 
 round the neck and give her two great smacks 
 on each cheek, ha ! ha ! ha ! " 
 
 Lady Frances, with her lips smiling, but with 
 the great tears trembling on her lashes, advan- 
 ced, and throwing her arms around Nell, who 
 could scarce believe the evidence of her senses, 
 kissed her warmly, not only on the cheek, but 
 on the lips as well. Then, overcome by all the 
 varied emotions she had gone through, the poor 
 lady broke down and, clinging to her compan- 
 ion, wept convulsively. 
 
 " Don't cry ! Don't cry ! " But Nell, by this 
 time, was whimpering too. "There's nothing
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 229 
 
 to cry about, save that I am not worthy of your 
 kisses. Let me go! You forget who I am?" 
 
 But Lady Frances only embraced her more 
 closely, and said, chokingly : 
 
 " Husk ! Hush ! I won't hear a word against 
 you even from yourself 1 " 
 
 " Dear lady, I love you/'" murmured Nell, 
 with a pathetic break in her sweet voice. " I 
 would die to serve you ! " 
 
 And sobbing together the two women lay in 
 one another's arms the maid of honor, with 
 the proudest blood of the kingdom in her veins, 
 and the child of the streets, with no blood at all 
 to boast of. 
 
 And so Richmond found them when he re- 
 turned from his interview with Buckingham. 
 As Nell caught sight of him she attempted to 
 release herself, but Lady Frances caught her 
 firmly by the hand, and, with her lovely face 
 still wet with tears, turned toward the duke, 
 who stood mute and motionless with bewilder- 
 ment. 
 
 "Yes, it is I ! " and at the sound of the voice 
 he loved so well, Richmond started as if sud- 
 denly awakened into life. "I was trying to 
 find words to thank this good heart, but could 
 not succeed. Oh ! forgive me, Richmond, as I 
 forgive you. How we have misunderstood 
 each other."
 
 230 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " My own noble Frances ! " exclaimed Rich- 
 mond, passionately. "You ask me to forgive 
 you me, an infidel, who doubted the sun be- 
 cause a cloud came between me and its glori- 
 ous presence. I " 
 
 "Nay, it is I who am most to blame. To 
 shield my lover, I stooped to deceive the king, 
 and I did not deceive the king and I did my 
 lover. Hereafter, Frances Stuart walks in the 
 one safe path, the path of truth." 
 
 " And I will prove my penitence by a life of 
 trust and devotion." 
 
 He opened his arms and in another moment 
 Frances was folded close to his breast. As 
 heart thus beat against heart, all suspicion, all 
 doubt vanished like mist before the morning 
 sun. They knew each other now, and once to 
 know was to know forever. 
 
 After the first transports of the reunion had 
 subsided, Richmond said to Nell, who was fur- 
 tively wiping her eyes : 
 
 " May Heaven forever bless you for what you 
 have done. We can never thank you." 
 
 " No, that we can't," added Frances, warmly. 
 " I shall never forget in the happy future what 
 I owe to Mistress Gwynne." 
 
 The happy future ! As Richmond heard these 
 words, he suddenly remembered the danger that 
 was hanging over his head. Buckingham had
 
 NELL TO THE RESCUE ! 231 
 
 come to tell him that a meeting was to be held 
 that very night, when the time for the uprising^ 
 would be fixed. 
 
 " Madman that I was ! " he muttered. " Cur- 
 ses on my hot head ! " 
 
 Lady Frances overheard the exclamation, but 
 of course she did not attribute the words to 
 their real cause. 
 
 " Nay, Richmond," she said, hopefully, " for- 
 get the past. Look forward to the future, 
 which seems so bright, so beautiful." 
 
 " Heaven grant it may be so ! " sighed the 
 duke. And then, encircling with his arm the 
 slender waist of his betrothed, he added wist- 
 fully and with exceeding tenderness : " It is 
 not for myself I am anxious, but for you, my 
 precious one, for you." 
 
 At this and perhaps aided by something she 
 saw out of the window, through which she had 
 been gazing Nell's brow, which for the last 
 moment or two had been puckered as if in deep 
 thought, suddenly smoothed itself out, and clap- 
 ping her hands together the fair actress ex- 
 claimed exultantly : 
 
 " I have it ! He is right, your ladyship, you 
 are in danger, but be ruled by me, and I'll set 
 you out of shot of the king. You must promise 
 to obey me, though, both of you ! "
 
 232 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "You have a right to my obedience," said 
 Lady Frances, with a smile. 
 
 "And a still greater one to mine." 
 
 Nelly's cheeks were flushed and her eyes 
 were dancing with excitement. 
 
 " Then you will be ruled by poor little Nelly, 
 great folks, upon your honor ? " 
 
 " Upon our honor ! " 
 
 " Then, upon my honor, ere the day is ten 
 minutes older you shall be married ! Ay, mar- 
 ried, as fast as priest and book can make you ! "
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 
 
 AT this astounding declaration Lady Fran- 
 ces flushed scarlet, and the duke stared 
 in blank amazement at Nell, who only laughed 
 and nodded her curly head vehemently. 
 
 " My own, we have promised to obey," said 
 Richmond, when he had recovered a little from 
 his astonishment, and finding the proposition, 
 startling as it was, decidedly to his liking. 
 
 " Married ! " stammered. Lady Frances. 
 " Now ! Impossible ! " 
 
 "Impossible!" echoed Nell, merrily. "Try 
 it ! You'll find it easier to tie the knot than to 
 undo it.'* 
 
 "Consent, Frances," pleaded Richmond, 
 " and make me the happiest man in the 
 world." 
 
 " It is too sudden." 
 
 " Would you sacrifice his happiness ? " asked 
 Nell. " I am quite serious. It is the only way 
 to avoid unpleasantness of all sorts. Your hus- 
 band can defend you, where your lover is 
 
 233
 
 234 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 powerless. No ! No ! your ladyship, you have 
 given me your word of honor and I shall hold 
 you to it." 
 
 But still Lady Frances protested. Such 
 haste was unheard of, unseemly. Besides, 
 there was no one to stand by her, no one to 
 give her away, no witnesses, no clergyman. 
 
 "I'll find them all," declared Nell, boldly; 
 " any sober gentleman will serve to play the 
 part of a father." 
 
 As she spoke, she ran back to the window, and 
 looking out, exclaimed with an affected start, 
 just as if the artful minx had not known it all 
 the time : 
 
 "Why, there is good Master Pepys and his 
 modest brother. How fortunate ! Just in the 
 nick of time ! They will answer admirably." 
 
 She threw open the casement, and, thrusting 
 out her head, called and beckoned Pepys to 
 come up. 
 
 Although greatly surprised at the summons, 
 Pepys signified his intention of obeying, and as 
 soon as she saw the secretary and his brother 
 entering the house, Nell withdrew her head and 
 returned to the duke and Lady Frances. 
 
 The latter was greatly perturbed, and the 
 duke was attempting to calm her and persuade 
 her to agree to Nell's proposal. 
 
 "I am thoroughly convinced," he was say-
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 235 
 
 ing, that it will be the best thing for us all. 
 Mistress Gwynne is right. I must be in a posi- 
 tion where I can defend you against unwelcome 
 suitors and evil tongues." 
 
 "Of course I am right," broke in Nell, decid- 
 edly. " What, are you still obdurate ? Oh ! for 
 shame, Lady Frances, when you promised so 
 solemnly to obey me. And I am sure this poor 
 fellow has suffered enough to deserve some re- 
 compense. Tilly-vally, you mean to marry him 
 some day. So, why not to-day as well as any 
 other?" 
 
 After a little more reasoning by Nell and a 
 little more pleading by the duke, who, as was 
 but natural, was even more eager to obtain the 
 lady's consent, Lady Frances reluctantly agreed, 
 provided that a proper clergyman could be 
 found and that the marriage be kept secret for 
 a time. 
 
 The duke was radiant with delight. 
 
 "Nelly, you've a heart of gold!" he ex- 
 claimed enthusiastically. 
 
 " Heart of a fiddle ! " retorted Nell, flippantly. 
 "But here is my smug-faced Samuel. Leave 
 me to manage him. Away with you to the 
 other end of the room. And stand firm, your 
 grace ! Don't let her change her mind, though 
 to do so is a prerogative of my sex that I have 
 always advocated."
 
 236 NELL GWY1STNE. 
 
 "Have no fear," replied Richmond, as he 
 obeyed and led the blushing Lady Frances over 
 toward the curtained alcove. 
 
 In another moment a servant appeared. 
 
 " Master Samuel Pepys is without, your 
 grace," said the man awkwardly, as if he were 
 not quite sure whether he had done right to 
 make the announcement or not. "He says 
 that the the lady called him from the win- 
 dow." 
 
 "Show him up, fellow," commanded Nell, 
 assuming her grandest manner. 
 
 The man stared, bowed and disappeared. 
 What could be the meaning of all this ? That 
 his staid master, who detested the sight of a 
 petticoat, should receive visits from two ladies 
 on the same day was bad enough, but that he 
 should allow one of them, and that one a play- 
 actress, to give his servants orders was worse, 
 much worse. He would leave the duke's em- 
 ploy to-morrow. 
 
 "You called, fair Nell?" began Pepys as he 
 entered the room with his usual pompous air. 
 And then, as he caught sight of the two other 
 occupants of the apartment, who were in suspi- 
 ciously close proximity, his round face grew full 
 of wonderment. With his keen scent for gos- 
 sip and scandal, he felt that there was some 
 mystery here which it behooved him to discover.
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 237 
 
 "The duke and Lady Frances Stuart to- 
 gether ! " he said, turning to Nell, who had read 
 his thoughts as easily as if he had given them 
 utterance, and who kept a tantalizing silence. 
 
 " Strange ! very strange," he went on as Nell 
 did not seem inclined immediately to enlighten 
 him. "After the affront put upon him at the 
 instance of the fair lady, I scarce expected to 
 find the duke in such close converse with her. 
 Indeed, as our sweet Will says, 'Tis strange, 
 'tis passing strange.' " 
 
 "There are stranger things yet for you to 
 learn, my dear Samuel," said Nell. And then, 
 as Pepys pricked up his ears, she added abruptly 
 and without further preamble: "This lady is 
 to marry that gentleman and you are to give 
 her away." 
 
 "Indeed, 'tis a merry thing," said Pepys, 
 chuckling feebly. " Ever at your jests." 
 
 "I am not jesting now, Master Pepys," re- 
 plied Nell, severely. " Indeed, it is the truth. 
 Lady Frances Stuart is to become her grace of 
 Richmond here, now, without delay, and as you 
 are the most convenient man for the purpose, 
 you are to act as father in the ceremony." 
 
 "Nell!" he cried, in open mouthed amaze- 
 ment. 
 
 " Oh I Nell me no Nells 1 But prepare to be
 
 238 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 useful and do a good action for once in your 
 life." 
 
 " Im possible." 
 
 And the wily, politic Samuel was really 
 shocked at such a proposition being made to 
 him. What, give Tier away, and to the duke of 
 Richmond, a nobleman who was in disgrace at 
 court? Preposterous! His majesty's ward and 
 a maid of honor was not to be given away like 
 a bona roba at a Fleet marriage. 
 
 It was in vain that Nell by turns cajoled, flat- 
 tered and threatened. He was firm in his re- 
 fusal. He had his own advancement to think 
 about, and, although Nelly's influence with the 
 king was great, he was confident that his maj- 
 esty would never forgive one who should play 
 the part of father at a secret marriage of La 
 Belle Stuart. 
 
 " I will take no part in such mad doings," he 
 reiterated with determination. 
 
 Nell was at her wits' ends. She was prepar^ 
 ing to storm at him in true Billingsgate style, 
 when suddenly there popped into her head a 
 recollection of the leaves she had torn from his 
 journal the night they had supped together at 
 Lord Buckhurst's. If she but had them now. 
 Stay ! This was the same petticoat she had 
 worn that evening. She clapped her hand to 
 her pocket and was rewarded by the crackle of
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 239 
 
 paper. She remembered now. She had read 
 them through on her return to her lodgings 
 (she smiled as she recalled what pretty read- 
 ing it was) and had then returned them to her 
 pocket for safe-keeping. Ah ! here was a 
 weapon that would force the perverse Samuel 
 to dance to her piping. 
 
 " You will take no part in such mad doings ? " 
 she repeated, rejoicing to think of his speedy 
 discomfiture. " Ah, say you so? " 
 
 "Nay, more,'* boldly replied Pepys, whose 
 fertile brain had conceived a scheme for earn- 
 ing the royal gratitude. " The king shall know 
 of this." 
 
 Nell slowly, very slowly, drew out the papers 
 and held them before the astonished and then 
 alarmed eyes of the worthy secretary. He rec- 
 ognized at once the leaves of his diary, which 
 he had already missed and to his great discom- 
 fort of mind, for he could only conjecture what 
 compromising statements they might contain. 
 
 Involuntarily he stretched out his hand to re- 
 cover them, but Nell was too quick for him. In 
 a trice she whipped the leaves out of his reach. 
 
 "Not so fast, my good Samuel, not so fast," 
 she exclaimed, triumphantly. " Stand farther 
 off! Nay, farther still! There, that will do. 
 I want you to be near enough to hear, although
 
 240 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 I know your ears are trained to distinguish 
 words at a great distance." 
 
 With the most irritating leisure, she smoothed 
 out the papers and then, with a sweetness quite 
 as exasperating to the anxious Samuel, she 
 said: 
 
 " So, my good man, did you say the king 
 should know of this ? Very well, then the king 
 shall know of this, also. Listen ! To Whitehall 
 
 and there in the matted gallery m-m-m . But, 
 
 Lord, to see how the poor shallow king is fooled 
 of them all, and what small respect he hath of 
 himself 
 
 " Nay, Mistress Nelly," protested Pepys, nerv- 
 ously glancing about with a fear that some one 
 might have overheard. 
 
 "And has grown of late, methinks, marvel- 
 lous ill-favored. His majesty will relish this." 
 
 Poor Pepys' teeth were absolutely chattering 
 now. He realized fully the mischief such words 
 could make. If the jade made public use of 
 the leaves, farewell to all his hopes of greatness. 
 There was nothing for him but to retire to the 
 country and cultivate cabbages. His occupa- 
 tion at court and in the public offices would be 
 gone. 
 
 " Prythee, for mercy's sake," he faltered. 
 
 But with deliberate cruelty his tormentress 
 paid not the slightest attention to his prayer,
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 241 
 
 but, turning over a leaf or two, proceeded ruth- 
 lessly with her reading : 
 
 " Thence to the Mulberry garden with Knipp, 
 telling my wife, poor wretch! that I had busi- 
 ness in the office. Mrs. Pepys will like that!" 
 
 Oh, the world of derisive emphasis she thre\f 
 into those last words. Nelly was enjoying her- 
 self thoroughly. Every writhe of the indis 
 creet diarist made her quiver with delight. 
 This was more sport than any comedy she had 
 ever acted in. 
 
 "Ah! here's admirable reading for his high- 
 ness : The Duke of York " 
 
 But Pepys could endure no more. He was in 
 the position of the frogs in the story, and he 
 hastened to get out of the way of the stones as 
 soon as possible. In other words, he capitu- 
 lated bag and baggage, leaving the cunning 
 actress complete mistress of the situation. 
 
 " Nay, nay, sweet Mistress Gwynne, hold ! " 
 he entreated piteously. " I pray you, no more. 
 Give me those leaves and I will do your bidding 
 in all things." 
 
 He was answered by a peal of silvery laugh- 
 ter, a sort of lo triumphe, as Nell waved the 
 papers victoriously above her head. 
 
 *So be it then," she cried gaily. "Do my 
 bidding and with a good grace. Tell the duke 
 you will act as his prospective father-in-law."
 
 242 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 Pepys advanced to Richmond, with rage in 
 his heart. Surely this wicked actress was his 
 evil genius. She was forever getting him into 
 scrapes. But he put the best face upon the 
 matter he could, and saluting the duke and 
 Lady Frances, he announced, as if he found it 
 the most delightful office imaginable : 
 
 "Fair lady, my good lord, I esteem myself 
 most happy to. be thus trusted; dispose of my 
 poor self as you will." 
 
 "I thank you, Master Pepys," replied the 
 duke, pleasantly, "and shall not forget the 
 service you thus render me." 
 
 There was not much balm in this for Pepys' 
 wounded spirit. The duke's influence at the 
 present moment was nil, and, when the mar- 
 riage he was about to make became known, it 
 was not likely to be increased. Politic Samuel 
 had but little sympathy for fallen greatness- 
 His thoughts were all for those who basked in 
 the sunshine of success. 
 
 "But the clergyman?" suggested Richmond, 
 addressing Nell, who had followed Pepys to see 
 how well he obeyed her commands. 
 
 Nell flashed a quick glance at her victim. 
 
 " Master Pepys, call brother John ! " she 
 ordered in a tone of authority that would not 
 be denied. "Oh! no evasions, please. They
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 243" 
 
 would be quite useless. I know he is outside. 
 I saw him ! " 
 
 Pepys hesitated. 
 
 ' Alack -a-day ! " he complained. " If the king 
 conies to know of it, the boy will be ruined." 
 
 Nell plucked his sleeve, and, with a grimace 
 of malicious glee, drew him a little aside. 
 Then, in a voice low, but painfully distinct to 
 the unfortunate man's tortured ears, she read 
 again from the journal : 
 
 " At the office, counting of my gains from the 
 last prizes. The Lord forgive me ! " 
 
 There was no help for it. He was caught 
 firmly in the toils, and must yield again. 
 
 " My brother waits without, and will be hon- 
 ored by this trust," he said to Richmond and 
 hurried away to bring the young clergyman,, 
 thinking gloomily to himself, "He's a ruined 
 youth." 
 
 As the door closed behind him, Nell gave full 
 vent to her merriment, in which Richmond and 
 Frances, in spite of the serious ceremony they 
 were about to take part in, could not help 
 joining. 
 
 " My poor, dear Samuel," she laughed. " how 
 you must hate your pretty Nelly now ! " 
 
 Now poor, dear Samuel, in spite of his 
 inward tremors, was not the man to betray his 
 humilation and fears to the innocent country-
 
 244 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 bred youth who looked upon his elder brother 
 with a respect that was akin to awe. 
 
 " It is a great honor for you, John," he said, 
 impressively, after he had informed the young 
 man of what was required of him, "Imagine 
 it! You are to unite a duke and a maid of 
 honor. It means great advancement for you, 
 great advancement. And you owe i j all to me, 
 don't forget that, John, all to me." 
 
 So it was with the deepest gratitude and 
 delight that the blushing youth appeared before 
 the distinguished couple he was to have the 
 honor of joining in the bonds of holy matri- 
 mony. 
 
 "Reverend sir," said Nell, becoming, sud- 
 denly serious, "has my good friend, your 
 brother, informed you that you are to marry 
 this gentleman to this lady?" 
 
 "Yes, madam," replied John, modestly cast- 
 ing down his eyes, " and I will bind them as 
 fast as e'er a bishop in the land. I have the 
 rubric in my pocket." 
 
 His quiet, unassuming manner quite won 
 Nell's heart, and she thereupon registered a 
 vow that no harm should come to him for his 
 share in that day's work, if she could help it. 
 
 While she was thinking this, Samuel whis- 
 pered eagerly in her ear : 
 
 "Now, give me the leaves."
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 245 
 
 But he reckoned without his host if he 
 thought for a moment that his cunning antag- 
 onist was to be caught in such a trap as that. 
 She knew the old fox too well ; so his demand 
 met with a peremptory refusal. 
 
 "What! Before the knot is tied. Oh! 
 no ! " 
 
 Pepys sighed dolefully. There was no 
 escape. But nevertheless, he managed to say 
 to his brother : 
 
 "John, you are marvellously favored in this. 
 Remember that it is all my doing." 
 
 " I am deeply bound en to you, brother,'" was 
 the fervid response. 
 
 Now, then, in with you, father and priest," 
 cried Nell, cheerily, holding back the curtain 
 for the two Pepyses to pass into the oratory. 
 Then, turning to the bride and groom, she 
 motioned them to follow, saying : "I will re- 
 main here and be your sentinel." 
 
 With a face radiant with happiness, Rich- 
 mond held out his hand to Frances. 
 
 " Come," he said, his voice tremulous with 
 the emotion lie could not wholly repress. "Oh, 
 my beloved, was ever man so happy as I? 
 And yet, perhaps I ought to bid you pause^ 
 reflect, ere you take this step. But how can I, 
 Heaven help me ! how can I ! " 
 
 With one long look in which there was a
 
 546 NELL G WYNNE. 
 
 world of the deepest love, the most perfect con- 
 fidence, Lady Frances laid her hand in his. 
 
 <' It were in vain if you did," she said firmly. 
 " I would not desert you now. The hand that 
 now takes yours throws down defiance to a 
 king, but, if destruction now comes, it falls on 
 us both together. Do you believe I love you 
 now?" 
 
 Something rose in Richmond's throat and 
 choked him. He could not speak, but she 
 needed no assurance. She knew and was con- 
 tent. 
 
 And so, hand in hand, the lovers entered the 
 oratory to take upon themselves the most 
 solemn vows that man and woman can pro- 
 nounce. 
 
 Nell let the curtain fall behind them. With 
 bowed head she listened to the impressive 
 words of the holy contract. How solemn the 
 lad's voice sounded ! Those were great words 
 they were repeating now: "Through evil 
 report and good report, for better, for worse, till 
 death do us part!" May that day be far off! 
 Heaven bless them both ! 
 
 Poor Nelly ! The thought that came to her 
 then was a bitter one, a more bitter one 
 perhaps than she had ever known. Never 
 would she stand thus before a priest. The 
 Church would never give her its blessing. No,
 
 HER GRACE OF RICHMOND. 247 
 
 so sacred a union was not for such as she. 
 She would live and die Nell Gwynne, and men 
 would speak ill of her. Who would ever be- 
 lieve that her heart was not all corrupt ? 
 
 " Oh, woe is me ! woe is me ! " she moaned 
 beneath her breath. " Heaven pity me t 
 Heaven help me ! " 
 
 Any one of her merry companions who had 
 chanced to see her then would have been sur- 
 prised indeed. What, could this be Nell 
 Gwynne, the blithe, romping madcap this 
 girl with the drooping figure, the sad, sad eyes 
 and the mournful lips that quivered so piti. 
 fully? 
 
 None of her companions did see her, how. 
 ever, and the only man who happened to do so 
 was too intent upon his own business to think 
 of the strangeness of her expression, even had 
 he chanced to notice it. 
 
 Major Wilding had entirely lost sight of his 
 convert for several days. Going to Richmond's 
 house he had insisted upon seeing him, and, in 
 spite of the protests of the lackey in waiting, 
 he had made his way to the study, where the 
 man said his master was, only to find it unten- 
 anted save for the pathetic figure of Nell 
 Gwynne. 
 
 Striding over to her, he demanded with scanfc 
 ceremony :
 
 248 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " The Duke of Richmond, madam ! Where 
 is he ? I must see him." 
 
 Nell turned upon the intruder a startled look. 
 Who was he and what did he want ? 
 
 The voice of the young clergyman, repeating 
 the concluding words of the ceremony, was dis- 
 tinctly audible. 
 
 Wilding heard it and made a movement as if 
 to pass through the arch, and before Nell could 
 check him he had drawn aside the curtain, 
 revealing the duke and the newly made duch- 
 ess standing before the altar. 
 
 Dropping the curtain again, and staggering 
 back as if he had been shot, he asked in a 
 hoarse whisper : 
 
 "The duke and the Stuart! What does he 
 with that woman? " 
 
 "Hush!" said Nell, gravely. "Man and 
 wife!"
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE PLAGUE ! THE PLAGUE ! 
 
 ALL London was astir with life and gaiety. 
 Triumphal arches were erected in all the 
 notable thoroughfares, flags were flying and 
 guns and music sounding everywhere. It was 
 a day of rejoicing, for the Dutch war, which 
 had been such a burden upon the people, was 
 over and peace had been declared. Disaffection 
 was at an end and 011 all sides were heard ex- 
 pressions of loyalty to the crown. To be sure, 
 the terms of peace, although honorable, had not 
 been very favorable to England, but this was a 
 matter of secondary importance in the minds of 
 the general public. 
 
 The only ones who did not share in the pre- 
 vailing exultation were the uncompromising 
 republicans, whom nothing could turn from the 
 rigidity of their views, and the gentlemen of 
 high degree, who, for one reason or another, 
 had been led to join in the plot to dethrone the 
 king and re-establish the commonwealth. All 
 chance of the success of such a plot was now at 
 
 249
 
 250 NELL GWYlSnS T E. 
 
 an end, at least for the present. For the con- 
 clusion of peace had rendered the government 
 exceedingly popular and there was no possibil- 
 ity of an uprising now. While waiting for the 
 most favorable opportunity the signal had been 
 delayed from time to time until now it was too 
 late. 
 
 Many of the conspirators were exceedingly 
 uneasy and most bitterly regretted having 
 pledged themselves to such an undertaking. 
 Were the plot to be discovered, only a miracle 
 could save some of the proudest noblemen in 
 the land from losing their heads upon the scaf- 
 fold or being sent into exile. 
 
 An additional source of anxiety to the leaders 
 was the fact that Major Wilding, to whose care 
 had been entrusted the documents signed in 
 duplicate by the conspirators, had been missing 
 for more than a fortnight and all efforts to dis- 
 cover his whereabouts had proved unavailing, 
 
 What could this mysterious absence mean? 
 Had he been waylaid and robbed by highway- 
 men, or had he turned traitor and exposed the 
 plot to the crown ? 
 
 In any event there was serious cause for 
 alarm, and there was more than one quaking 
 heart amidst the pleasure seekers of London 
 that day. Of all those who had been prom- 
 inently concerned in the plot the only one?
 
 THE PLAGUE ! THE PLAGUE ! 
 
 who preserved his equanimity was the Duke of 
 Buckingham. That nobleman was as gay and 
 debonair as ever, and externally, at all events, 
 showed not the least trace of uneasiness. He 
 was not a man to be caught napping, however, 
 and probably he had taken precautions that no 
 harm should come to him, whatever might 
 befall his companions. 
 
 The great event of the day was to be a sort 
 of tournament on Bandstead Downs, consisting 
 of various trials of skill, strength and endur 
 ance, and to the Downs half the populace of the 
 town were flocking. 
 
 A most brilliant scene it was, for not only 
 was the king there, attended by his brother, the 
 Duke of York, and half the dukes of the king- 
 dom, but the queen and her ladies had like- 
 wise consented to grace the scene with their 
 presence. 
 
 On all sides was a flutter of silk and velvet, 
 the gay dresses of both men and women form- 
 ing a dazzling kaleidoscope of all colors imagin- 
 able. The royal favorites were out in full force, 
 and some of them did not escape the rough 
 jeers of the crowd. The Duchess of Ports- 
 mouth, who was known to be a papist and was 
 strongly suspected of being an envoy of the 
 French king, came in for the greatest share of
 
 252 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 the abuse and once narrowly escaped personal 
 violence. 
 
 Nell Gwynne was there, too, but she was 
 spared the scurrilous remarks addressed to the 
 other ladies in the same state of preferment, 
 for Madam Ellen, as she was generally known, 
 was the idol of the public, both on and off the 
 stage. 
 
 With her was Mistress Knipp of the Duke's 
 Theatre and Samuel Pepys. The good man 
 had long since recovered the missing leaves 
 of his journal and to-day he was enjoying him- 
 self to the utmost, for was not his wife ill at 
 home and Knipp in her pleasantest temper ? 
 
 Amidst all the vast multitude, however, there 
 was not one heart that beat higher with happi- 
 ness than that of Lady Frances Stuart, for we 
 shall continue to call her by that name although 
 she had now a right to a loftier title. 
 
 The war was over, and to-morrow her hus- 
 band would return from the Rupert, crowned 
 with the laurels he had so justly won. Together 
 they would confess the truth to the king and 
 throw themselves upon his clemency. Since 
 the unfortunate scene in Spring Gardens, the 
 king had almost entirely ceased forcing his 
 attentions upon her, and Lady Frances was 
 beginning to hope that his passion had been an 
 ephemeral thing which was now dying out.
 
 THE PLAGUE! THE PLAGUE! 253 
 
 Moreover, if this were not true, how, save by 
 excluding them from court, which was no great 
 hardship, could he injure herself or her hus- 
 band ? The days were gone by when an Eng- 
 lish monarch could imprison a man or send him 
 to the scaffold for a mere whim. The laws 
 now shielded Englishmen so long as they did 
 not infringe them. Of course, Lady Frances was 
 in blissful ignorance of Richmond's mad action 
 in joining a conspiracy against his king. If 
 she had known of this, her mind would scarce- 
 ly have been so much at ease, but what the eye 
 does not see the heart does not grieve for, and 
 so she looked happily and confidently forward 
 to the future. 
 
 The honeymoon had been very short, in fact 
 there had been scarcely any honeymoon at all, 
 for the very day after the hurried wedding, the 
 duke had departed to resume command of his 
 ship, and his wife had not seen him since. 
 This was two months ago, but the enforced 
 separation was now nearly at an end, and the 
 war being over, there need be no further part- 
 ing. 
 
 Two days after the wedding, Lady Frances, 
 without asking leave or license, went boldly to 
 the queen's withdra wing-room, and entering, 
 without being announced, found her majesty
 
 254 NELL GWYSTKE. 
 
 alone with no attendant save Winifred Price, 
 who was reading to her. 
 
 The queen turned very white as she saw who 
 the intruder was, and the maid of honor, in 
 astonishment, paused in her occupation. 
 
 " Mistress Price," said Frances, calmly, 
 " may I ask you to leave me alone a short time 
 with her majesty?" Winifred was at a loss for 
 a moment what to do, but as the queen said 
 nothing, she finally rose and left the room. 
 
 As soon as the door closed, Frances threw 
 herself down by the queen's side and took her 
 hands in her own. 
 
 " Dear mistress," she said, softly, "it breaks 
 my heart to have incurred your disfavor." 
 
 The queen's face was averted, and she made 
 no reply. 
 
 " I have dared to brave your further dis- 
 pleasure," continued Frances, "by coming to 
 you in spite of your refusal to see me. There 
 must be no misunderstanding between you and 
 me." 
 
 The queen made a movement as if to with- 
 draw her hands, but Frances held them fast 
 and would not release them. 
 
 " I trusted you," murmured Catharine, in 
 trembling tones. 
 
 " And you may trust me still. How can you 
 doubt me ? After all, what have I done ? "
 
 THE PLAGUE! THE PLAGUE! 255 
 
 "He he loves you." 
 
 "Loves me! No ! It is a fancy, that is all. 
 "When you were taken ill, whom was it he 
 thought of? You, and you alone. Could you 
 have but heard the tone in which he cried, ' My 
 poor Kate ! ' you would have been convinced that 
 he is not indifferent." 
 
 At this the poor woman turned eagerly with 
 3, rosy flush upon her cheeks. The ,!east ray of 
 hope was a joy to her heavy heart. 
 
 " I am sure," continued Frances, truthfully, 
 "that he bitterly regrets his words and 
 actions." 
 
 " But you? How can you fail " y 
 
 "Dear mistress, I understand. But because 
 he is the one man in the world to you it does 
 not follow that he is that to all other women. 
 You heard what he said that night, and he did 
 me but justice. Beside there there is another." 
 
 " Lady Frances ! " 
 
 "That is not my name now," replied Frances, 
 blushing like a rose. " I am the Duchess of 
 Richmond." 
 
 And then she made a full confession to the 
 astonished and no less delighted queen. When 
 she had finished, Catharine kissed her raptur- 
 ously. 
 
 " Thank Heaven," she said, " that you have 
 told me this. Oh ! Frances, how I have mAssed
 
 256 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 you ! You don't know how I have pined for 
 your true heart. But I will never doubt you 
 again." 
 
 And then the two gossiped, laughed and cried 
 together to their hearts* content, for woman's 
 nature is the same all the world over, be it in 
 palace or hovel. 
 
 So, peace was cemented, and Lady Frances 
 returned to her position as confidant and favor- 
 ite maid of honor, and, of course, was one of 
 those to accompany the queen to Bandstead 
 Downs on the day of the peace celebration. 
 
 The wrestling, quoit-throwing and grinning 
 matches were over. The foot-race between a 
 lackey of the Duke of Buckingham and a tyler, 
 who was a famous runner, had been run and 
 won by the former, thereby causing a large loss 
 to the king and the Duke of York, who had bet 
 three to one on the tyler. 
 
 And now came the bear-baiting, a diversion 
 which had recently been revived. It was a vil- 
 lainous sport and one that had been held in 
 peculiar detestation by the Puritans, though it 
 must be confessed more on account of the pleas- 
 ure it gave the spectators than the suffering it 
 caused to the bear. 
 
 Lady Frances did not care to see this, and 
 after asking the permission of the queen, who as 
 a native of Portugal was accustomed to the idea
 
 THE PLAGUE! THE PLAGUE! 257 
 
 of even more brutal entertainments, she per- 
 suaded two of the gentlemen in waiting to 
 accompany herself and Winifred Price in a 
 stroll about the meadows until that part of the 
 entertainment should be concluded. 
 
 It was a beautiful day in early summer and 
 the grass was fresh and green and dotted with 
 flowers. The little party left behind them the 
 crowd and the two young women removed their 
 masks and drank in long draughts of the pure 
 fresh air. 
 
 Lady Frances was in the highest of spirits, 
 and Winifred Price, who was not in the secret, 
 was astonished at the way her usually sedate 
 ladyship laughed and chattered, like the gid- 
 diest of the maids of honor. 
 
 One of the gentlemen with them was a young 
 poet and dramatist named Otway, whose trag- 
 edy of Don Carlos had met with enormous 
 success and brought him in large sums of 
 money. The other was Sir George Etherege. 
 
 The conversation naturally turned upon the 
 theatre. 
 
 " I did so enjoy your play, Mr. Otway/' said 
 Mistress Price, turning her big black eyes 
 admiringly upon Otway, for the young fellow 
 was exceedingly handsome, and the fair Wini- 
 fred was a connoisseur in manly beauty, as in- 
 deed, from her vast experience, she ought to 
 
 17
 
 258 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 have been. " Are we not soon again to be de. 
 lighted with a product of your pen ? " 
 
 " A new play is very shortly to be produced 
 at the King's House," replied Otway. 
 
 "Oh, do tell us about it!" exclaimed Wini- 
 fred, with another killing glance, which made 
 Etherege scowl, for he was somewhat enamour- 
 ed of the charms of the young lady, and, more- 
 over, being a dramatist himself, it annoyed him 
 to see so much interest taken in the work of a 
 rival. 
 
 "It is a comedy this time,'* said Otway, who 
 could not but be flattered at the undisguised 
 admiration of the pretty maid of honor, " and it 
 is called 'The Cheats of Scapin.' " 
 
 "Scapin," observed Lady Frances. "That 
 sounds like Moliere." 
 
 "Yes, and so it is. I have arranged it from 
 one of Moliere's comedies." 
 
 " It will be hard to find players to equal those 
 of Paris." 
 
 And this was true enough, for two hundred 
 years ago as well as to-day Paris was unrivaled 
 in almost all the branches of art. 
 
 " Lacy is Scapin," replied Otway, "and Hart 
 plays also, and of course Nell Gwynne. No 
 comedy can hope to succeed without her." 
 
 Now it chanced that a few days before it had 
 been mentioned in ths presence of the acter
 
 THE PLAGUE ! THE PLAGUE ! 259' 
 
 that it was rumored that "Winifred Price had 
 turned Papist and confessed all her love affairs, 
 at which Nell had smiled and remarked : 
 "What a wonderful memory ! " 
 
 This retort had been repeated to Winifred 
 and naturally had not been greatly relished by 
 her. So, when the actress* name was men- 
 tioned, she turned up her pretty nose with an 
 air of disdain. 
 
 "For my part,'* she said, scornfully, "I could 
 never see anything to admire in that woman. 
 On the stage she is coarse and shows the low- 
 ness of her origin, and off, I am sure, her actions 
 are shocking. She should return to the part 
 that most befits her an orange wench ! " 
 
 Scarcely were the words out of her mouth, 
 when to her amazement, as well as that of the 
 gentlemen, Lady Frances turned upon her with 
 flashing eyes. 
 
 " Not a word against Mistress Gwynne in my 
 presence ! She has a heart of gold, and as to her 
 actions, many of them at least might be imi- 
 tated to advantage by ladies of rank and birth." 
 
 "Indeed!" said Mistress Price, biting her lip. 
 "I crave your pardon, Lady Frances. I did 
 not know that " 
 
 But with a little cry, she broke off short. 
 They ha,d walked across the meadow and 
 were close to a brook, beyond which was a
 
 260 NELL GWYNITE. 
 
 Wood, intersected here and there with foot- 
 paths. The cause of Mistress Price's dismay 
 was the sudden appearance on the edge of this 
 wood of a man and two women, who came 
 hurrying toward them with every symptom of 
 alarm. 
 
 As they came closer, the man was seen to be 
 Samuel Pepys. His round face was pale with 
 terror and he was puffing and blowing with his 
 Unwonted exertion. He did not stop, however, 
 but screamed out, as he hurried on : 
 
 "Fly ! Fly for your lives ! The plague! The 
 plague! " 
 
 With a shriek, Winifred Price gathered up 
 her skirts, and set off at the top of her speed, 
 followed by Otway and Etherege. 
 
 Lady Frances was about to imitate their ex- 
 ample, when she noticed that one of the ladies 
 who had been with Pepys had stumbled on the 
 edge of the brook, and was striving to extricate 
 herself from the slippery rushes. Frances hur- 
 ried toward her, and, giving her her hand, 
 assisted her to rise. As she did so she recog- 
 nized the lady. 
 
 " Mistress Gwynne ! " 
 
 " Lady Frances ! Pardon me Your grace ! " 
 
 It was the first time that the two women had 
 met since the memorable day at the Duke of 
 Richmond's house.
 
 THE PLAGUE! THE PLAGUE! 261 
 
 " Lady Frances, we must not remain here. 
 One stricken with the plague has escaped from 
 his house. We were on the other side of the 
 wood, and the people were flying in all direc- 
 tions. Ah! see! see!" as a figure emerged 
 from the wood and staggered toward them, "he 
 comes this way. Quick ! let us save ourselves ! " 
 
 Lady Frances seized Nell's hand and started 
 to run, but they had not taken two steps when 
 the actress uttered a cry of pain and stopped 
 short. 
 
 " Oh ! I have wrenched my ankle. It is im- 
 possible for me to run. But go, Lady Frances, 
 for the love of the saints, go ! " 
 
 But not one inch would Frances budge. 
 Never would she abandon in her need the 
 woman through whose instrumentality she had 
 been raised from misery to happiness. Besides, 
 it was too late now, for the man was close upon 
 them. A most pitiable and terrifying sight he 
 was. His eyes were rolling in delirium, his 
 thin, lantern- jawed face was haggard and white 
 as that of a corpse, and his scanty garments 
 were torn into shreds by his mad passage 
 through the underbrush. 
 
 With wildly waving arms and uttering dis- 
 cordant shrieks he reeled forward only to fall 
 prostrate almost at the very feet of the two ter- 
 rified women. Lady Frances threw her arms?
 
 262 NELL GWYJSTNE. 
 
 about Nell's slender waist and half carried, 
 half dragged her out of reach of the touch of 
 the infected unfortunate. 
 
 Nell gave one glance at him, and then said, 
 in a horrified whisper : 
 
 "I know him. It is Major Wilding." 
 
 And so, indeed, it was. The major had been 
 stricken with the fell disease some weeks before, 
 and had been taken to the pest house, from 
 which he had managed to escape, and in his de- 
 lirium had rushed aimlessly along, scattering 
 dismay and terror in his wake. 
 
 " Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! " yelled the poor wretch, roll- 
 ing wildly upon the ground and tearing up the 
 grass by handfuls. " The fiends fly from me ! 
 I have escaped them at last ! Avaunt thee, Sa- 
 thanas ! I am strong smite, smite, and spare 
 not ! The father's head fell ; why not the son's? 
 The papers ! Where are the papers ? Have we 
 not all signed them? There are no traitors 
 among us ! No ! no traitors !" 
 
 Each word was distinctly audible to Frances 
 and Nelly as they stood clinging to one another 
 in panic-stricken silence. 
 
 "Hark! Hark!" went on Wilding, his voice 
 sometimes rising to a shriek, sometimes sinking 
 almost to a whisper. " For God and the people ! 
 Down with the libertine king ! How they 
 sc^am and throw up their caps ! Hush ! Hush 1
 
 THE PLAGUE ! THE PLAGUE ! 263 
 
 Not yet, good friends, not yet ! The papers ! I 
 must see the papers safe first. Where is the 
 duke? He does not come. I must see him! 
 The duke ! the papers ! the duke ! " 
 
 The sun was sinking, a golden ball in a sea 
 of purple and crimson glory, and the trees 
 threw their long shadows over the scene. It 
 was very still. The games must be over, for no 
 sound was borne on the quiet evening air from 
 the Downs. 
 
 "I can walk now," whispered Nell. "Come!" 
 
 " Wait ! One moment ! " returned Lady Fran- 
 ces, in whose mind the ravings of Wilding had 
 raised a suspicion. " Hush ! He is speaking 
 again!" 
 
 " It is growing dark lights ! Lights, there, I 
 say ! Ah ! what fire is this in my brain and 
 in my heart? Water! water! for the love of 
 Heaven, water ! The papers ! See them safe ! 
 Ah ! a fiery hand has me by the throat ! Water ! 
 I'm burning, burning ! Water ! The papers ! 
 Water ! Water ! Will no Christian bring me 
 water?" 
 
 11 Poor soul ! " murmured Lady Frances, com- 
 passionately. "Wait! I will bring you water." 
 
 "Oh! no! no!" exclaimed Nell. "Not you! 
 Let me go ! " 
 
 But, before she could prevent her, Frances 
 had hurried away to the brook. Removing her
 
 264 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 hat, she tore off its broad brim, and filling the 
 receptacle thus formed she returned to the 
 stricken man's side and held the water to his 
 lips. 
 
 "Wilding raised himself painfully on one el- 
 bow, drank long and greedily, and then,, with a 
 shuddering sigh, sank back again upon the 
 ground. 
 
 "And angels came and ministered unto him," 
 he muttered, far more calmly than he had 
 spoken heretofore. "The papers! Would that 
 the papers were safe ! " 
 
 As he spoke he fumbled with feeble fingers at 
 the bosom of his shirt, and finally drew out a 
 folded packet. 
 
 Lady Frances bent over him. 
 
 "Those papers lie heavy on your mind, she 
 said, gently. "Are they of moment?" 
 
 He looked at her, but there was no recogni- 
 tion in his gaze. 
 
 "Ah," he gasped, "is it you, duke? Here, 
 take them. They have all signed all signed. 
 The king's fate is sealed ha ! ha ! ha ! sealed. 
 Take them ! Take them, I say ! " 
 
 Lady Frances mechanically obeyed. 
 
 "Ah! that is well!" he sighed, closing nis 
 eyes. "You have the papers Heaven bless 
 you! I ca <J sleep now "
 
 THE PLAGUE! THE PLAGUE! 265 
 
 "Poor soul, he has fainted," said Nell, who 
 had come close to Frances' side. 
 
 Frances was gazing at the packet she held in 
 her hand with a troubled look. 
 
 "There was a fearful import in his broken 
 words," she said. " What can these papers 
 be?" 
 
 "Open them and see." 
 
 "He said the king's fate was sealed. Yes, I 
 must know." 
 
 And unfolding one of the papers she glanced 
 hurriedly over it. As she did so, she turned 
 very pale. 
 
 "What is it?" asked Nell, quickly. 
 
 "Treason! A compact against the king. 
 This is Heaven's work, and I am made the 
 instrument to save him." 
 
 "A compact against the king!" cried Nell, in 
 her turn paling. " There is no time to be lost. 
 Quick, your ladyship ! You must to the king 
 at once." 
 
 "But you?" said Lady Frances, hesitating. 
 
 " Oh, never mind me. Go ! Go at once ! " 
 
 " I will send some one to you. You are right. 
 This is serious and there must be no delay." 
 
 Left alone with the sick man, Nell sat down 
 upon a stone to wait for the promised aid. Her 
 foot was still painful, but she could have man- 
 aged to hobble to the nearest house had it not
 
 266 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 seemed to her cruel to leave Major Wilding 
 alone and unattended. What could this plot 
 be? Did it threaten the king's life? If so, 
 God grant that the danger be averted ! It did 
 indeed seem like an act of Providence that the 
 papers should have fallen into the hands they 
 had. 
 
 " Mistress Gwynne !" 
 
 Nell gave a great start. Whose was this 
 voice calling her name? She had been so 
 absorbed in her reflections that she had almost 
 forgotten Wilding, but now she became con- 
 scious that he had raised himself to a sitting 
 posture and was looking at her with wondering 
 eyes. 
 
 "Where am I?" he continued. "And, Mis- 
 tress Gwynne, what are you doing here?" 
 
 He was no longer raving, but seemed perfect, 
 ly rational. 
 
 "You have been very ill," said Nell, gently, 
 "and have, wandered away from home. Keep 
 still. Help will be here shortly." 
 
 Wilding raised his hand and passed it slowly 
 over his forehead. Then, as if suddenly re. 
 membering, he clutched his breast, and, not 
 finding the papers there, he turned a terrible 
 look upon Nell. 
 
 "Where are those papers?" he demanded
 
 THE PLAGUE ! THE PLAGUE ! 267 
 
 fiercely. " Did you take them have you 
 them ? Speak, for the love of heaven ! " 
 
 " There is no need of alarm," said Nell confi- 
 dently. " The papers are safe." 
 
 " But where are they ? Where are they ? " 
 
 "In safe keeping. Lady Frances Stuart was 
 here and you gave them to her. Seeing you so 
 troubled about them, she read them and saw 
 that they were treason, so, as you could not do 
 BO, she has taken them to the king herself." 
 
 With the roar of a wild beast deprived of its 
 prey, Wilding leaped almost to his feet, and 
 then his face turned a ghastly hue, and he fell 
 heavily back again. 
 
 In alarm Nell sprang toward him. 
 
 " You are worse," she cried. " What is it? " 
 
 Wilding was breathing sterterously. He 
 grasped his throat with both hands, as if try- 
 ing to relieve himself. At last he managed to 
 articulate painfully : 
 
 "She has struck our heads from our 
 shoulders." 
 
 "They were not for the king? " 
 
 "No! No! Mistress Gwynne you are 
 duke Richmond's friend." 
 
 " Yes ! Yes ! Speak." 
 
 " Compact King's undoing signed Buck 
 ingham myself Richmond " 
 
 Nell grew pale to the very lips and stared at
 
 268 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 him with wide-open, horrified eyes. Richmond 
 a traitor? Richmond sign a compact for the 
 king's undoing? Oh, this was terrible. 
 
 " Warn them." 
 
 "I will ! I will ! _ promise " 
 
 " Heaven bless ' 
 
 He gasped, struggling for utterance, but no 
 words would come. Suddenly the jaw dropped, 
 there was a convulsive twitching of the limbs 
 and then all was still. 
 
 With a cry of horror, Nell recoiled. 
 
 Her cry was answered by the halloo of those 
 whom Lady Frances had sent. 
 
 But so far as aid to Major Wilding was con- 
 cerned, it was too late. 
 
 The fanatical conspirator was dead.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 A ROUT AT WHITEHALL. 
 
 IT was an evening of splendor at Whitehall. 
 The festivities of the day had culminated 
 in a grand rout given by the king, to which all 
 the notables of the town had been bidden. 
 
 The matted gallery was lighted with hun- 
 dreds of candles, and filled with a crowd of 
 gallants and ladies whose gay court dresses 
 made the whole place look like a vast flower 
 garden. 
 
 The most famous singers of the day rendered 
 songs of exquisite music and abominable words 
 which both men and women applauded with, 
 out a blush. There were a dozen tables of 
 card players, the favorite games being basset 
 and ombre, the latter a new importation from 
 Paris, and the amounts staked were enormous. 
 
 Pepys was there of course. He never neg- 
 lected an opportunity to bring himself into 
 notice and pull the wires to work his own 
 advancement. He was in his element, flit- 
 ting from group to group, retailing the last 
 
 2B9
 
 270 NELL GWYKNE. 
 
 bit of scandal, and keeping his eyes and ears 
 open to all that was going on. The story of 
 the man with the plague was repeated again 
 and again, and embellished with such won- 
 derful variations that it was doubtful if Sam- 
 uel himself, toward the end of the evening, 
 could tell what was true and what was false 
 in the recital. The only thorn in the good 
 man's flesh was the presence of his wife, who 
 had recovered with marvellous celerity from 
 her recent illness, and under her lynx-eyed 
 supervision, he dared not flirt with the court 
 beauties as he would have liked. 
 
 The queen sat somewhat apart with two of 
 her maids of honor, Price and Wells. Winifred 
 had told her of what had occurred in the mea- 
 dow, and although her majesty was somewhat 
 worried at the non-appearance of Lady Frances, 
 her attention was chiefly absorbed in watching 
 the king, who lolled on a sort of ottoman, with 
 Louise de Querouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, 
 on one side and Barbara Palmer, Duchess of 
 Cleveland, on the other, both ladies resplendent 
 in gorgeous attire and glittering with jewels. 
 The queen had long grown accustomed to the 
 presence of the king's favorites at court, al- 
 though when, soon after her arrival in England, 
 she had been forced to receive Portsmouth, she 
 had fainted from anger and shame.
 
 A ROUT AT WHITEHALL. 271 
 
 About the king were clustered the brightest 
 and wittiest men of the day, like Rochester, 
 Buckingham and Sedley, for save in the man- 
 agement of public affairs, Charles would not 
 tolerate about his person those who did not 
 amuse him. The merry monarch was in his 
 most jovial vein to-night and astonished even 
 those who knew him best by the quickness of 
 his conception, the brilliancy of his wit and the 
 variety of his knowledge. 
 
 Our old friend Buckhurst was there too. He 
 had returned from the fleet the day before, only 
 too glad to be back in town once again, not that 
 his duties on either the Rupert or the Royal 
 Monarch had been very onerous, for on account 
 of his ignorance of seamanship he had found it 
 impossible to carry out his good resolutions, 
 and so, following the example of the other 
 "gentlemen captains," he had left the direc- 
 tion of his vessel entirely to his subordinates 
 and spent his time in a round of revelry and 
 amusement. He was looking remarkably well 
 to-night in a handsome suit of green velvet, 
 laced with silver, and, if appearances are any 
 criterion, he had entirely recovered from his 
 infatuation for Nell Gwynne, for he was con- 
 versing in the most animated manner with 
 rosy-cheeked Mary Middleton. " Mary with the
 
 272 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 locks of night," as he afterward called her in 
 an ode composed in her honor. 
 
 The revelry was at its height when Lady 
 Frances descended the broad flight of stairs that 
 led into the gallery from the wing of the palace 
 devoted to the use of the maids of honor. Mar- 
 vellously lovely she looked in a bodice and train 
 of amber satin over a petticoat of heavy white 
 silk, richly embroidered in gold ; but somehow 
 her stately, high-bred ladyship, with her pure, 
 proud face seemed strangely out of place in this 
 heated atmosphere, amid the painted languish- 
 ing beauties and the gallants with their foppish 
 manners and unrestrained license of tongue. 
 
 Lady Frances, although she had made all 
 haste, had been unable to reach Whitehall until 
 the rout had begun. There was but one thing 
 to be done ; she must see the king that night 
 and place in his hands the papers which had so 
 fortunately come into her possession. So she 
 dressed as quickly as possible, and hurried to 
 join the revellers. 
 
 She had scarcely made her appearance when 
 she was surrounded by a crowd of courtiers. 
 She was still believed to stand the highest in 
 royal favor and all were eager to do homage to 
 the newly-risen star. Among those who flut- 
 tered about her were Pepys and Sir George 
 Etherege, who were full of solicitude as to
 
 A ROUT AT WHITEHALL. 273 
 
 how she had escaped from the danger which 
 had threatened them during the afternoon. 
 
 Lady Frances gave them but scant satis- 
 faction. 
 
 "If you had been a little more thoughtful 
 when danger was near," she said, with a dis- 
 dainful curl of the lip she could not repress, 
 " and a little less given to protestation now the 
 danger is passed, I should be more likely to be- 
 lieve in your professed concern." 
 
 Both gentlemen at this looked decidedly 
 shame-faced, for they could not but feel that, in 
 their alarm for their own persons, they had been 
 anything but gallant. 
 
 "Ah! Lady Frances, would I had been 
 there!" broke in Sir Thomas Ogle, who had 
 long been waiting for an opportunity again to 
 bring his suit to the notice of her whose will 
 was supposed to be paramount with the king, 
 and he fatuously supposed, the present moment 
 to be favorable to his purpose. " Had I been so 
 happy as to come to your rescue, I might hope 
 that a request I have to make would meet with 
 your kind consideration, especially as it is for 
 sweet charity's sake." 
 
 " That is a spell I must obey," replied Fran- 
 ces, though with visible impatience. 
 
 "I entreat your good offices for a poor and 
 
 18
 
 274 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 most deserving man," continued Sir Thomas 
 Ogle in his most beseeching tones. 
 
 " What do you want for him? " 
 
 " Only a miserable thousand of the public 
 money the embassy to Venice." 
 
 " And who is the poor but deserving man you 
 would have it for ? " 
 
 " One Sir Thomas Ogle." 
 
 "Yourself ! " said Lady Frances, with a sar- 
 castic affectation of surprise. 
 
 "As deserving a man as I know and as out 
 at elbows. I " 
 
 "Nay," interrupted Lady Frances, with keen 
 irony, "you need no advocate for your deserts, 
 they speak for themselves; and, as for your 
 poverty, your best vouchers are " 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 "Your creditors." 
 
 This was somewhat severe, but Lady Fran- 
 ces' good nature was exhausted. This buzzing 
 about her of the court flies was intolerable, and 
 now that she was Richmond's wife, even though 
 that was as yet a secret, she felt that it was 
 doubly an insult. 
 
 Turning to Buckhurst, who had approached 
 to pay her his respects, she said : 
 
 " Your hand, my lord. I would go to the 
 queen." 
 
 And thus escorted she moved away, leaving
 
 A ROUT AT WHITEHALL. 275 
 
 Ogle to bear as best he might the jests of his 
 companions at his discomfiture. 
 
 As they slowly made their way across the 
 room, Buckhurst, in the flowery manner which 
 was the fashion of the day, murmured compli- 
 ments upon her dress and appearance. But 
 Lady Frances' thoughts were far away and she 
 was evidently not listening to him, for she sud- 
 denly interrupted one of his most carefully 
 turned phrases : 
 
 "My lord, I have a favor to ask of you.'' 
 
 Somewhat surprised, Buckhurst replied with 
 alacrity : 
 
 " You know, my fair patroness, I am yours to 
 command." 
 
 "Then, my lord, I beg you to obtain the 
 king's ear at the earliest opportunity, and say 
 to him that I would speak to him in private on 
 a matter of the utmost importance. I will be 
 in the anteroom at the west end of the gallery, 
 and there await his majesty's coming." 
 
 These were difficult words for Lady Frances 
 to utter, for she knew full well what construc- 
 tion Buckhurst would put upon them ; but time 
 pressed, and, at all costs, she must see the king 
 without delay. 
 
 Whatever he may have thought, however, 
 Buckhurst gave no outward sign of it, but
 
 276 NELL GWYNKE. 
 
 promised to fulfill the lady's belaest immedi- 
 ately. 
 
 But if Buckhurst was surprised, Charles, 
 when he was informed of Lady Frances' de- 
 sire, was doubly so, and delighted as well. 
 Could it mean that La Belle had "melted at last ? 
 At all events, he would lose no time in obeying 
 her and discovering the reason of her request. 
 
 Leaving those about him with but scant cer- 
 emony, he hastened to the anteroom, where he 
 found Lady Frances awaiting him. 
 
 "Venus has issued her commands," he ex- 
 claimed, "and behold her devoted slave obeys." 
 
 " I thank you, sire," said Frances, quietly. 
 ' I would fain speak to you on a matter of the 
 utmost importance, or I should not have ven- 
 tured to be so importunate." 
 
 " Your will is my law, fair cousin," replied 
 the king, gallantly, thinking meanwhile that 
 surely there was not a woman in England that 
 could compare to her in loveliness. 
 
 Lady Frances then proceeded to relate to him 
 her adventure of the afternoon and ended by 
 handing him the papers she had obtained from 
 "Wilding. Had she but read them through 
 and seen one of the signatures at the end, she 
 would have suffered death rather than thus 
 place her husband's neck beneath the axe.
 
 A ROUT AT WHITEHALL. 277 
 
 Charles took them sulkily enough. He had 
 expected a love rendezvous, and not even the 
 gravity of the information imparted to him 
 could efface his disappointment. 
 
 He opened the papers, however, and after 
 glancing at them hastily, thrust them into his 
 pocket. 
 
 "But, sire " began Lady Frances in sur- 
 prised remonstrance. 
 
 "Odds fish, my fair coz," interrupted the 
 king, "plots are no novelty to me. We will 
 see to this to-morrow. It is a matter for 
 Shaftesbury to look into. Pleasure to-night. 
 Let business wait. When with you, how can I 
 think of anything else? But why still so 
 solemn ? No more sour news, I hope ? " 
 
 "Not for me, sire," replied Lady Frances, 
 her heart beating a little faster. " I leave the 
 court in two days." 
 
 " Leave the court in two days ! " repeated the 
 king in consternation. " How ! Without our 
 permission ? " 
 
 " No, your majesty, I shall have your permis- 
 sion. I have her majesty's and you will hardly 
 oppose our joint wishes in so light a matter." 
 
 "Light matter!" ejaculated the king, pas- 
 sionately. " Frances, would you rob my court 
 of its star, my heart of its queen ? " 
 
 "Sire, it is best we part," replied Lady Fran-
 
 278 NELL GWYXNE. 
 
 ces, with gentle gravity. " Scandalous tongues 
 have' been busy both with your credit and mine. 
 I would not have our common name sullied 
 either in your person or my own. I love your 
 majesty as subjects should love their king, with 
 honor and respect ; I always would so love you ; 
 and that I may, I beseech you let me leave this 
 place." 
 
 " Leave the court ! No ! No I " said the king, 
 firmly, thinking it some caprice he could easily 
 combat on the morrow. " But we will talk of 
 this further at a more fitting time. Hark ! 
 They are beginning a minuet. Not one word 
 more," as Frances attempted to speak, " I will 
 forget all but pleasure for to-night. Come, we 
 will dance together. Come, my Britannia ! " 
 
 Lady Frances could not refuse, and in 
 another moment they were treading the state- 
 ly measures of the dance, Frances' mind by no 
 means at rest as to the way his majesty had 
 received her two important pieces of intelli- 
 gence, and the king as carelessly gay as if plots 
 and plotters had no existence.
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 
 
 THE king's cabinet was on the second floor 
 of the palace at the extreme end of one 
 of the wings, and besides the door leading into 
 the corridor, it had another means of egress and 
 ingress, connecting with the garden by a long 
 flight of steps. This latter was extremely con- 
 venient when Charles wished to receive some 
 one without the knowledge of his gentlemen in 
 waiting. 
 
 The cabinet was his majesty's favorite apart- 
 ment, and well it might have been, for it was 
 a delightful room, with broad, low windows, 
 admitting a flood of light and sunshine. The 
 walls were hung with gold leather, the window 
 curtains were crimson silk embroidered in odd 
 designs and the furniture was of magnificent 
 old oak, black with age. Above the superbly 
 carved fireplace, which was adorned with a pair 
 of solid silver andirons, hung one of Hans Hol- 
 bein's most exquisite Madonnas, secreted and 
 saved at the time the vandal Roundheads or- 
 
 279
 
 280 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 dered the destruction of all paintings represent- 
 ing the Virgin Mother or the infant Jesus. 
 
 Charles sat on one side of a long table cov. 
 ered with papers which were about to go before 
 the Council and opposite him was the Lord 
 Privy Seal. 
 
 Shaftesbury had not found the king as lazy 
 and indifferent this morning as he usually was 
 when public business was to be discussed. He 
 was preoccupied, however, and his brow was 
 dark and gloomy. Lady Frances' announce- 
 ment of her intention to leave the court had 
 been anything but agreeable to him and had 
 aroused into full life again the passion which 
 had slumbered since the unfortunate scene in 
 Spring Gardens. He would not lose her with- 
 out a struggle, however, and he had sent Chif- 
 finch to command her presence before him that 
 afternoon. In addition to this annoyance, he 
 was troubled by the discovery of this plot. He 
 had thrust the unwelcome knowledge from him 
 the evening before, but action could be no 
 longer deferred. For once the royal trifler was 
 startled and was forced to look matters squarely 
 in the face. When he first came to the throne, 
 he had a father's murder to avenge, and he had 
 raised a scaffold for that father's murderers. 
 Since then, he had returned to his natural 
 humor and been an easy sovereign, the tool of
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 281 
 
 intriguing men, the slave of still more intrigu- 
 ing women, till the name of King bade fair 
 to become a laughing stock in England. He 
 must rear the scaffold once more. 
 
 " Shaftesbury," he exclaimed, suddenly lift- 
 ing his head, and interrupting the Lord Presi- 
 dent in a long-winded discourse, not one word of 
 which the king had heard. " Shaftesbury, let 
 these matters rest for the present. You must 
 prepare the Council for a grave matter to be 
 laid before them to-day. Read that paper.'* 
 
 As he spoke, he picked up a document which 
 lay before him and handed it over to Shaftes- 
 bury. The latter unfolded it, without being 
 much impressed by the king's words, for he 
 knew by experience that what seemed grave to 
 his majesty was but too frequently of little 
 moment in his own eyes and those of the Coun- 
 cil. But as he read, his expression underwent 
 a decided change, and he carefully perused the 
 document twice. 
 
 "This is serious, indeed," he said, at last. 
 "Hum! this is treason , treason of the rankest 
 sort. A solemn league and compact to dethrone 
 the king. And signed " Here he paused, and 
 then raising his eyes and fixing them upon 
 Charles, he asked slowly and impressively: 
 "Has your majesty read these signatures?"
 
 282 ]S T ELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " Not I," replied the king. " I knew myself 
 too well. You read the names, my lord." 
 
 Thus commanded, Shaftesbury began: 
 
 " The Lord Grey, of Wark " 
 
 "Ah!" interrupted the king. "I refused 
 him a place in the Exchequer. I meant it 
 kindly, but he has taken it ill. Go on." 
 
 " Roger Palmer, Earl of Castlemaine." 
 
 This was the husband of the notorious Duch- 
 ess of Cleveland, and to quiet him for his wife's 
 dishonor, he had been granted an Earldom in 
 Ireland and sent to that country. 
 
 " Ah ! I have injured him," observed Charles, 
 thoughtfully. " Efe has a right to butt at me. 
 Go on." 
 
 " Major Wilding." 
 
 "A fifth monarchy man," with a scornful 
 laugh. "The old leaven! He is a madman, 
 and nothing worse. Go on." 
 
 Shaftesbury hesitated. 
 
 "Goon! Why do you pause ?" 
 
 "George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham." 
 
 At this name Charles started violently, and 
 the hand resting upon the table was clinched so 
 tightly that the nails penetrated the flesh. 
 
 " My lord, it is impossible," he exclaimed, in 
 a low, shocked voice. " Do you mock me ? " 
 
 " Nay, here is his hand and seal. Char "
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 283 
 
 ' One moment, my lord, one moment I " com- 
 manded Charles, with an effort. 
 
 There was an instant of painful silence, and 
 wlwn the king spoke again it was more in sor- 
 row than in anger. 
 
 " This was mine own familiar friend in whom 
 I trusted. Oh ! who would be a king 1 " And 
 then, mastering his emotion : " Proceed, my 
 lord.*' 
 
 " Charles Stuart, Duke of Richmond." 
 
 This time the effect upon the king was elec- 
 trical. He leaped from his chair, snatched the 
 paper from Shaftesbury's hand, and fairly 
 gloated over the signature. Here was some- 
 thing for once to thank treason for. This pre- 
 sumptuous duke, who had drank Oliver's health, 
 and more, much more, who he strongly sus- 
 pected was his successful rival with La Belle, 
 was completely in his power at last. This time 
 no supplications of Nell Gwynne or anyone else 
 should save him. 
 
 "I've heard enough more than enough," he 
 cried, casting the paper down upon the table. 
 To the Council, my lord. Open this black 
 business in what fashion you will. I will but 
 dress and follow you." 
 
 "The papers, sire," suggested Shaftesbury; 
 "shall I take them?" 
 
 " No. Let the clerk fetch them. I would go
 
 284 NELL GWY^NE. 
 
 over the names. I can read them now. I know 
 the best and the worst." 
 
 Shaftesbury bowed and retired to proceed to 
 the council chamber, which was in the same 
 corridor, while Charles entered his closet to 
 make his toilet. 
 
 For five minutes or so the room was deserted, 
 then the grating sound of a key turning in the 
 lock was heard, the door giving upon the stair- 
 case which led to the garden was cautiously 
 opened, and a woman peeped in. 
 
 Apparently satisfied that the coast was clear, 
 she entered, closing the door behind her, and, 
 throwing back her hood, revealed the bright 
 visage of Nell Gwynne ; not so bright as usual, 
 however, for a shade of anxiety rested upon it. 
 
 All night long she had lain awake trying to 
 devise some means to rescue the Duke of Rich- 
 mond from the dangerous position in which his 
 folly had placed him. At last she happened to 
 think of the key to the king's cabinet, which 
 Charles had given to her. She remembered, too, 
 how careless he was, even with documents of 
 moment. Might not that paper be lying upon 
 his table, where anyone could take possession of 
 it ? It was worth looking into, at all events. If 
 she could but once lay her hands on the proofs 
 of the duke's treason she would destroy them, 
 let the consequences be what they might. They
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 285 
 
 couldn't kill her for it, anyway, and, besides, 
 she would swear that she had never seen them. 
 
 So, in accordance with this plan, she had 
 come to Whitehall and stolen up the private 
 staircase. Thus far fortune had favored her; 
 she had managed to escape observation and the 
 room was empty. Yes, there was the table lit- 
 tered with papers. Just as she had expected, 
 everything in confusion ! What a sad sloven 
 he was ! 
 
 She hurried over to the table, and commenced 
 eagerly to examine the various documents. Ex- 
 penses of the King's ducks. List of ships at 
 Chatham. Project of the Canary Company. 
 For the Council. A solemn league to Ha! 
 this was it ! Heaven be thanked ! She had 
 found it and Richmond was saved. But how 
 to destroy it ? 
 
 As she thought this, her eye fell upon a 
 lighted taper, which had been used by Shaftes- 
 bury for sealing purposes. This was the very 
 thing ! But just as she was about to apply the 
 paper to the flame, she heard the creaking of a 
 door behind her. Flinging down the document 
 she turned hurriedly and confronted the king, 
 who was just entering. 
 
 " Hey-day," exclaimed Charles. " Is it you, 
 Nelly ? A most agreeable surprise. But 'you 
 look disturbed, child ! "
 
 286 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "So do you!" retorted Nell boldly, perceiv- 
 ing that she had not been detected in her med- 
 dling. < < What' s the matter ? ' ' 
 
 The king sighed heavily, and threw himself 
 down in a chair. 
 
 " Nothing in especial ; only a little more trea- 
 son and ingratitude than usual." 
 
 Nell threw off her cloak, and leaning over 
 him, playfully attempted to smoothe the wrin- 
 kles from his brow. 
 
 " Ah, Nelly, this thing called a throne is but 
 a seat of thorns. A king should have no 
 friends." 
 
 "A king like you cannot avoid making 
 them." 
 
 " Fair- weather friends, perhaps, or men who 
 are your friends only so long as it is for their 
 advantage to be so. In the duet called friend- 
 ship, my lass, if both voices do not ring false, 
 one always does." 
 
 "Tush, your majesty is out of sorts this 
 morning." 
 
 " And with good reason, Nell. The kingdom 
 is in sad disorder." 
 
 " Not so great as this room, I trust. What ! 
 are there no women in the house to set matters 
 to rights a little?" 
 
 The king smiled satirically, as he replied :
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 287 
 
 " There are women enough in this house, the 
 Lord knows!" 
 
 "But not the sort of women to set things 
 right, eh ?" said Nell, demurely. All the time 
 she was thinking how she could obtain posses- 
 sion of that treasonable paper. 
 
 " And you will never be comfortable either in 
 mind or body," she continued, "so long as you 
 have Portsmouth and Cleveland about you." 
 
 " Hey-day ! Hey-day ! " 
 
 " It's true. They trade on your bad qualities 
 and don't see your good ones. They deceive 
 you, and leave you here in a slovenly room, 
 and," with a sudden inspiration, "without even 
 a fire to warm you, although the room is as 
 cold as an audience in Lent." 
 
 "They gave me a fire, but it has gone 
 out." 
 
 "Shall we light it again?" asked Nell 
 eagerly. 
 
 "It is somewhat cold," said the king languid- 
 ly. "I will order the rogues to light it." 
 
 "No! No!" protested Nelly, who now saw a 
 way to effect what she desired. "Let us light 
 it ourselves. Shouldn't you like to learn how to 
 light a fire?" 
 
 "Well, yes, I think I should," laughed 
 Charles. "Do you know how to light one, 
 Nelly?"
 
 288 NELL GWYNNE.. 
 
 " Nobody better ! I have lighted hundreds.'* 
 
 "With your eyes, Nelly ? " 
 
 "No, Charles, with a farthing rushlight. But 
 come, to work ! to work ! First, we must have 
 some wood." 
 
 She bustled about, and finding a broken cedar 
 box in one corner, she ordered the king to chop 
 it up with his sword. Charles, amused at her 
 apparent nonsense, good-humoredly obeyed. 
 Then she threw into the fireplace paper and 
 chips, and lighting them with the taper, she 
 made the king kneel down and blow it with the 
 bellows. 
 
 While his back was thus turned toward her 
 she managed adroitly to obtain possession of the 
 dangerous paper. 
 
 "Blow harder! Harder, still!" she cried, 
 cheerily. "Good sport, isn't it? Don't stop! 
 Throw on some large wood ! Now blow again, 
 while I'll put on some lighted paper, to draw the 
 flames through. Blow ! Blow ! " 
 
 As she spoke she held the treasonable com- 
 pact in the flame, and, running to the fireplace, 
 knelt down by the king and thrust it under the 
 blazing wood. As the flames shot up higher 
 and higher she burst into a fit of hysterical 
 laughter. 
 
 " Ha ! Ha ! Ha! That is the best fire I ever 
 lighted! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Hal"
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 289 
 
 The king cast aside the bellows, and catching 
 her about the waist, pinched her pretty cheek. 
 
 "What a mad, merry soul you are, Nell. 
 Odds fish, I know not whether it is the fire or 
 your airy ladyship, but the room seems strangely 
 brighter." 
 
 "And so it ought to be, Charles; so it ought 
 to be," was the merry response. "And now 
 that it's lighted, let's sit by it." 
 
 "With all my heart." 
 
 So on the velvet hearth rug they settled 
 themselves, the king and the actress side by 
 side. Nell's face was beaming and her heart 
 light with the thought that she had saved a 
 man's life. She chatted away so gaily and wit- 
 tily that the volatile monarch forgot all else 
 save his charming companion, and the Council 
 would not have seen him that day had not Will 
 Chiffinch appeared to interrupt them. 
 
 " Well, what is it?" exclaimed Charles, im- 
 patiently, rising. 
 
 If Chiffinch was surprised to find his royal 
 master in so undignified a position, he gave no 
 outward sign of his astonishment, but replied 
 gravely : 
 
 " The Clerk of the Council, your Majesty I" 
 
 "Oh! hang the Clerk of the Council 1" ejacx 
 ulated the king. 
 
 19
 
 390 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 "He comes after the papers for my Lords, 
 sire." 
 
 "Oh! Well, here they are. Give them to 
 him." 
 
 And he gathered up the papers on the table, 
 and handed them to the secretary. 
 " Thank Heaven I Just in time 1 " thought 
 Nell, exultingly. 
 
 " Lord Shaftesbury begs your majesty's pres. 
 ence at the Council," said Chimnch, as he took 
 the documents. 
 
 " Odds fish," exclaimed Charles, angrily. 
 "Am I to have no time that I can call my 
 own ? I'll not to the Council to-day. And so 
 inform my lord Shaftesbury." 
 
 Chi flinch bowed and retired. 
 
 " The impudent knave ! " said the king, turn- 
 ing to Nell. " But let us forget it, sweetheart. 
 What should I do without you, Nelly, with your 
 frank and sunny temper ? I am sick of hypo- 
 crisy and I love you because you are yourself, 
 my lass." 
 
 Honest Nelly winced a little at this, when she 
 thought how she had just deluded him, but she 
 vowed in her heart that it should be the only 
 time. 
 
 "Feigning hearts and false, smooth faces 
 have tortured me to death," continued the 
 king, feasting his eyes on the winsome face
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 
 
 before him. "Your open brow, without mask 
 or veil, has comfort for me. I come to it like a 
 desert traveler to fresh, clear water." 
 
 "Faith, Charles," replied Nell, smiling, "if 
 that were in rhyme now, it were worth a round 
 from the pit. But," and her face grew grave 
 and she held up one tapering finger reprovingly, 
 "is this the way you obey me? Has all my 
 lecturing been so soon forgot?" 
 
 " What do you mean ? '* 
 
 " What has become of the good, honest man 
 I advised you to employ to look after the public 
 business. No ! No ! sire, you must not stay 
 idling here with me when the Council demands 
 your presence." 
 
 " They will demand in vain to-day," replied 
 Charles, comfortably settling himself in an arm- 
 chair. 
 
 At this, Nelly caught up her cloak and hur- 
 ried away toward the door. This tete-a-tete- 
 was quite as pleasant for her as it was for 
 Charles, but she had long since determined that 
 no one should with justice reproach her with 
 causing the king to neglect his duty. 
 
 " Nell ! Nell I " called Charles. " Where am 
 you going?" 
 
 Nell glanced back at him over her shoulder. 
 
 "As fast as I can to hell," she replied, with, 
 startling distinctness.
 
 292 NELL GWYNKE. 
 
 'And why with such speed to hell?" asked 
 the king in astonishment. 
 
 ."That I may fetch Oliver Cromwell hence, 
 for he will have some care for the nation, and 
 your majesty has none ! " 
 
 The good-natured Charles laughed heartily, 
 but the joke worked its effect. Yawning wear- 
 ily, he rose from his chair and proceeded slowly 
 to the council chamber, having first exacted a 
 promise from the daring madcap to remain in 
 the cabinet until his return. 
 
 Nell, for more reasons than one, was nothing 
 loath to give this promise. 
 
 Left alone, she began to feel a little alarmed 
 at what she had done. What would happen 
 when the paper was discovered to be missing? 
 Moreover and this had not occurred to her be- 
 fore might not the destruction ot the paper 
 work ill to the king? There were othet plotters 
 beside Richmond, and might not they continue 
 their nefarious designs? If this had occurred 
 to her before it is very doubtful if she would 
 have lighted that fire. To save the duke was 
 one thing, but to bring injury to the king was 
 quite another. 
 
 She was startled from her unpleasant reflec- 
 tions by the sound ot footsteps in the corridor 
 just outside the door. Some one was coming to 
 the cabinet. In an instant she jumped to her
 
 CHECK TO THE KING. 293 
 
 feet and, flying across the room, popped into* 
 the king's closet. 
 
 Scarcely had she disappeared when Chiffinch 
 entered, ushering in the Duke of Richmond and 
 Lady Frances. 
 
 "His majesty begged me to request your 
 ladyship to remain until his return from the 
 Council," said Chiffinch, and then left husband 
 and wife alone together. 
 
 "My Frances," exclaimed Richmond, throw" 
 ing his arm about her, " at last you are to take 
 your leave of this corrupt court." 
 
 " But, Richmond," began Frances, and then 
 she paused, hesitating to proceed further. 
 
 " But what, my dearest ? We are one, now, 
 and henceforth must have no secrets from each 
 other." 
 
 " Alas ! " said Frances, tremulously, " I am a 
 woman and therefore a coward. Forgive me, 
 my own love, but why let any one know of our 
 happiness until we are out of reach of all 
 these malicious tongues ? " 
 
 Richmond smiled as he glanced down at the 
 lovely face so close to his own, but his answer 
 was firm and decided : 
 
 "Not so, my own. Be true to yourself. 
 Stand by me as I tell the king the truth, 
 and tell him, too, that the husband of Frances 
 Stuart must either serve his country and his
 
 294 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 king in some honorable post or live with you 
 , loving and a quiet life at home." 
 
 At these words, all Frances' courage returned, 
 and raising her eyes to his, she answered ; 
 
 " Richmond, you are better than I am. You 
 are more fearless, and therefore you are more 
 true. Oh I take me away from this stifling at- 
 mosphere of lies I Take me anywhere where 
 truth is! I love you, my honest sailor. I 
 would be worthy of you." She raised her 
 white arms, threw them about his neck, and 
 continued, passionately ! " ISTo more equivoca- 
 tion I No more disguise ! We are English, we 
 are noble, we are one I We will defy this king 
 together 1 " 
 
 In a paroxysm of happiness Richmond 
 crushed her almost fiercely to his breast, but 
 before he could utter a syllable in reply, there 
 fell upon his ears, in cold, measured accents, 
 the words : 
 
 "Defy this king together I You will need 
 all your courage, mistress ! " 
 
 With a startled cry Frances sprang from 
 Richmond's embrace, and moved by one im- 
 pulse, they both turned toward the spot whence 
 the voice proceeded. 
 
 There, upon the threshold, stood the king, his 
 arms folded, his brow black as night and his 
 eyes blazing with anger.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 
 
 WHEN the king reached the council -cham- 
 ber he found that the paper revealing 
 the existence of the compact was not among 
 the other documents, and, thinking that he had 
 mislaid it, he returned himself to the cabinet to- 
 search for it, and, so doing, surprised Lady 
 Frances in Richmond's arms. 
 
 The duke was the first to regain his compos- 
 ure. Uncovering his head in the presence of 
 his sovereign, he took Lady Frances' hand and 
 advanced to confess all, but, before he could 
 utter a word, Charles checked him with an 
 angry gesture. 
 
 "Unhand that lady/' he thundered, "or by 
 Heaven, I will lay aside the king, and face my 
 rival, man to man ! 'Sdeath, madam," turning 
 to Frances, "do you bring your lover into my 
 very closet ? "Would you show yourself without 
 shame as well as without gratitude ? " 
 
 But Lady Frances' blood was up, and she- 
 was not to be dictated to or intimidated by any 
 
 M
 
 296 WELL 
 
 one, even were he ten times king of England. 
 She faced Charles like an insulted Juno, her 
 superb figure drawn up to its full height and 
 her blue eyes blazing with the indignation she 
 made no effort to conceal. 
 
 " And since when have I forfeited a woman's 
 right to choose whom she will love ? " she de- 
 manded, haughtily. "Am I the first English 
 girl who has preferred an honorable suit to one 
 which, although a king's, was all insult? Yes, 
 sire, know that I love the Duke of Richmond, 
 and I claim a free-born English woman's right 
 to bestow my hand and heart on the man I 
 choose. This is the man I love, and his I am 
 till death do us part ! " 
 
 This was defiance with a vengeance. The 
 mask was off at last, and Frances exulted in 
 her release from duplicity. 
 
 The king was furious, but knowing that it 
 was in his power to punish this presumptuous 
 duke and to bring this arrogant lady to his 
 feet, he controlled his temper. There was a 
 steely glitter in his eyes, however, and an icy 
 menace in his voice, as he replied : 
 
 " Till death do you part, say you? That may 
 be sooner than you think, disloyal lady." 
 
 " Idle threats, your majesty," retorted Fran- 
 ces, with a scornful curl of her lip. " I am not
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 297 
 
 a child, or disloyal, as you well know. I am 
 more true to you than you are to yourself." 
 
 "Say you so? I shall answer you better 
 when I find a certain paper." 
 
 Could this be the merry, careless Charles who 
 was speaking, this cold, calm man with the 
 stern brow and the grim smile about the lips ? 
 In spite of all her bravery Frances felt her 
 heart contract with a nameless terror, and she 
 involuntarily drew a little closer to Richmond, 
 who had been a grave, silent spectator of the 
 previous scene. The king advanced to the 
 table and began searching among the papers 
 scattered upon it. 
 
 Nell Gwynne, who, peeping through the 
 slightly opened door of the king's closet, had 
 been an eager listener of all that had taken 
 place, almost laughed aloud as she saw Charles 
 turning over paper after paper in his vain 
 quest. 
 
 "Find it if you can I" she thought, tri- 
 umphantly. " What is left of it is up the 
 chimney ! " 
 
 "Curses upon it/* muttered the king. "It is 
 gone. Treason sits upon my very footstool, but 
 this time she is foiled, The paper was in dupli- 
 cate, and here is the duplicate." 
 
 As he spoke, he opened the drawer of the 
 table and drew forth a folded document.
 
 298 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " Lost ! Lost I " thought Nell in despair, 
 clutching the side of the door. 
 
 Up to this moment Richmond had had no 
 suspicion of the revelation about to take place, 
 but, as he saw the paper in the king's hands, 
 like a flash he understood the horrible position 
 in which he was placed. Not only had his mad- 
 ness ruined himself beyond redemption, but it 
 would bring the bitterest shame and grief upon 
 that head he would gladly have died to shield. 
 A ghastly pallor showed itself beneath the 
 bronze of his face, and he pressed his lips tight- 
 ly together to stifle the cry of agony that rose 
 up from his heart. 
 
 Frances, who was watching the king, saw 
 nothing of the change in the duke, and to 
 Charles' question of whether she knew what 
 the document was, she replied calmly and un- 
 suspiciously : 
 
 " Yes, sire, the papers I gave your majesty 
 last night. I thought not of danger when I 
 took them from a plague-spotted hand to give 
 them to you. You should not have called me 
 disloyal." 
 
 The king smiled, somewhat satirically. 
 
 "Your rebuke is just," he said. "If rather 
 cold-blooded, you are certainly loyal, and it is- 
 for that reason I am about to put a question 
 to you." He paused, and fixing his eyes iu
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 299 
 
 cold triumph upon Richmond's white, drawn 
 face, continued slowly and distinctly, still ad. 
 dressing the unsuspecting Frances : ft What 
 does the man deserve, who, being my soldier, 
 yet ,fi ghts against me ; who, drawing honor from 
 me, yet aims at my throne and life? " 
 
 Promptly and clearly the answer came, ring, 
 ing in Richmond's ears like a sentence to exe- 
 cution. 
 
 " He deserves death." 
 
 " But, say this man was a nobleman ? " 
 
 " Then he deserves to die twice : once for at- 
 tacking his king 1 , once for dishonoring his own 
 order." 
 
 There was something satanic in the gleam 
 that shone upon the king's countenance. His 
 triumph was complete. Surely never was ven- 
 geance more exquisite than this. 
 
 "You say well. Your own lips have con. 
 demned him," he said, with ghastly humor. 
 " Read ! '* and he placed the paper in her 
 hands. " No, this name will be enough." 
 
 Lady Frances* eyes followed the direction 
 of his finger and read in letters of fire which 
 seemed to burn into her brain the name : 
 Charles Stuart, Duke of Richmond. 
 
 Slowly the blood receded from her face, leav- 
 ing her white as marble, a convulsive shudder
 
 300 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 shook her whole frame, and the paper fell flut- 
 tering to the floor from her nerveless grasp. 
 
 With eyes in which there dwelt an agony of 
 horror and despair, she gazed first at" the king 
 and then at Richmond, who stood with bent 
 head and downcast eyes, as in silent confession 
 of h'is guilt. 
 
 Something very like pity stirred at the king's 
 heart, but he thrust it violently away from him. 
 
 "Duke of Richmond," he said, with chill 
 gravity, "this lady's hand gave mo the proofs 
 of your guilt, her tongue has pronounced your 
 doom the scaffold. You love Cromwell? To 
 Cromwell you shall go." 
 
 As if from an immeasurable distance, these 
 words fell upon the ears of the forlorn and mis- 
 erable Frances. She could not move, she could 
 not speak. Her limbs seemed weighed down 
 with chains, her heart encased in a block of ice. 
 And then she became conscious that Richmond 
 was speaking. 
 
 "I was mad, sire," he said, in low, dull tones. 
 ' This lady has but done her duty, and I bow to 
 my sentence. Fool that I was, my doubts of 
 her ruined me." 
 
 He turned toward Frances, and after a pause 
 uttered but one word, her name, but in that one 
 word was such a world of despairing love, of 
 tortured entreaty for forgiveness that, as if by
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 301 
 
 magic, all Frances' lethargy fell from her. She 
 awoke to a full realization of her misery, and, 
 stretching out her hands to the king, the master 
 of her destiny, she moaned : 
 
 "Mercy, sire, mercy I" 
 
 " Mercy for him. You " 
 
 " No ! No ! not for him ! for me! " interrupt- 
 ed Frances, forgetting all save the shadow of 
 the axe which hovered over the man she loved. 
 41 Oh, spare my life. It is bound up in his." 
 
 "You were warned." 
 
 " I was. I know ! I know ! Oh, I have 
 been much to blame. Forgive me ! He loved 
 you so ; he was so faithful, so zealous a subject, 
 until we drove him to despair." 
 
 The king stooped and picked up the paper 
 from the floor. 
 
 " Idle words, your ladyship," he said. "Here 
 is his handwriting/* 
 
 < No I No ! here is his true handwriting," 
 cried Frances eagerly, drawing with trembling 
 fingers a letter from its resting place under the 
 laces which covered her bosom. " See, sire, his 
 letter written from sea, scarce three months 
 ago. Read it, I implore you. Read it, it may 
 soften your heart toward us." 
 
 Hesitatingly, the king took the letter which 
 Lady Frances thrust upon him, and, in a cold, 
 monotonous voice, read as follows r
 
 302 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 " Sweetheart, I write with the Dutchmen a 
 short mile on our lea. How it may fare with me 
 rests with Heaven. My breath is my king's as 
 my heart is thine. If I die, tell the king he had 
 no truer servant. For my life, would I had ' 
 
 But Frances had impulsively snatched away 
 the letter. 
 
 No 1 No ! You read his words, but not his 
 heart. Listen, I will read it : For my life, 
 would I had ten thousand instead of one, to give 
 them all to his majesty. My last thought is for 
 him and for thee, and my last words shall be lov- 
 ing and loyal. And this man loved not his sov- 
 ereign?" she demanded passionately, raising 
 her lovely, imploring eyes to the king. " But 
 he loved me, and Oh ! it was all my fault. 
 Punish me, if you will, but spare him. Have 
 mercy, sire, have mercy !" 
 
 " You forget, madam, to whom you plead for 
 your lover," was the stern response. 
 
 " Lover I He is my husband ! " 
 
 The king turned scarlet. 
 
 " Husband ! " he gasped. 
 
 " We were married some weeks ago," she 
 went on hurriedly and brokenly. " I consented 
 because I could not bear his doubts, his misery. 
 Have pity upon me. It is too horrible to make 
 a husband fall by his wife's hand. And the
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 303 
 
 hour he dies, I shall die too. Ah, you never 
 loved me, or you could not kill me." 
 
 In spite of himself the king was moved by 
 her pleading. His impulses were ever kind and 
 generous, and it was only when swayed by his 
 own selfish desires that he showed himself harsh 
 and unyielding. 
 
 As he stood irresolute, Lady Frances threw 
 herself at his feet, and grasped his cloak in 
 both her hands. With her whole soul shining 
 in her eyes, ringing in her voice, she pleaded 
 eagerly, desperately, madly, for her husband's 
 life. 
 
 " Sire ! sire ! On my knees I implore you, by 
 the name of Stuart, which we all three bear, by 
 the bitter sorrows our race have suffered to- 
 gether, by the head of your father, the royal 
 martyr, who, at the point of death, forgave his 
 murderers, by your own hope of mercy from 
 the Eternal King, have mercy upon Frances 
 Stuart ! No ! I will not let you go until you 
 grant my life ! Charles ! My dear cousin ! 
 Charles ! Have pity on me ! Pity ! Pity ! " 
 
 The poor, overtaxed brain gave way, the 
 voice died away in an inarticulate moan, and, 
 like a lily broken on its stem, Frances swayed 
 and sank prostrate at the king's feet white, 
 motionless, unconscious.
 
 304 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 With a bitter cry of " Frances ! My love ! 
 My wife ! My crime will be her death ! " Rich- 
 mond threw himself down beside her, and 
 raised her in his arms. 
 
 At the same moment a woman with tear- 
 stained cheeks dashed open the door of the royal 
 closet and flew to his assistance. She chafed 
 the cold hands and bathed the pallid brow, mur- 
 muring meanwhile words of cheer, until finally 
 the blue-veined lids slowly unclosed and Lady 
 Frances returned to consciousness. 
 
 " Frances, my own ! Speak to me ! " faltered 
 Richmond. 
 
 With a faint smile she laid her arms about 
 his neck, and her head sank wearily upon his 
 breast. 
 
 The king was touched. The hard lines about 
 his lips relaxed, and there was something wist- 
 ful and pathetic in his eyes as they rested upon 
 the husband and wife, whom it was in his 
 power to render happy or to condemn to mis- 
 ery. His bitterness and jealous rage were rap- 
 idly vanishing and his own better nature was 
 strongly asserting itself. " Poor souls ! " he 
 thought, with a mixture of pity and envy. 
 "How they love one another! If I take his 
 life, they will hate me." 
 
 Nell, who had been watching his face, read it
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 
 
 as if it had been an open book, and she whis- 
 pered encouragingly to Frances : 
 
 "Be reassured, dear lady. The king relents." 
 
 "Mistress Gwynne," commanded the king, 
 abruptly. "Come here." As Nell obeyed the 
 summons and advanced to his side, he said in a 
 lower tone and with mock severity : " So, mis- 
 tress, you have been listening, have you?" 
 
 With an admirable assumption of injured in- 
 nocence, Nell raised her eyes to his. 
 
 " I have no mean faults, your majesty," she 
 replied, solemnly. And then with one of those 
 sudden changes which rendered her so charm- 
 ing, she made a mischievous grimace at him 
 and whispered, confidentially: "Why, of course 
 I have been listening, Charles. You- know I 
 have. How fond you men are of making us 
 women tell lies." 
 
 The king laughed and then he sighed. 
 
 "At least you must not lie to me, Nelly. 
 Whom else have I to trust ? Now, tell me, my 
 little Mentor, what shall be the punishment of 
 that treacherous nobleman yonder ? " 
 
 Nell laid her hand imploringly on his arm. 
 
 "You are ^werful, sire. Be merciful. His 
 fault was one of the head, rather than of the 
 heart. There is not a nobleman in all England 
 more loyal than his grace of Richmond." 
 
 20
 
 306 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 Charles was too keen of judgment, when not 
 blinded by passion, not to realize that this was 
 true. 
 
 "Then you advise me to pardon him?" he 
 asked. 
 
 "Yes, yes, sire," replied Nell, eagerly. "You 
 will have your reward, I know you will." 
 
 "My reward," he echoed, sadly. 
 
 "You will make two loving hearts happy, and 
 T I shall be happy, too." 
 
 "Heaven forbid that my merry Nell should 
 ever be anything but happy ! " he replied, half 
 seriously, half jestingly. "I am a king, and 
 cannot hope to have things as I wish. Well, 
 then, since I cannot be anything more agreea- 
 ble, I will be a king." 
 
 Confident and fearful at the same time, Nell 
 watched him anxiously, as with a proud gesture 
 he raised his hat and placed it upon his head. 
 Then he turned and advancing toward Frances 
 and Richmond, he addressed them with that 
 sweet and gracious dignity which sat so becom- 
 ingly upon him and which no other gentleman 
 in the kingdom could hope to equal. 
 
 " Cousin Frances ! do not tremble. You are 
 our ward, and it is for us to see to your welfare. 
 Cousin of Richmond, you are the husband of 
 Frances Stuart. We are not so rich as our
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 307 
 
 brother of France ; and we can give you for our 
 wedding present but this poor slip of paper." 
 
 As he spoke, he extended the "traitorous com. 
 pact. Overcome with relief and gratitude, 
 Richmond sank upon his knees at his sover- 
 eign's feet, while Frances, her heart too full 
 for words, seized the king's hand and pressed it 
 rapturously to her lips. 
 
 " Oh, sire," faltered Richmond, in a voice- 
 choked with emotion, " you have conquered 
 me, as the axe never conquered a gentleman." 
 
 " He has conquered himself," said Nell, 
 smiling happily and proudly at Charles. " He 
 is greater than a king." 
 
 That night his majesty announced that there- 
 had been a marriage, of which he alone had 
 been in the secret, and he presented to the 
 queen and the assembled court, their graces, 
 the Duke and Duchess of Richmond. Thereaf- 
 ter the appearances in London of Richmond 
 and Frances were but few. They retired to- 
 their estates in Kent, and there, far from the 
 turmoils and intrigues of the court, they lived 
 a peaceful, quiet life, caring only for the com- 
 panionship of each other, and happy in the 
 love that could know no satiety, no change. 
 
 In spite of Master Samuel's woeful prognos-
 
 308 NELL GWYNNE. 
 
 tications, brother John's services at the hasty 
 marriage proved to be his stepping-stone to 
 advancement; through the influence of the 
 Duke of Richmond he was presented an excel- 
 lent living in the country, and his faithful, 
 modest performance of his duty finally secured 
 for him a bishopric. As for gossipy, scandal- 
 loving Samuel himself, his fame can never die, 
 so long as literature exists, for his diary will 
 ever stand unrivalled for its amusing qualities 
 and its microscopic picture of the times. 
 
 Buckhurst was too sensible to eat his heart 
 out for what was beyond his reach. He mar- 
 ried fair Mistress Mary Middleton, and after 
 being one of the most reckless, pleasure-loving 
 bucks of the town, settled down as a model 
 husband and father of a family. 
 
 The king dealt with the men concerned in 
 the plot to dethrone him with rare wisdom and 
 judgment. Some few were banished for more 
 or less lengthy periods, but most of them were 
 pardoned, on their oath never again to conspire 
 against the crown, and by so acting, Charles 
 made of those who had been his enemies some 
 of his most devoted adherents. The Duke of 
 Buckingham, warned in some mysterious man- 
 ner of the discovery of the plot, managed to es- 
 cape to France, where after living for a year or
 
 ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL. 
 
 two in anything but irksome exile, he was al- 
 lowed to return and was restored to his former 
 honors, although it is more than doubtful if the 
 king ever bestowed upon him the same friend- 
 ship which had been his in former days. 
 
 And Nelly? Dear Nelly, with the laughing 
 eyes and roguish mouth, what shall we say of 
 her as we bid her farewell? What, indeed, 
 save 
 
 Bs to her virtues very kind, 
 Be to her faults a little blind. 
 
 And Nell's virtues far outweighed her faults, , 
 Forgive her the one error, which was more forc- 
 ed upon her by circumstances than indulged in 
 by choice, and it may fairly be said she was en- 
 dowed with every good quality. Flattered, 
 courted and feted, her life sped gaily forward 
 amidst all the merriment and dissipation of a 
 dissolute court, but she was far different from 
 the other ladies who were fortunate or unfortu- 
 nate enough to win the royal favor, for she was 
 as much distinguished for her personal devotion 
 to the king as her rivals were for their wealth 
 and titles. Brave, generous, truthful, tender 
 and sympathetic, with a heart pitiful for all 
 woes and a hand open to relieve all suffering, 
 she did all the good she could and never harmed 
 any one. The king may well have said that
 
 310 IvELL GWYNNE. 
 
 she possessed an eternal sweetness and youth, 
 for, while she devoted her life to making others 
 happy, she still lives enshrined in the hearts of 
 her countrymen, who cherish her memory with 
 peculiar tenderness. 
 
 " Sweet heart, that no taint of the throne or the stage 
 Could touch with unclean transformation, or alter, 
 To the likeness of courtiers whose consciences falter 
 
 At the smile or the frown, at the mirth or the rage, 
 
 Of a master whom chance could inflame or assuage ; 
 Our Lady of Laughter, invoked in no psalter, 
 Adored of no faithful that cringe and that palter ; 
 
 Peace be with thee yet from a hag-ridden age. 
 " Our Lady of Pity thou wast, and to thee 
 All England, whose sons are the sons of the sea, 
 
 Gives thanks, and will hear not if history snarls 
 
 When the name of the friend of her sailors is spoken ; 
 And thy lover she cannot but love by the token 
 
 That thy name was the last on the lips of King Charles.*' 
 
 THE END.
 
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