CHAPTER VII. THE KING AND THE SPY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 122, 27 August 1875, Page 6

CHAPTER VII. THE KING AND THE SPY.

" Your < andid -opinion now, uncle, of William of Orange," said Florc-nce, as she watched with something of curiosity, certain preparations Sir Charles was making for iDresenting himself at Kensington the evening after his first introduction to the King. The Baronet, somewhat embarrased, answered evasively" and testily — " The King received me courteously enough. What makes you so curious, child ? Has he not already shown me a mark of his royal favour, or why do I spend this evening in his hanquetingroom ? I should not much wonder, Florence, if the like favour shown you by Mary, who is more gracious than you imagine, in time makes a convert of Florence O'Neill." " Yes, truly," replied Florence, with a contemptuous smile on her lip ; " Mary wotild be extremely gracious to me on the morrow, did she know what my feelings really are." " Suppose I were to whisper in the King's ear a few, words concerning your disloyalty, Florence ; can you trust me, think ; you?" | " Yes, dearest uncle," replied Florence, kissing the forehead of i the venerable old man, as he prepared to depart, " I can trust you, | because you love me too well to betray me ; and moreover, know that Florence has read your own secret. You dislike the Dutch king, though you will not own it, perhaps even to yourself." " Go, saucy one," said the Baronet, parting "back the golden hair of his fair niece, "do not presume to cay you can read mine own thoughts. I will tell, girl, I think myself highly honored by j the king's friendship." j " Especially, my dear uncle, as you know, to a certainty," I replied the aggravating Florence, " that Dutch William has a keen • eye to your broad acres and widely-spread influence." j Sir Charles made no reply, but seemingly anxious to close the . conversation, retreated from the room ; whilst Florence drew her writing materials before her and wrote as follows : — { Dear Misteess A. — j " I pray you inform your good husband that I will cer" ainly J see him on the morning after the arrangements now pending shall I have been completed, provided you can yourself undertake to \ accompany me to your house, without which* our interview will be" I attended with some danger. I, on my part, shall also have some communications to make, doubtless serviceable to absent friends. Yours, in all friendship, F. ON. This cautiously worded epistle was then carefully scaled and despatched by a trusty messenger to Mrs. Ashton's house in Coventgarden, and ior ihe next half -Lour the young lady amused herself by revolving in her mind the few words that had passed between herself and the Baronet, togethc-r with <eitain little points which clearly showed her that Sir Charles had seen nothing in William to make him change his own tactics ; and though he would not tpeak out, she was well aware that •ho was restive under the mirthful spirit with which she chose -to icrce upon him her conviction that, spite of the her. or conferred on him by ihe invitation he had received, he had seen nothing in tho Dutch King to warrant his espousal of his interests. The Queen had expected, with some curiosity, the arrival of

the baronet, and -was nothing loth to receive the beautiful niece, whom she know to be the favored protegee of Mary of Modcna,- for she was aware of the betrothal of the former with Sir Reginald,and trusted by artfully bringing the two in contact with each other, to be enabled to break through the barrier -which existed between them, prevent the return of Florence to the Court of the exiled Queen, and attach her to her own person ; for Mary really designed appointing Florence to the post of one of her maids of honor,, doubting not but that eventually all the secrets of St. Germains, and the hopes and fears of her father and his consort, would be laid open to herself. This was the first visit of the baronet to William the Third's banqueting-rooin. The King was ev,er sparing of speech, and singularly taciturn to those around him. When at his meals his manner was disgusting to others ; and the irritable spirit of the old baronet chafed within him as he observed Lord Clarendon, who had accompanied him thither, take his stand behind the King's chair, beckoning Sir Charles to follow his example by occupying the same situation. No word did William ever speak on occasions like the present, nor was it his wont to invite the proudest nobles in the land to sit down to eat ; their master and their conqueror he deemed himself to be, and their place was behind his chair, the neglected witnesses of his meal. With feelings of intense disgust Sir Charles regarded the King, inwardly cursing the folly which had brought him thither, for in vain had he awaited the honor of a word ; but no, not one escaped the lips of William of Orange. The old gentleman stood long a disgusted witness of the scene before him ; and during the time occupied in the exalted employment assigned to himself, of humbly standing behind William's chair whilst he made his repast, mentally exclaimed, "Marry, but it serves me right; I am but justly met with. What business, indeed, had I to be here at all, instead of making merry with friends and tenants at the Grange ? or if, at eighty years oE age, I must needs be fool enough to meddle with politics, then why not devote my fortune and the short remains of my life in the service of my rightful King ? Well, well, a few weeks more and I will see if I cannot escape — ay, even if Lfeign a return of my old enemy the gout, and shut myself up a voluntary prisoner in my own house ; anything sooner than thus crouch before this Dutchman's rule, and — " But the thread of the Baronet's meditations was here cut short by William rising from his seat, and graciously vouchsafing a few words to himself and Lord Clarendon, and some three or four noblemen who stood around. On this day Mary had dined alone in her own apartment, in consequence of a trifling indisposition, and as William was about to retire, struck as it were by a sudden thought, he said, turning to the baronet — " You have a fair niece living with you, Sir Charles. She is betrothed, we understand, to Sir Reginald St. John, in whose welfare both the Queen and myself are warmly interested. Her Majesty, you have already been intorined, will grant her an audience on the morrow. See that you bring her thither." Thus speaking, and awaiting no reply, the Dutch monarch passed on, followed by two or three of tho most intimate of his Dutch friends, amongst whom was his favourite, tho page, Arnold Von Keppel. Comfortably ensconced in his own private closot, in a luxurious richly carved chair, covered with crimson velvet, the King now reclined at his ease. English magnates were no longer present ; with his Dutch friends and the favored page, William cotild at last relax, and deem it allowable to discard the restraints of royalty, and quaffing off Ms favorite liquor, Hollands gin, which the English nobles lately in his presence would scorn to touch, could pass what was no doubt the pleasantest hour in the day. Bxrt on this occasion it was with one particular person that the King had to do ; and beckoning the favorite to his side, his grave countenance wearing a most gracious smile, William exclaimed, rubbing Ms hands eagerly — " Now then, Von Keppel, what hast thou. to tell me about that fool Benson's vagaries ? Speak quickly, man ; the wretch might have come to evil by putting himself in tho lion's den ; if your information was correct, that Sarsfield really had him in his power; but out upon the fool, why did he consent to play the spy, an' his wits were so dull that he could not act his part better ?" " Ah, your Majesty, I beg you to spare him," replied the page; " his wits would have served him well enough, but that a cruel fate hindered him from serving his gracious master as effectually as he could have wished. I will bring him to your presence a little later ; he has been waiting in one of my apartments these several hours, in order to crave your Majesty's pardon for the untoward way in which he has fulfilled his mission ; but, indeed, he has undergone the roughest treatment, and narrowly escaped with his life."