royalty restored-第26部分

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ch　as　possible；　she　seldom　wears　any　other　than　green　stockings。　　I　went　yesterday　to　Miss　Stuart's　after　the　audience　of　those　damned　Muscovites：　　the　king　arrived　there　just　before　me；　and　as　if　the　duke　had　sworn　to　pursue　me　wherever　I　went　that　day；　he　came　in　just　after　me。　The　conversation　turned　upon　the　extraordinary　appearance　of　the　ambassadors。　　I　know　not　where　that　fool　Crofts　had　heard　that　all　these　Muscovites　had　handsome　wives；　and　that　all　their　wives　had　handsome　legs。　　Upon　this　the　king　maintained；　that　no　woman　ever　had　such　handsome　legs　as　Miss　Stuart；　and　she　to　prove　the　truth　of　his　majesty's　assertion；　with　the　greatest　imaginable　ease；　immediately　showed　her　leg　above　the　knee。　　Some　were　ready　to　prostrate　themselves　in　order　to　adore　its　beauty；　for　indeed　none　can　be　handsomer；　but　the　duke　alone　began　to　criticize　upon　it。　　He　contended　that　it　was　too　slender；　and　that　as　for　himself　he　would　give　nothing　for　a　leg　that　was　not　thicker　and　shorter；　and　concluded　by　saying　that　no　leg　was　worth　anything　without　green　stockings；　now　this　in　my　opinion　was　a　sufficient　demonstration　that　he　had　just　seen　green　stockings；　and　had　them　fresh　in　his　remembrance。〃

At　hearing　this　story；　Hamilton；　being　deeply　in　love　with　Lady　Chesterfield；　was　scarcely　less　agitated　or　less　jealous　than　her　lord；　but　he　was　obliged　to　conceal　his　feelings。　　Therefore；　assuming　the　tone　of　an　impartial　hearer；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　declared　appearances　were　often　deceitful；　and　maintained　that　even　if　she　had　given　herself　airs　to　encourage　the　duke；　there　were　no　grounds　to　show　she　had　been　culpable　of　improprieties。　　My　lord　expressed　himself　much　obliged　to　his　friend　for　the　interest　he　had　shown　in　his　troubles；　and　after　exchanging　a　few　compliments　they　parted。　　Hamilton；　full　of　wrath；　returned　home；　and　wrote　a　letter　replete　with　violent　expostulations　and　tender　reproaches　to　the　woman　he　loved。　　This　he　delivered　to　her　secretly　at　the　next　opportunity。　　She　received　it　from　him　with　a　smile；　which　scared　all　doubts　of　her　frailty　from　his　mind；　and　with　a　pressure　of　his　hand　which　awoke　the　tenderest　feelings　in　his　heart。

He　was　now　convinced　her　husband　had　allowed　jealousy　to　blind　him；　and　had　magnified　his　unworthy　suspicions　to　assurances　of　guilt。　　Is　this　view　Hamilton　was　fully　confirmed　by　a　letter　he　received　from　her　the　following　day　in　answer　to　his　own。　　〃Are　you　not；〃　said　she；　〃ashamed　to　give　any　credit　to　the　visions　of　a　jealous　fellow；　who　brought　nothing　else　with　him　from　Italy？　Is　it　possible　that　the　story　of　the　green　stockings；　upon　which　he　has　founded　his　suspicions；　should　have　imposed　upon　you；　accompanied　as　it　is　with　such　pitiful　circumstances？　　Since　he　has　made　you　his　confidant；　why　did　not　he　boast　of　breaking　in　pieces　my　poor　harmless　guitar？　　This　exploit；　perhaps；　might　have　convinced　you　more　than　all　the　rest；　recollect　yourself；　and　if　you　are　really　in　love　with　me；　thank　fortune　for　a　groundless　jealousy；　which　diverts　to　another　quarter　the　attention　he　might　pay　to　my　attachment　for　the　most　amiable　and　the　most　dangerous　man　at　court。〃

Anointed　by　this　flattering　unction；　such　wounds　as　Hamilton　had　experienced　were　quickly　healed；　alas；　only　to　bleed　afresh　at　the　certain　knowledge　that　this　charming　woman　had　been　making　him　her　dupe！　　For　soon　after；　in　a　moment　of　indiscretion；　and　whilst　the　whole　court；　including　her　majesty；　was　assembled　in　the　card…room；　my　lady　there　permitted　the　duke　a　liberty　which　confirmed　her　husband　in　his　suspicions　of　their　intimacy。　Hamilton　at　hearing　this　was　wild　with　fury；　and　advised　Lord　Chesterfield　to　carry　her　away　from　the　allurements　of　the　court；　and　seclude　her　in　one　of　his　country　mansions。　　This　was　an　advice　to　which　the　earl　listened　with　complaisance；　and　carried　out　with　despatch；　to　her　intense　mortification。

The　whole　court　was　amused　by　the　story；　but　dismayed　at　the　punishment　my　lord　inflicted　upon　his　lady。　　Anthony　Hamilton　declares　that　in　England　〃they　looked　with　astonishment　upon　a　man　who　could　be　so　uncivil　as　to　be　jealous　of　his　wife；　and　in　the　city　of　London　it　was　a　prodigy；　till　that　time　unknown；　to　see　a　husband　have　recourse　to　violent　means　to　prevent　what　jealousy　fears；　and　what　it　always　deserves。〃　　He　adds；　they　endeavoured　to　excuse　my　lord　by　laying　all　the　blame　on　his　bad　education；　which　made　〃all　the　mothers　vow　to　God　that　none　of　their　sons　should　ever　set　a　foot　in　Italy；　lest　they　should　bring　back　with　them　that　infamous　custom　of　laying　restraint　upon　their　wives。〃

By　the　departure　of　Lady　Chesterfield　the　court　lost　one　of　its　most　brilliant　ornaments　forever；　for　the　unhappy　countess　never　again　returned　to　the　gay　scene　of　her　adventures。　　For　three　long　years　she　endured　banishment　at　Bretby　in　Derbyshire；　and　then　died；　it　was　believed；　from　the　effects　of　poison。　　For　my　lord；　never　having　his　suspicions　of　her　intrigue　cleared；　insisted　on　her　taking　the　sacrament　by　way　of　pledging　her　innocence；　on　which　occasion　he；　in　league　with　his　chaplain；　mixed　poison　in　the　sacred　wine；　as　result　of　which　she　died。　This　shocking　story　gained　credence　not　only　with　the　public；　but　with　members　of　his　own　family；　inasmuch　as　his　daughter…in…law；　Lady　Gertrude　Stanhope；　after　she　had　quarrelled　with　him；　would；　when　she　sat　at　his　table；　drink　only　of　such　wine　and　water　as　a　trusty　servant　of　hers　procured。

This　intrigue　of　the　duke　had　given　much　uneasiness　to　his　duchess；　who　had　complained　to　the　king　and　to　her　father；　and　had；　moreover；　set　a　watch　upon　the　movements　of　his　royal　highness。　　But　such　measures　did　not　avail　to　make　him　a　faithful　husband；　and　no　sooner　was　Lady　Chesterfield　removed　from　his　sight；　than　Lady　Denham　took　her　place　in　his　affections。　　This　latter　mentioned　gentlewoman　was　daughter　of　a　valiant　baronet；　Sir　William　Brooke；　and　niece　to　a　worthless　peer；　the　Earl　of　Bristol。　　The　earl　had；　on　the　king's　restoration；　cherished　ambitious　schemes　to　obtain　the　merry　monarch's　favour；　for　which　purpose　he　sought　to　commend　himself　by　ministering　to　the　royal　pleasures。

Accordingly　he　entertained　the　king　as　became　a　loyal　gentleman；　giving　him　luxurious　banquets　and　agreeable　suppers；　to　which；　by　way　of　adding　to　his　majesty's　greater　satisfaction；　the　noble　host　invited　his　nieces；　Mistress　Brooke　and　her　sister。　　The　wily　earl　had；　indeed；　conceived　a　plan　the　better　to　forward　his　interests　with　the　king；　and　was　desirous　one　of　these　gentlewomen　should　subdue　his　majesty's　heart；　and　become　his　mistress。　　Margaret　Brooke；　the　elder　of　the　maidens；　was　at　this　time　in　her　eighteenth　year；　and　was　in　the　full　flower　of　such　loveliness　as　was　presented　by　a　fair　complexion；　light　brown　hair；　and　dark　grey　eyes。　　The　merry　monarch's　susceptible　heart　was　soon　won　by　her　beauty；　the　charming　lady's　amorous　disposition　was　speedily　conquered　by　his　gallantry；　and　nothing　prevented　her　becoming　his　mistress　save　Lady　Castlemaine's　jealousy。

This；　however；　proved　an　insurmountable　obstacle；　for　the　countess；　hearing　rumours　of　the　pleasures　which　were　enjoyed　at　my　Lord　Bristol's　table；　insisted　on　attending　the　king　thither；　and　soon　gave　his　gracious　majesty　an　intimation　he　dared　not　disregardthat　she　would　not　suffer　Miss　Brooke　as　a　rival。　Margaret　Brooke　was　grievously　disappointed；　but　the　Duke　of　York　beginning　his　attentions　at　the　point　where　his　majesty　discontinued　them；　she　was　soon　consoled　for　loss　of　the　monarch's　affection　by　the　ardour　of　his　brother's　love。　　But　a　short　time　after；　probably　foreseeing　the　ambiguous　position　in　which　she　stood；　she　forsook　her　lover；　and　accepted　a　husband　in　the　person　of　Sir　John　Denham。

This　worthy　knight　was　a　man　of　parts；　inasmuch　as　he　was　a　soldier；　a　poet；　and　a　gamester。　　At　the　time　of　his　marriage　he　had　passed　his　fiftieth　year；　moreover；　he　limped　painfully　and　carried　a　crutch。　　His　appearance；　indeed；　was　far　from　imposing。　According　to　Aubrey；　he　was　tall；　had　long　legs；　and　was　〃incurvelting　at　his　shoulders；　his　hair　was　but　thin　and　flaxen；　with　a　moist　curl；　his　gait　slow　and　rather　astalking；　his　eye　was　a　kind　of　light　goose…grey；　not　big；　but　it　had　a　strange　piercingness；　not　as　to　shining　and　glory；　but　when　he　conversed　he　looked　into　your　very　thoughts。〃　　His　personal　defects；　however；　were　to　a　great　degree　compensated　for　by　his　great　wealth。　　Moreover　he　was　surveyor…general　of　his　majesty's　works；　had　a　town　house　in　Scotland　Yard；　and　a　country　residence　at　Waltham　Cross　in　Essex。　　But　there　are　some　deficiencies　for　which　wealth　does　not　atone；　as　no　doubt　Lady　Denham　promptly　discovered；　for；　before　a　year　of　her　married　life　had　passed；　she　renewed　her　intrigue　with　the　Duke　of　York。　　His　love　for　her　seemed　to　have　increased　a　thousandfold　since　fate　had　given　her　to　the　possession　of　another。　　At　royal　drawing…rooms　he　took　her　aside　and　talked　to　her　〃in　the　sight　of　all　the　world；〃　and　whenever　she　moved　away　from　him　he　followed　her　like　a　dog。

Indeed；　he　made　no　effort　to　screen　his　passion；　for　not　only　did　he　make　love　to　her　in　presence　of　the　court；　but　he　visited　her　at　noonday；　attended　by　his　gentlemen；　before　all　the　town。　　Nor　did　Lady　Denham　desire　to　conceal　the　honour　with　which；　she　considered；　this　amour　covered　her；　but　openly　declared　she　would　〃not　be　his　mistress；　as　Mrs。　Price；　to　go　up　and　down　the　privy　stairs；　but　will　be　owned　publicly；〃　and　in　this　respect　she　obtained　her　desire。　　Meanwhile　Sir　John　was　rendered　miserable；　and；　indeed；　his　desperation　soon　overthrew　his　reason；　and　rendered　him　a　lunatic。　　This　affection　first　appeared　during　a　journey　he　made　to　the　famous　free…stone　quarries　near　Portland　in　Dorset。　　When　he　came　within　a　mile　of　his　destination；　he　suddenly　turned　back；　and　proceeded　to　Hounslow；　where　he　demanded　rents　for　lands　he　had　disposed　of　years　before；　and　then　hastening　to　town　sought　out　the　king　and　informed　him　he　was　the　Holy　Ghost。

This　madness　lasted　but　a　short　time；　and　the　first　use　he　made　of　his　recovered　senses　was　to　plot　vengeance　on　his　wife。　　Now　there　was　one　honour　which　she　coveted　above　all　others；　that　of　being　appointed　a　lady　of　the　bedchamber