royalty restored-第34节

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is　vehicle；　for　having　left　their　oranges　in　the　coach；　some　boys　had　essayed　to　help　themselves；　whereon　the　man　fell　foul　of　them。　　But　he；　being　one　against　many；　was　like　to　fare　badly　at　their　hands；　seeing　which；　the　maids　of　honour　persuaded　him　to　let　the　crowd　take　the　fruit　and　drive　them　back　at　once。　　This　conduct　had　not　the　effect　of　appeasing　those　who　profited　by　its　generosity；　for　the　gentlewomen　were　greeted　with　most　foul　abuse；　and　many　unworthy　charges　were　laid　to　their　account　in　language　more　vigorous　than　polished。　　And　having　at　last　arrived　in　safety　at　Whitehall；　they　resolved　never　to　sally　forth　in　search　of　adventure　again。

After　various　strange　experiences　in　his　character　as　doctor　of　medicine　and　teller　of　fortunes；　of　the　weakness　of　human　nature　and　strength　of　common　credulity；　the　learned　Alexander　Bendo　vanished　from　the　city；　and　about　the　same　time　the　gallant　Earl　of　Rochester　appeared　at　court；　where　he　sought　for　and　obtained　the　merry　monarch's　pardon。　　The　wonderful　stories　he　was　enabled　to　relate；　piquant　in　detail；　and　sparkling　with　wit；　rendered　it　delightful　to　the　king；　in　whose　favour　he　soon　regained　his　former　supremacy。　　Nay；　Charles　even　determined　to　enrich　and　reward　him；　not　indeed　from　the　resources　of　his　privy　purse；　his　majesty's　income　being　all　too　little　for　his　mistresses'　rapacity；　but　by　uniting　him　to　a　charming　woman　and　an　heiress。

The　lady　whom　his　majesty　selected　for　this　purpose　was　Elizabeth　Mallett；　daughter　of　Lord　Hawley　of　Donamore。　　Now　this　gentlewoman　had　a　fortune　of　two　thousand　five　hundred　a　year；　a　considerable　sum　in　those　days；　and　one　which　gained　her　many　suitors；　amongst　whom　Lord　Hinchingbrook　was　commended　by　her　family；　and　Lord　Rochester　by　the　king。　　Now　the　latter　nobleman；　having　but　a　poor　estate；　was　anxious　to　obtain　her　wealth；　and　fearful　of　losing　his　suit：　　and　being　uncertain　as　to　whether　he　could　gain　her　consent　to　marry　him　by　fair　means；　he　resolved　to　obtain　it　by　execution　of　a　daring　scheme。

This　was　to　carry　her　off　by　force；　an　action　which　highly　commended　itself　to　his　adventurous　spirit。　　Accordingly　he　selected　a　night　on　which　the　heiress　supped　at　Whitehall　with　her　friend　Miss　Stuart；　for　conducting　his　enterprise。　　It　therefore　happened　that　as　Elizabeth　Mallett　was　returning　home　from　the　palace　in　company　with　her　grandfather；　their　coach　was　suddenly　stopped　at　Charing　Cross。　　Apprehending　some　danger；　Lord　Hawley　looked　out；　and　by　the　red　light　of　a　score　of　torches　flashing　through　darkness；　saw　he　was　surrounded　by　a　band　of　armed　men；　both　afoot　and　on　horse。　　Their　action　was　prompt　and　decisive；　for　before　either　my　lord　or　his　granddaughter　was　aware　of　their　intention；　the　latter　was　seized；　forcibly　lifted　from　the　coach；　and　transferred　to　another　which　awaited　close　at　hand。　　This　was　driven　by　six　horses；　and　occupied　by　two　women；　who　received　the　heiress　with　all　possible　respect。　　No　sooner　had　she　been　placed　in　the　coach　than　the　horses　were　set　to　a　gallop；　and　away　she　sped；　surrounded　by　a　company　of　horsemen。

Lord　Hawley　was　cast　into　the　uttermost　grief　and　passion　by　this　outrage；　but　his　condition　did　not　prevent　him　speedily　gathering　a　number　of　friends　and　retainers；　in　company　with　whom　he　gave　chase　to　those　who　had　abducted　his　granddaughter；　and　so　fast　did　they　ride　that　Mistress　Mallett　was　overtaken　at　Uxbridge；　and　carried　back　in　safety　to　town。　　For　this　outrageous　attempt；　my　Lord　Rochester　was　by　the　king's　command　committed　to　the　Tower；　there　to　await　his　majesty's　good　pleasure。　　It　seemed　now　as　if　the　earl's　chance　of　gaining　the　heiress　had　passed　away　for　ever；　inasmuch　as　Charles　regarded　the　attempted　abduction　with　vast　displeasure；　and　my　Lord　Hawley　with　terrible　indignation。

But　the　ways　of　women　being　inexplicable；　it　happened　in　a　brief　while　Mistress　Mallett　was　inclined　to　regret　my　Lord　Rochester's　imprisonment；　and　therefore　moved　to　have　him　released；　and；　moreover；　she　was　subsequently　pleased　to　regard　his　suit　and　accept　him　as　her　wedded　lord。　　It　speaks　favourably　for　his　character　that　with　all　his　faults　she　loved　him　well：　　nor　did　Rochester；　though　occasionally　unfaithful；　ever　treat　her　with　unkindness。　　At　times　the　old　spirit　of　restlessness　and　passion　for　adventure　would　master　him；　when　he　would　withdraw　himself　from　her　society　for　weeks　and　months。　　But　she；　though　sadly　afflicted　by　such　conduct；　did　not　resent　it。　　〃If　I　could　have　been　troubled　at　anything；　when　I　had　the　happiness　of　receiving　a　letter　from　you；〃　she　writes　to　him　on　one　occasion　when　he　had　absented　himself　from　her　for　long；　〃I　should　be　so　because　you　did　not　name　a　time　when　I　might　hope　to　see　you；　the　uncertainty　of　which　very　much　afflicts　me。〃　　And　again　the　poor　patient　wife　tells　him；　〃Lay　your　commands　upon　me；　what　I　am　to　do；　and　though　it　be　to　forget　my　children；　and　the　long　hope　I　have　lived　in　of　seeing　you；　yet　I　will　endeavour　to　obey　you；　or　in　memory　only　torment　myself；　without　giving　you　the　trouble　of　putting　you　in　mind　that　there　lives　such　a　creature　as　your　faithful　humble　servant。〃　　At　length　dissipation　undermined　his　naturally　strong　constitution；　and　for　months　this　once　most　gay　and　gallant　man；　this　〃noble　and　beautiful　earl；〃　lay　dying　of　that　cruel　disease　consumption。　　The　while　such　thoughts　as　come　to　those　who　reason　of　life's　vanities　beset　him；　and　as　he　descended　into　the　valley　of　shadows；　the　folly　of　this　world's　ways　was　made　clear　to　him。　　And　repenting　of　his　sins；　he　died　in　peace　with　God　and　man　at　the　age　of　three…and…thirty。

George　Villiers　second　Duke　of　Buckingham；　was　not　less　notable　than　my　Lord　Rochester。　　By　turns　he　played　such　diverse　parts　in　life's　strange　comedy　as　that　of　a　spendthrift　and　a　miser；　a　profligate　and　a　philosopher；　a　statesman　who　sought　the　ruin　of　his　country；　and　a　courtier　who　pandered　to　the　pleasures　of　his　king。　　But　inasmuch　as　this　history　is　concerned　with　the　social　rather　than　the　political　life　of　those　mentioned　in　its　pages；　place　must　be　given　to　such　adventures　as　were　connected　with　the　court　and　courtiers。　　Buckingham's　were　chiefly　concerned　with　his　intrigues；　which；　alas！　　were　many　and　strange；　for　though　his　wife　was　loving　and　virtuous；　she　was　likewise　lean　and　brown；　and　wholly　incapable　of　controlling　his　erring　fancies。　Perhaps　it　was　knowledge　of　her　lack　of　comeliness　which　helped　her　to　bear　the　burden　of　his　follies；　for　according　to　Madame　Dunois；　though　the　duchess　knew　he　was　continually　engaged　in　amours；　she；　by　virtue　of　a　patience　uncommon　to　her　sex；　forbore　mentioning　the　subject　to　him；　and　〃had　complaisance　enough　to　entertain　his　mistresses；　and　even　lodge　them　in　her　house；　all　which　she　suffered　because　she　loved　him。〃

The　most　remarkable　of　his　intrigues　was　that　which　connected　his　name　with　the　Countess　of　Shrewsbury。　　Her　ladyship；　was　daughter　of　the　second　Earl　of　Cardigan；　and　wife　of　the　eleventh　Earl　of　Shrewsbury。　　She　was　married　a　year　previous　to　the　restoration；　and　upon　the　establishment　of　the　court　at　Whitehall　had　become　one　of　its　most　distinguished　beauties。　　Nor　was　she　less　famed　for　the　loveliness　of　her　person　than　for　the　generosity　of　her　disposition；　inasmuch　as　none　who　professed　themselves　desirous　of　her　affection　were　ever　allowed　to　languish　in　despair。　　She　therefore　had　many　admirers；　some　of　whom　were　destined　to　suffer　for　the　distinction　her　friendship　conferred。

Now　one　of　the　first　to　gain　her　attachment　was　the　young　Earl　of　Arran；　the　grace　of　whose　bearing　and　ardour　of　whose　character　were　alike　notable　to　the　court。　　The　verses　he　sung　her　to　an　accompaniment　of　his　guitar；　and　the　glances　he　gave　her　indicative　of　his　passion；　might　have　melted　a　heart　less　cold　than　hers。　　Accordingly　they　gained　him　a　friendship　which；　by　reason　of　her　vast　benevolence；　many　were　subsequently　destined　to　share。　　Now　it　chanced　that　the　little　Jermyn；　who　had　already　succeeded　in　winning　the　affections　of　such　notable　women　as　the　poor　Princess　of　Orange　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　and　had　besides　conducted　a　series　of　minor　intrigues　with　various　ladies　connected　with　the　court；　was　somewhat　piqued　that　Lady　Shrewsbury　had　accepted　my　Lord　Arran's　attentions　without　encouraging　his。　　For　Henry　Jermyn；　by　virtue　of　the　fascinations　he　exercised　and　the　consequent　reputation　he　enjoyed；　expected　to　be　wooed　by　such　women　as　desired　his　love。

But　when；　later　on；　Lord　Arran's　devotion　to　the　lady　was　succeeded　by　that　of　Thomas　Howard；　brother　to　the　Earl　of　Carlisle；　and　captain　of　the　guards；　Jermyn　was　thoroughly　incensed；　and　resolved　to　make　an　exception　in　favour　of　the　countess　by　beginning　those　civilities　which　act　as　preludes　to　intrigue。　　My　lady；　who　was　not　judicious　enough　to　be　off　with　the　old　love　before　she　was　on　with　the　new；　accepted　Jermyn's　advances　with　an　eagerness　that　gave　promise　of　further　favours。　This　was　highly　displeasing　to　Howard；　a　brave　and　generous　man；　who　under　an　exterior　of　passive　calmness　concealed　a　spirit　of　fearless　courage。　　Though　not　desirous　of　picking　a　quarrel　with　his　rival；　he　was　unwilling　to　suffer　his　impertinent　interference。