ence, told him all his early sorrows, the enmity of Buckingham,
the falsehood of De Vallance, and the loss of his estate, title, and
high connection. When in the sequel of his narrative, he stated that his
perfidious friend was at this time Earl of Bellingham, the blood
recoiled from Dr. Beaumont's heart, and he almost fainted with horror.
"Do I understand you," said he; "was De Vallance thus exalted by the
King? Was his wife the Queen's confidante, the dispenser of her favours
and the adviser of her conduct?" He then shewed Evellin the British
Mercury, which stated, that this same Bellingham had accepted a
commission under the Parliament; that the treacherous favourite of the
unfortunate Henrietta Maria had charged her mistress with the design of
introducing popery and arbitrary power, as well as of secretly fomenting
the Irish rebellion, and that she had involved in her slanders the
merciful and truly religious King.

"This infinitely transcends all," exclaimed Evellin, "and drives from my
remembrance the recollection of my private wrongs. I consider the
infernal pair not merely as my enemies, but as the common foes of man; I
regard them as a tiger and hyaena, whom I ought to hunt down and destroy.
They are not depraved human beings, tempted by ambition to sin greatly;
but demons, who know no moral feelings either of honour, pity,
attachment, or gratitude."

"Restrain your warmth," said Dr. Beaumont; "this is only the natural
progress of inordinate desires unchecked by principle, and gorged, not
satiated, by indulgence. She who would betray a brother would never
adhere to a fallen benefactress. He who would ruin a confiding friend,
would desert his King in adversity. A coronet, a large estate, a
magnificent castle, and splendid retinue, were the baubles for which
these offenders forfeited their immortal souls. The compact once made,
cannot (they think) be broken. Habit here becomes fixed as the Ethiop's
die or the leopard's spots; and greater crimes must secure what lesser
offences purchased."

The friends now consulted on their future measures. Evellin was for
concealing his real self from the King, but Dr. Beaumont advised that
though he should retain his borrowed name, as a personal security in
case he should fall into the enemy's hands, the King should know him for
the injured Allan Neville. "It will add to his distress," said Evellin,
"to see a man whom he has wronged, and has now no power to redress." "It
wil