n. He was surrounded by a
group of courtiers, who had accompanied or followed his father
into exile, and whose insistence upon treating him with the
respect due to a monarch was in no slight degree galling to him,
for, as he often declared to the few friends he had about his own
age, he had all the disadvantages of being a king, without any of
the advantages.

He was at once taken with the appearance of Desmond Kennedy.

"Ah, Monsieur Kennedy," he said, after the ceremony of
presentation had been completed; "I wish that I had all my
faithful subjects, of the Irish Brigade, across the water with me;
and that I could put on a uniform like yours, and fight at their
head for my rights."

"I would that you had, Sire. It would be a good day for us all;
and believe me, that either in Ireland or Scotland you would soon
find yourself at the head of an army, many times more numerous
than our brigade."

"They all tell me that I must wait," the young prince said, with a
sigh, "but I have been waiting a long time now, and it seems no
nearer than when I was a child. However, the King of France has
promised me that it cannot be much longer; and that, when
Marlborough is defeated, and his army driven back across the sea,
he will send a fleet and an army to place me on my throne."

"We shall all rejoice, indeed, when that time comes, Sire; and I
am sure there is not a man in the Irish Brigade who will not
follow you to the death, and serve you as faithfully as many of
them did your royal father."

"I hope you will come here often, Monsieur Kennedy. I am sure that
I shall like you very much, and I think that you would always say
what you thought, and tell me the real truth about things."

"Sire!" one of the older men exclaimed, reproachfully.

"I mean no reflection on anyone, Dillon. You all say what I am
sure you feel, but you have grown accustomed to waiting, and all
think of what is politic, and complain that I speak too frankly.
Monsieur Kennedy comes straight from Ireland, and he is not old
enough, yet, to have learned to measure his words, and will not be
always afraid that anything he may say will be carried to the
king.

"How I wish that the king would send me with Marshal Tallard!"

"That would never do, Sire. The English are your subjects, and
they would never forgive you, if you were to appear in the field
with a French army, fighting against them."

"But the Irish Brigade fight, Dillon?"

"Yes, Your Majesty,