about in the world a little, and had learnt that
many counted Carford no better than a secret Papist, that he was held in
private favour, but not honoured in public, by the Duke of York, and
that communications passed freely between him and Arlington by the hand
of the secretary's good servant and my good friend Mr Darrell. Therefore
I wondered greatly at my lord's friendship with Monmouth, and at his
showing an attachment to the Duke which, as I had seen at Whitehall,
appeared to keep in check even the natural jealousy and resentment of a
lover. But at Court a man went wrong if he held a thing unlikely because
there was dishonour in it. There men were not ashamed to be spies
themselves, nor to use their wives in the same office. There to see no
evil was to shut your eyes. I determined to keep mine open in the
interests of my new patron, of an older friend, and perhaps of myself
also, for Carford's present civility scarcely masked his dislike.

We reached Canterbury while the light of the long summer evening still
served, and clattered up the street in muddy bravery. The town was out
to see his Grace, and his Grace was delighted to be seen by the town.
If, of their courtesy, they chose to treat him as a Prince, he could
scarcely refuse their homage, and if he accepted it, it was better to
accept like one to the manner born than awkwardly; yet I wondered
whether my lord made a note in his aspiring brain of all that passed,
and how soon the Duke of York would know that a Prince of Wales, coming
to Canterbury, could have received no greater honour. Nay, and they
hailed him as the champion of the Church, with hits at the Romish faith,
which my lord heard with eyes downcast to the ground and a rigid smile
carved on his face. It was all a forecast of what was one day to be;
perhaps to the hero of it a suggestion of what some day might be. At
least he was radiant over it, and carried Carford off with him into his
apartment in the merriest mood. He did not invite me to join his party,
and I was well content to be left to wander for an hour in the quiet
close of the great cathedral. For let me say that a young man who has
been lately crossed in love is in a better mood for most unworldly
meditation, than he is likely to be before or after. And if he would not
be taken too strictly at his word in all he says to himself then, why,
who would, pray, and when?

It was not my fault, but must be imputed to our nature, that in time my