for that very purpose."

"You mistake me, my liege," replied Amabel. "I do not desire to have him
restored to me. Fortunately for myself, I have succeeded in mastering my
love for him. The struggle has well-nigh cost me my life--but I _have_
conquered."

"I have yet to learn, sweetheart," observed Charles, with an incredulous
look, "that woman's love, if deeply fixed, _can_ be subdued."

"If I had not been supported by religion, my liege, I could _not_ have
subdued it," rejoined Amabel "Night and day, I have passed in
supplicating the Great Power that implanted this fatal passion in my
breast, and, at length, my prayers have prevailed."

"Aha! we have a devotee here!" thought Charles. "Am I to understand,
fair saint, that you would reject the earl, if he were to offer you his
hand?" he asked.

"Unquestionably," replied Amabel, firmly.

"This is strange," muttered Charles. "The girl is evidently in earnest.
What says your lordship?" he added to Rochester.

"That she shall be mine, whether she loves me or not," replied the earl.
"My pride is piqued to the conquest."

"No wonder!--the resistless Rochester flouted by a grocer's daughter.
Ha! ha!" observed Charles, laughing, while the rest of the courtiers
joined in his merriment.

"Oh! sire," exclaimed Amabel, throwing herself at the king's feet, and
bursting into tears, "do not abandon me, I beseech you. I cannot requite
the earl's attachment--and shall die if he continues his pursuit.
Command him--oh! command him to desist."

"I fear you have not dealt fairly with me, sweetheart," said the king.
"There is a well-favoured youth without, whom the earl pointed out as
your father's apprentice. Have you transferred your affections to him?"

"Your majesty has solved the enigma," observed Rochester, bitterly.

"You wrong me, my lord," replied Amabel. "Leonard Holt is without. Let
him be brought into the royal presence and interrogated; and if he will
affirm that I have given him the slightest encouragement by look or
word, or even state that he himself indulges a hope of holding a place
in my regards, I will admit there is some foundation for the charge. I
pray your majesty to send for him."

"It is needless," replied Charles, coldly. "I do not doubt your
assertion. But you will do the earl an injustice as well as yourself, if
you do not allow him a fair hearing."

"If you will allow me five minutes alone with you, Amabel, or will take
a single turn with me on