e
company she kept. Miss Jennings was haughty beyond conception, when once
she took it into her head; and as she liked Miss Price's conversation
much better than Talbot's, she took the liberty of desiring him "to
attend to his own affairs, and that if he only came from Ireland to read
lectures about her conduct, he might take the trouble to go back as soon
as he pleased." He was offended at a sally which he thought ill-timed,
considering the situation of affairs between them; and went out of her
presence more abruptly than became the respect due from a man greatly in
love. He for some time appeared offended; but perceiving that he gained
nothing by such conduct, he grew weary of acting that part, and assumed
that of an humble lover, in which he was equally unsuccessful; neither
his repentance nor submissions could produce any effect upon her, and the
mutinous little gipsy was still in her pouts when Jermyn returned to
court.

It was above a year since he had triumphed over the weakness of Lady
Castlemaine, and above two since the king had been weary of his triumphs:
his uncle, being vile of the first who perceived the king's disgust,
obliged him to absent himself from court, at the very time that orders
were going to be issued for that purpose; for though the king's
affections for Lady Castlemaine were now greatly diminished, yet he did
not think it consistent with his dignity that a mistress, whom he had
honoured with public distinction, and who still received a considerable
support from him, should appear chained to the car of the most ridiculous
conqueror that ever existed. His majesty had frequently expostulated
with the countess upon this subject: but his expostulations were never
attended to; it was in one of these differences that he, advising her
rather to bestow her favours upon Jacob Hall, the rope-dancer, who was
able to return them, than lavish away her money upon Jermyn to no
purpose, since it would be more honourable for her to pass for the
mistress of the first, than for the very humble servant of the other, she
was not proof against his raillery. The impetuosity of her temper broke
forth like lightning: she told him "that it very ill became him to throw
out such reproaches against one, who, of all the women in England,
deserved them the least; that he had never ceased quarrelling thus
unjustly with her, ever since he had betrayed his own mean low
inclinations; that to gratify such a depraved taste as his