oubtless I shall, when age (touching his forehead)
shall make this same weathercock too rusty to turn with the changing
breeze. But as yet, while I have spirit and action, let it whirl like
the vane at the mast-head, which teaches the pilot how to steer his
course; and when I shift mine, think I am bound to follow Fortune, and
not to control her."

"I can understand nothing from all this, please your Grace," replied
Jerningham, "save that you have been pleased to change some purposed
measures, and think that you have profited by doing so."

"You shall judge yourself," replied the Duke. "I have seen the Duchess
of Portsmouth.--You start. It is true, by Heaven! I have seen her, and
from sworn enemies we have become sworn friends. The treaty between
such high and mighty powers had some weighty articles; besides, I had
a French negotiator to deal with; so that you will allow a few
hours' absence was but a necessary interval to make up our matters of
diplomacy."

"Your Grace astonishes me," said Jerningham. "Christian's plan of
supplanting the great lady is then entirely abandoned? I thought you
had but desired to have the fair successor here, in order to carry it on
under your own management."

"I forgot what I meant at the time," said the Duke; "unless that I
was resolved she should not jilt me as she did the good-natured man of
royalty; and so I am still determined, since you put me in mind of the
fair Dowsabelle. But I had a contrite note from the Duchess while we
were at the Mall. I went to see her, and found her a perfect Niobe.--On
my soul, in spite of red eyes and swelled features, and dishevelled
hair, there are, after all, Jerningham, some women who do, as the
poets say, look lovely in affliction. Out came the cause; and with such
humility, such penitence, such throwing herself on my mercy (she the
proudest devil, too, in the whole Court), that I must have had heart of
steel to resist it all. In short, Chiffinch in a drunken fit had played
the babbler, and let young Saville into our intrigue. Saville plays the
rogue, and informs the Duchess by a messenger, who luckily came a
little late into the market. She learned, too, being a very devil for
intelligence, that there had been some jarring between the master and
me about this new Phillis; and that I was most likely to catch the
bird,--as any one may see who looks on us both. It must have been Empson
who fluted all this into her Grace's ear; and thinking she saw