using
himself to anger at the recollection. "I tell thee that base courtezan,
the Duchess of Portsmouth, hath impudently set herself to thwart and
contradict me; and Charles has given me both cloudy looks and hard words
before the Court. I would he could but guess what is the offence between
her and me! I would he knew but that! But I will have her plumes picked,
or my name is not Villiers. A worthless French fille-de-joie to brave me
thus!--Christian, thou art right; there is no passion so spirit-stirring
as revenge. I will patronise the Plot, if it be but to spite her, and
make it impossible for the King to uphold her."

As the Duke spoke, he gradually wrought himself into a passion, and
traversed the apartment with as much vehemence as if the only object he
had on earth was to deprive the Duchess of her power and favour with the
King. Christian smiled internally to see him approach the state of mind
in which he was most easily worked upon, and judiciously kept silence,
until the Duke called out to him, in a pet, "Well, Sir Oracle, you that
have laid so many schemes to supplant this she-wolf of Gaul, where are
all your contrivances now?--Where is the exquisite beauty who was to
catch the Sovereign's eye at the first glance?--Chiffinch, hath he
seen her?--and what does he say, that exquisite critic in beauty and
blank-mange, women and wine?"

"He has _seen_ and approves, but has not yet heard her; and her speech
answers to all the rest. We came here yesterday; and to-day I intend to
introduce Chiffinch to her, the instant he arrives from the country; and
I expect him every hour. I am but afraid of the damsel's peevish virtue,
for she hath been brought up after the fashion of our grandmothers--our
mothers had better sense."

"What! so fair, so young, so quick-witted, and so difficult?" said the
Duke. "By your leave, you shall introduce me as well as Chiffinch."

"That your Grace may cure her of her intractable modesty?" said
Christian.

"Why," replied the Duke, "it will but teach her to stand in her own
light. Kings do not love to court and sue; they should have their game
run down for them."

"Under your Grace's favour," said Christian, "this cannot be--_Non
omnibus dormio_--Your Grace knows the classic allusion. If this maiden
become a Prince's favourite, rank gilds the shame and the sin. But to
any under Majesty, she must not vail topsail."

"Why, thou suspicious fool, I was but in jest," said the Duke. "Do y