ou
think I would interfere to spoil a plan so much to my own advantage as
that which you have laid before me?"

Christian smiled and shook his head. "My lord," he said, "I know your
Grace as well, or better, perhaps, than you know yourself. To spoil a
well-concerted intrigue by some cross stroke of your own, would give you
more pleasure, than to bring it to a successful termination according to
the plans of others. But Shaftesbury, and all concerned, have determined
that our scheme shall at least have fair play. We reckon, therefore, on
your help; and--forgive me when I say so--we will not permit ourselves
to be impeded by your levity and fickleness of purpose."

"Who?--I light and fickle of purpose?" said the Duke. "You see me here
as resolved as any of you, to dispossess the mistress, and to carry on
the plot; these are the only two things I live for in this world. No one
can play the man of business like me, when I please, to the very filing
and labelling of my letters. I am regular as a scrivener."

"You have Chiffinch's letter from the country; he told me he had written
to you about some passages betwixt him and the young Lord Saville."

"He did so--he did so," said the Duke, looking among his letters; "but
I see not his letter just now--I scarcely noted the contents--I was busy
when it came--but I have it safely."

"You should have acted on it," answered Christian. "The fool suffered
himself to be choused out of his secret, and prayed you to see that my
lord's messenger got not to the Duchess with some despatches which he
sent up from Derbyshire, betraying our mystery."

The Duke was now alarmed, and rang the bell hastily. Jerningham
appeared. "Where is the letter I had from Master Chiffinch some hours
since?"

"If it be not amongst those your Grace has before you, I know nothing of
it," said Jerningham. "I saw none such arrive."

"You lie, you rascal," said Buckingham; "have you a right to remember
better than I do?"

"If your Grace will forgive me reminding you, you have scarce opened a
letter this week," said his gentleman.

"Did you ever hear such a provoking rascal?" said the Duke. "He might
be a witness in the Plot. He has knocked my character for regularity
entirely on the head with his damned counter-evidence."

"Your Grace's talent and capacity will at least remain unimpeached,"
said Christian; "and it is those that must serve yourself and your
friends. If I might advise, you will hasten to C