g my resolution and telling my Cousin Dolly all that was in my
heart, that a letter came for me from Mr. Chiffinch, so significant that
I will write down some sentences of it.

"His Majesty bids me to write to you to come up to town again for a few
days. He thinks that you may perhaps be of some use with His Royal
Highness to urge him to go back to Scotland again, which at present he
vows that he will not do. His Majesty is aware that the Duke scarcely
knows you at all; yet he tells me to say this, and that I will explain
to you when you come how you can be of service. There will be a deal of
trouble this autumn; the Parliament is to meet in October, and will be
in a very ill-humour, it is thought."

There was a little more of this sort; and then came a sentence or two
that roused my anger.

"I have heard much here of your entertainment of the Duke of Monmouth,
and of what a pretty girl your cousin is. His Majesty laughed very much
when he heard of it; and swears that he suspects you of going over to
the Protestant side after all. The Duke knows nothing of what you are,
or of anything you have done; but he has talked freely of his
entertainment at Hare Street, thinking it, I suppose, to be a Protestant
house. In public the King has had nothing to say to him; but he loves
him as much as ever, and would not, I think be very sorry, in his heart,
though he never says so, if he were to be declared legitimate."

This made me angry then, for what the letter said as to the Duke of
Monmouth's talk; and it disconcerted me too, for, if the King himself
were to join the popular party, there would be little hope of the
Catholic succession. The Duchess of Portsmouth, also, I had heard, had
lately become of that side; and I dared say it was she who had talked
His Majesty round.

Now my Cousin Tom knew that I had had this letter, for he had seen the
courier bring it; but he did not know from whom it came; and, as already
he was a little suspicious, I thought, of what I did in town, I thought
it best to tell him that it was from a friend at Court; and what it said
as to the Duke of Monmouth's talk, hoping that this perhaps might offend
him against the Duke. But it had the very opposite effect, much to my
discomfiture.

"His Grace says that, does he?" he said, smiling. "I am sure it is very
courteous of him to remember his poor entertainment"; and (Dolly coming
in at this instant) he told her too what the Duke had said.

"Hear wh