at the Duke of Monmouth hath been saying, my dear! He says you
are a mighty pretty girl."

And Dolly, greatly to my astonishment, did not seem displeased, as soon
as she had heard the tale; for she laughed and said nothing.

* * * * *

As I rode up to London next day in answer to my summons, I was wondering
how in the world I could be of service to the Duke of York. As Mr.
Chiffinch had said, I knew next to nothing of him, nor he of me; but
when I was gone round to the page's rooms the morning after I came, he
told me something of the reasons for which I had been summoned.

"Such Jesuits as are left," he said, "and the Duke's confessor among
them, seem all of opinion that the Duke had best remain in London and
fight it out. We hear, without a doubt, that my Lord Shaftesbury, who
seems most desperate, will bring in the Exclusion Bill again this
Session; and the priests say that it is best for His Royal Highness to
be here; and to plead again for himself as he did so well two years ago.
His Majesty on the other hand is honestly of opinion--and I would sooner
trust to his foresight than to all the Jesuits in the world--that he
himself can fight better for his brother if that brother be in Scotland;
for out of sight, out of mind. And he desires you, as a Catholic, yet
not a priest, to go and talk to the Duke on that side. He hath sent half
a dozen to him already; and, since he knows that the Duke is aware of
what you have done in France, he thinks that your word may tip the
balance. For the Duke, I think, is in two minds, beneath all his
protestations."

For myself, I was of His Majesty's opinion; for the sight of the Duke
irritated folk who had not yet forgotten the Oates Plot; and I consented
very willingly to go and see him.

* * * * *

I was astonished to find that by now I had really become something of a
personage myself, amongst those few who had heard what I had done in
France; and I was received by His Royal Highness in his lodgings after
supper that evening with a very different air from that which he had
when I had last spoken with him.

The Duke was pacing up and down his closet when I came in, and turned to
me with a very friendly manner.

"Mr. Mallock," he said, when I had saluted him and was sat down, "I am
very glad to see you. His Majesty has told me all that you have done,
and has urged me to see you, as you are devoted as I know, to t