foie bonne."

A subsequent letter is addressed "A ma cousine La Duchesse de Mar"--and
subscribed "votre affectionee cousine, Clementine;" yet notwithstanding
these professions of confidence and affection, the seeds of distrust
were, it seems, soon sown between James and the Earl and Countess of
Mar. At first the suggestions to their disadvantage were repelled,
"There has been enough pains," writes James, "taken from Rome within
these few days to do you ill offices with me, but I can assure you with
truth they have made no impression upon me, nor will they produce any
other effect than to make me, if possible, kinder to you. But when I see
you I shall say more on this head, for 'tis fitt you should know your
false from your true friends; _and among the last you shall ever find
me_.[163]

"JAMES R."

An order, dated the ninth of October, 1719, that all such boxes "as are
in the Duchesse of Mar's custody should be first naled by her, and then
delivered with their keyes to Sir William Ellis," written in the
Chevalier's own hand, shews either that Lady Mar was on the eve of her
departure from Italy, or that a breach of confidence had taken
place.[164]

Lord Mar, with impaired health, and writhing under the rejection of his
offers, returned to Italy. There, had he adhered to a resolution which
he had formed, of not interfering in public affairs, he might still have
closed his days in tranquillity.

Notwithstanding the apparent continuance of the Chevalier's regard, he
never forgot the treaty between Lord Stair and the Earl of Mar. The
whole of this intrigue, discreditable as it was, has been reprobated by
all who have touched upon this portion of Lord Mar's history. His
accepting the loan of a thousand pounds from Stair, an old friend, for
the purpose of ensuring Lady Mar's journey, has been censured, I think,
with too great severity. But, although it be desirable to set to rights
matters of fact, yet, it is always unsatisfactory to begin the defence
of a bad cause. There is no evidence to show that Lord Mar ever received
a pension: he was not thought worth conciliating; but that circumstance,
in this case, and after a display of his willingness to receive all that
could be granted, assists very little in his vindication, and rather
adds to the degradation of one whom no party could trust.

Soon after Lord Mar's return to Rome, the seeds of disunion between
Jame