and excellent eyes, her teeth wronging her mouth by sticking a little too far out; for the rest lovely enough." Expressing herself obliged to the King for providing her a Vice-Chamberlain, with whose services she doubted not she should be well content, she informed him that, as it was the Sabbath, and she should be engaged during the remainder of the day with her confessor, or in the religious observances of the chapel, she would dispense with his further attendance until the morrow. Some of her foreign attendants, apparently struck with Jocelyn's fine figure and noble countenance, seemed to intimate by their glances that they could have been well pleased to retain him among them; but if such were really their wishes, there was no reciprocity in the object of their admiration, who looked with some distaste upon their dark complexions and ill-favoured features, and whose thoughts were still pre-occupied by the large lustrous eyes he had seen at the Carousal at Paris, though he now almost despaired of ever encountering the lovely being to whom they belonged.

At night he betook himself to the King's side of the palace, where he understood there was to be a select ball, stationing himself in the ante-room in order to have a view of the visitants, as well as to obtain a peep into the ball-room. Several of the most illustrious noblemen and ladies passed into the festive, chamber, the former gallantly attired for ́dancing, the latter as resplendent as beauty, em

blazoned by jewellery and rich dresses, could make them. From time to time, when the door opened, he gazed into the illuminated saloon, where waving plumes, sparkling diamonds, bright eyes, buzzing voices, and merry music glittered before him and filled his ears for a moment, to be suddenly shut out from both, like a flitting pageant, when the double folding-doors were again closed. From the officers of the palace and members of the household by whom he was surrounded, he did not receive such a courteous return to his advances towards acquaintanceship, as he could have wished, their answers to his inquiries being mostly confined to a cold monosyllable. He was a new comer, a personage always eyed with jealousy in a court; and such were the parties and factions into which the whole establishment was divided, that they deemed it prudent to stand aloof until they had ascertained whether or not the Vice-Chamberlain were patronized by the King and Lady Castlemaine, or selected by the Queen. In the former alternative his friendship was to be courted; in the latter it might be prudent to avoid too great an appearance of intimacy. Among those that passed was Lord Arlington, who evidently recognised him, for he frowned as he saw him, and went forward without further notice. Jocelyn remembered what Lord Rochester had said about the probable hostility he would have to encounter from this nobleman; and already foreseeing that he should be exposed to all

the supplanting intrigues of a court, he determined to disarm malevolence by an irreproachable discharge of his duties, and at all events not to merit any disfavour, even should he be unable to avert it. While our hero was thus occupied he heard voices behind him crying-"Fall back, gentlemen! fall back! make way for his Grace!" and looking round he beheld several servants in the royal livery, who arranged themselves on either side, making a lane through which passed a youth in a splendid courtdress, with a diamond George sparkling on his breast, and the garter round his knee. It was his friend Crofts, with whom he had become acquainted in Paris! If any thing could have added to his surprise at this discovery, it was the manner of his friend's reception by the King, which he had an opportunity of witnessing through the door-way. His Majesty hastened up to him as he saw him approaching, embraced him with smiles of welcome, and retained him in close conversation as long as Jocelyn could observe them. On inquiry he learned that the supposed Crofts was the King's natural son by that identical Lucy Barlow for whose miniature Sir John had been despatched to Dunkirk ; that he had only been entrusted to Lord Crofts for his education; had discarded that name upon his arrival in London; and was now Duke of Monmouth, and the favourite of the King, who it was thought by many would declare his legitimacy, and ultimately make him heir to the throne.

Before his astonishment at these tidings had subsided, the young Duke returned to the ante-room, to despatch one of his servants for some article that he had left in his apartment, and, spying Jocelyn, hurried up to him with open arms, inquiring to what lucky chance he owed the pleasure of seeing him at court. Our hero mentioned the nature of his appointment, congratulated his friend upon the eminent station he had so unexpectedly attained, and expressed a fear that the great difference of their present rank might almost render it presumptuous, were he to claim a continuance of their former intimacy.

"What! are you prepared to accuse me beforehand?" exclaimed the Duke, "when you yourself are the first to exhibit pride in your very humility. You shall not shake me off so easily, master Jocelyn: so, come along, and let me introduce you to the King as one who was my earliest playfellow, and I hope will be my latest friend." Thus saying, he put his arm familiarly within Jocelyn's, led him into the dancing-room, and presenting him to the King, related in a few words his adventure in the Luxembourg-gardens, the issue of the Carousal at Paris, and the former friendship that had existed between them. "I' faith, Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, or rather Sir Guy of Warwick," exclaimed the King gaily, "I must look to my Queen, now that she has such a doughty champion at her elbow. One who has overset the Duke of Anjou, and unhorsed

a Bohemian baron, before he wore a beard, may well win the citadel of a lady's heart, when grown so stout a man at arms as thou art. By my sword and sceptre! as you have been the protector of this young_scrape-grace, you shall have all the honours of a champion, for a monarch shall be your master of the ceremonies, and the fairest damsel in the court your partner."

So saying, he clapped his hands, and calling out to the band to play the old English country-dance of "Cuckolds all awry," led up Jocelyn, and introduced him to Lady Castlemaine; selected the Duchess of Buckingham for himself; and bidding the Duke of Monmouth and the other dancers to take their places, led off the set, acquitting himself with that grace and elegance which rendered him confessedly unrivalled in all personal accomplishments. Lady Castlemaine, whose brilliant beauty little needed embellishment, was in a perfect blaze of jewels, their value being estimated at upwards of forty thousand pounds. She appeared highly satisfied with her partner, addressing him with a lively and sparkling familiarity, which proceeding from so lovely a woman, radiant with all the splendours of nature and art, would have perhaps intoxicated his senses, had he not been duly impressed with the exalted station which she occupied in the favour and affections of the Sovereign. More than once he thought she gave him a most significant pressure of the hand, which he had not the presumption