royalty restored-第16章

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Now　for　a　fortnight　previous　to　the　night　on　which　he　designed　to　escape；　James　made　it　his　habit　to　play　at　hide…and…seek　every　evening　after　supper　with　his　brother　and　sister；　and　the　children　of　the　officers　then　located　in　the　palace；　and　in　such　secure　places　did　he　secrete　himself　that　his　companions　frequently　searched　for　over　half　an　hour　without　discovering　him。　　This　of　course　accustomed　the　household　to　miss　him；　and　was　cunningly　practised　for　the　purpose　of　gaining　time　on　his　pursuers　when　he　came　to　be　sought　for　in　good　earnest。

At　last　the　eventful　night　fixed　for　his　escape　arrived；　and　after　supper　a　pleasant　group　of　merry　children　prepared　to　divert　themselves　in　the　long　dark　halls　and　narrow　winding　passages　of　the　grim　old　palace。　　James；　as　usual；　proposed　concealing　himself；　and　leaving　his　companions　for　the　purpose；　disappeared　behind　some　arras；　but；　instead　of　hiding；　he　hastened　to　his　sister's　chamber；　where　he　locked　up　a　favourite　dog　that　was　in　the　habit　of　following　his　footsteps　wherever　he　went；　and　then　noiselessly　slipped　down　a　back　stairs　which　led　to　an　inner　garden。　　Having　taken　care　to　provide　himself　with　a　key　fitting　the　garden　door；　he　quickly　slipped　into　the　park。　Here　he　found　Colonel　Bamfield　waiting；　who；　giving　him　a　cloak　and　a　wig　for　his　better　disguise；　hurried　him　into　a　hackney　coach；　which　drove　them　as　far　as　Salisbury　House　in　the　Strand。　From　thence　they　went　through　Spring　Garden；　and　down　Ivy　Lane；　when；　taking　boat；　they　landed　close　by　London　Bridge。　　Here　entering　the　house　of　a　surgeon　friendly　to　their　adventure；　they　found　a　woman　named　Murray　awaiting　them；　who　immediately　provided　a　suit　of　woman's　wearing　apparel　for　the　young　duke；　in　which　she　helped　to　attire　him。　　Dressed　in　this　costume　he；　attended　by　the　faithful　Bamfield；　hastened　to　Lion　Quay；　where　they　entered　a　barge　hired　for　their　conveyance　to　a　Dutch　frigate　stationed　beyond　Gravesend。

Meanwhile；　the　children　not　being　able　to　discover　their　playfellow　in　the　palace；　their　elders　became　suspicious　of　the　duke's　escape；　and　began　to　aid　the　search。　　Before　an　hour　elapsed　they　were　convinced　he　had　fled；　and　St。　James's　was　thrown　into　a　state　of　the　utmost　excitement　and　confusion。　Notice　of　his　flight　was　at　once　despatched　to　General　Fairfax　at　Whitehall；　who　immediately　gave　orders　have　all　the　roads　from　London　guarded；　especially　those　leading　to　the　north；　for　it　was　surmised　he　would　in　the　first　instance　seek　to　escape　into　Wales。　　The　duke；　however；　had　taken　a　safer　course；　but　one　which　was　not　unattended　by　danger。　　He　had　not　sailed　far　in　the　barge　when　its　master　became　suspicious　that　he　was　aiding　the　escape　of　some　persons　of　consequence；　and　became　frightened　lest　he　should　get　into　trouble　by　rendering　them　his　services。　　And　presently　his　surmise　was　converted　into　certainty；　for　looking　through　a　cranny　of　the　barge…room　door；　he　saw　the　young　woman　fling　her　leg　on　the　table　and　pull　up　her　stocking　in　a　most　unmaidenly　manner。　　He　therefore　at　once　peremptorily　declared　to　Colonel　Bamfield　they　must　land　at　Gravesend；　and　procure　another　boat　to　carry　them　to　the　ship；　for　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　barge　to　pass　the　block…house　lower　down　without　being　observed；　and　consequently　inspected；　as　was　the　custom　at　this　troubled　time。　　On　hearing　which　Colonel　Bamfield　was　filled　with　dismay；　but；　knowing　that　at　heart　the　people　were　loyal　towards　the　Stuarts；　he　confided　the　identity　of　his　passenger；　and　begged　him　not　to　betray　them　in　this　hour　of　peril。　　To　give　his　appeal　further　weight；　he　promised　the　fellow　a　considerable　sum　if　they　safely　reached　the　frigate；　for　human　nature　is　weak；　and　greed　of　gold　is　strong。　　On　this；　the　bargee；　who　was　a　loyal　man；　promised　he　would　help　them　to　the　best　of　his　powers；　the　lights　were　therefore　extinguished；　the　oars　drawn　in；　and；　the　tide　fortunately　answering；　the　barge　glided　noiselessly　down　under　cover　of　night；　and　passed　the　block…house　unobserved。　　In　good　time　they　reached　the　frigate；　which；　the　duke　and　Colonel　Bamfield　boarding；　at　once　set　sail；　and　in　a　few　days　landed　them　at　Middleburgh。　　James　proceeded　to　the　court　of　his　sister；　the　Princess　of　Orange；　and　later　on　joined　his　mother　in　France。

At　the　age　of　twenty　he　served　in　the　French　army；　under　Turenne；　against　the　Spanish　forces　in　Flanders；　and　subsequently　in　several　campaigns；　where　he　invariably　showed　himself　so　brave　and　valiant　that　the　Prince　de　Conde　declared　that　if　ever　there　was　a　man　without　fear；　it　was　James；　Duke　of　York。　　Now　it　happened　that　in　1658　the　Princess　of　Orange　went　to　Paris　in　order　to　visit　the　queen　mother；　as　the　widow　of　Charles　I。　was　called。　　The　Duke　of　York　was　in　the　gay　capital　at　this　time；　and　it　soon　became　noticed　that　he　fixed　his　attention　overmuch　on　one　of　his　sister's　maids　of　honour；　Anne　Hyde。　　This　gentlewoman；　then　in　her　twenty…first　year；　was　the　possessor　of　a　comely　countenance；　excellent　shape；　and　much　wit。　　Anne　was　daughter　of　Edward　Hyde；　a　worthy　man；　who　had　been　bred　to　the　law；　and　proved　himself　so　faithful　a　servant　to　Charles　I。；　that　his　majesty　had　made　him　Privy　Councillor　and　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer。　　After　the　king's　execution；　in　1649；　the　chancellor　thought　it　wise　for　himself　and　his　family　to　seek　refuge　in　exile；　and　accordingly　joined　Charles　II。；　with　whom　he　lived　in　the　closest　friendship；　and　for　whose　return　he　subsequently　negotiated　with　General　Monk。

Now　James；　after　his　fashion；　made　love　to　Mistress　Hyde；　who　encouraged　his　advances　until　they　reached　a　certain　stage；　beyond　which　the　judicious　maiden　forbade　them　to　proceed　unless　blessed　by　the　sanction　of　holy　church。　　The　Duke；　impatient　to　secure　his　happiness；　was　therefore　secretly　united　to　Mistress　Hyde　in　the　bonds　of　matrimony　on　the　24th　of　November；　in　the　year　of　grace　1659；　at　Breda；　to　which　place　the　Princess　of　Orange　had　returned。　　In　a　little　while；　the　restoration　being　effected；　the　duke　returned　to　England　with　the　king；　leaving　his　bride　behind。　　And　Chancellor　Hyde　being　presently　re…established　in　his　offices；　and　settled　in　his　residence　at　Worcester　House　in　the　Strand；　sent　for　his　wife　and　children；　the　more　speedily　as　he　had　received　an　overture　from　a　noble　family；　on　behalf　of　〃a　hopeful；　well…bred　young　gentleman；〃　who　expressed　himself　anxious　to　wed　with　Mistress　Anne。

The　same　young　lady　had　not　long　returned；　when　she　informed　her　husband　she　was　about　to　become　a　mother；　whereon　the　duke；　seeking　the　king；　fell　upon　his　knees　before　him；　laid　bare　his　secret；　and　besought　him　to　sanction　his　union；　〃that　he　might　publicly　marry　in　such　a　manner　as　his　majesty　thought　necessary　for　the　consequence　thereof；〃　adding　that；　if　consent　were　refused；　he　would　〃immediately　take　leave　of　the　kingdom　and　spend　his　life　in　foreign　parts。〃　　King　Charles　was　astonished　and　perplexed　by　this　confession。　　James　was　heir；　and　as　such　it　behoved　him　to　wed　with　one　suited；　by　reason　of　her　lineage；　to　support　the　dignity　of　the　crown；　and　calculated　by　her　relation　towards　foreign　powers　to　strengthen　the　influence　of　the　throne。　The　duke　was　fully　aware　of　this；　and；　moreover；　knew　he　could　without　much　difficulty　have　his　marriage　annulled；　but　that　he　did　not　adopt　this　course　was　an　honourable　trait　in　his　character；　and；　indeed；　his　conduct　and　that　of　the　king　was　most　creditable　throughout　the　transactions　which　followed；　an　account　of　which　is　set　forth　with　great　minuteness　in　the　〃Continuation　of　Edward　Hyde；　Lord　Clarendon's　Life。〃

Without　the　advice　of　his　council；　the　king　could　give　no　satisfactory　reply　to　his　brother。　　He　therefore　summoned　two　of　his　trusty　friends；　the　Marquis　of　Ormond　and　the　Earl　of　Southampton；　whom　he　informed　of　the　duke's　marriage；　requesting　them　to　communicate　the　same　to　the　chancellor；　and　return　with　him　for　private　consultation。　　The　good　man's　surprise　at　this　news　concerning　his　daughter　was；　according　to　his　own　account；　exceeding　great；　and　was　only　equalled　by　his　vast　indignation。　His　loyalty　towards　the　royal　family　was　so　fervent　that　it　overlooked　his　affection　to　his　child。　　He　therefore　fell　into