e；　as　became　a　good　husband；　he　refused　to　believe；　until　such　time　as　he　was　enabled　to　prove　their　veracity。　　Now；　though　his　royal　highness　did　not　cease　to　honour　my　lady　with　his　visits　on　her　husband's　return；　yet　out　of　respect　to　decorum；　and　in　order　to　silence　scandalous　tongues；　he　from　that　time　invariably　called　on　her　accompanied　by　a　friend。
  It　therefore　came　to　pass　that　one　day　he　requested　an　honest；　foolish　Irishman；　Dick　Talbot；　afterwards　Duke　of　Tyrconnel；　to　attend　him　in　his　visit　to　the　lady。　　He　could　scarcely　have　selected　a　man　more　unfitted　to　the　occasion；　inasmuch　as　Talbot　was　wholly　devoid　of　tact；　and　possessed　a　mind　apt　to　wander　at　large　at　critical　moments。　　He　had　but　recently　returned　from　Portugal；　and　was　not　aware　my　Lord　Carnegy　had　in　the　meantime　become　Earl　of　Southesk；　nor　had　he　ever　met　the　lady　who　shared　that　title　until　introduced　to　her　by　the　duke。　　When　that　ceremony　had　been　duly　performed　and　a　few　sentences　interchanged　between　them；　Talbot；　acting　on　instructions　previously　received；　retired　into　an　ante…room　and　took　his　post　at　a　window　that　he　might　divert　himself　by　viewing　the　street；　and　observing　those　who　approached　the　house。
  Here　he　remained　for　some　time；　but　the　study　of　mankind　which　the　view　admitted　did　not　afford　sufficient　interest　to　prevent　him　becoming　absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts；　and　indifferent　to　all　objects　surrounding　him。　　From　this　mental　condition　he　was　presently　aroused　by　seeing　a　carriage　draw　up　to　the　door；　and　its　occupant　descend　and　quickly　enter　the　house。　　Talbot　was　so　forgetful　of　his　duty　that　he　omitted　apprising　the　duke　of　this　fact　or　making　any　movement　until　the　door　of　the　ante…room　opened；　when　he　turned　round　to　face　the　intruder。　　Then　he　started　forward　and　cried　out；　〃Welcome；　Carnegy！〃　　for　it　was　no　other　than　he。　　〃Welcome　my　good　fellow！　　Where　the　devil　have　you　been；　that　I　have　never　been　able　to　set　eyes　on　you　since　we　were　at　Brussels！　　What　business　brought　you　here？〃　　he　continued　in　the　same　breath；　and　then　added　in　a　tone　of　banter；　〃Do　you　likewise　wish　to　see　Lady　Southesk；　if　this　is　your　intention；　my　poor　friend；　you　may　go　away　again；　for　I　must　inform　you　the　Duke　of　York　is　in　love　with　her；　and　I　will　tell　you　in　confidence　that　at　this　very　time　he　is　in　her　chamber。〃
  My　Lord　Southesk　was　overwhelmed　with　shame　and　confusion；　and　not　knowing　how　to　act；　immediately　returned　to　his　coach；　Talbot　attending　him　to　the　door　as　his　friend；　and　advising　him　to　seek　a　mistress　elsewhere。　　He　then　went　back　to　his　post；　and　with　some　impatience　awaited　the　Duke's　return；　that　he　might　tell　him　what　had　happened。　　And　in　due　time；　when　he　had　narrated　the　story；　he　was　much　surprised　that　neither　his　royal　highness　nor　the　countess　saw　any　humour　in　the　fact　of　Lord　Carnegy's　discomfiture。　　It　served；　however；　to　make　the　duke　break　off　his　connection　with　the　lady；　and　likewise　to　amuse　the　town。
  Remembering　this　incident；　my　Lord　Chesterfield　kept　a　watchful　eye　upon　the　duke；　who　he　observed　made　advances　towards　the　countess；　which　she；　in　her　generosity；　had　not　the　heart　to　repulse。　　But；　as　his　royal　highness　could　see　her　only　in　presence　of　the　court；　my　lord　derived　some　satisfaction　from　knowing　he　was　witness　to　such　civilities　as　had　yet　passed　between　them。　　The　duke　was；　however；　anxious　to　have　a　more　particular　occasion　of　conversing　with　my　lady；　and　in　accomplishing　this　desire　her　brother　Lord　Arran　was　willing　to　aid　him。
  It　happened　about　this　time　an　Italian；　named　Francisco　Corbeta；　who　played　with　great　perfection　on　the　guitar；　arrived　at　court。　His　performances　excited　the　wonder　and　delight　of　all　who　heard　him；　and　the　instrument　which　produced　such　melody　speedily　became　fashionable　at　court；　to　such　an　extent；　that　a　universal　strumming　was　heard　by　day　and　by　night：　　throughout　the　palace　of　Whitehall。　　The　Duke　of　York；　being　devoted　to　music；　was　amongst　those　who　strove　to　rival　Signor　Francisco's　performance；　whilst　my　Lord　Arran；　by　the　delicacy　of　his　execution；　almost　equalled　the　great　musician。　　The　while　Francisco's　popularity　increased；　his　fame　reaching　its　zenith　when　he　composed　a　saraband；　to　learn　which　became　the　ambition　of　all　delighting　in　the　guitar。
  Now　one　day　the　duke；　not　thinking　himself　perfect　in　this　piece；　requested　Lord　Arran　to　play　it　over　for　him。　　My　lord　being　a　courteous　man；　was　anxious　to　oblige　his　royal　highness；　and　in　order　that　the　saraband　might　be　heard　to　greatest　advantage；　was　desirous　of　performing　it　upon　the　best　instrument　at　court；　which　it　was　unhesitatingly　acknowledged　belonged　to　my　Lady　Chesterfield。　　Accordingly；　Lord　Arran　led　the　duke　to　his　sister's　apartments。　　Here　they　found　not　only　the　guitar　and　my　lady；　but　likewise　my　lord；　who　was　no　less　astonished　than　disturbed　by　their　visit。　　Then　my　Lord　Arran　commenced　the　famous　saraband；　whilst　the　duke　commenced　to　ogle　my　lady；　and　she　to　return　his　glances　in　kind；　as　if　both　were　unconscious　of　her　husband's　presence。　　So　delightful　did　they　find　the　saraband；　that　Lord　Arran　was　obliged　to　repeat　it　at　least　twenty　times；　to　the　great　mortification　of　the　earl；　who　could　scarcely　contain　his　violent　rage　and　jealousy。　　His　torture　was　presently　increased　to　an　immeasurable　degree；　by　a　summons　he　received　from　the　queen　to　attend　her　in　his　capacity　of　lord　chamberlain；　during　an　audience　she　was　about；　to　give　the　Muscovite　ambassador。
  He　had　from　the　first　suspected　the　visit；　with　which　he　was　honoured；　to　have　been　preconcerted　by　his　wife　and　the　duke；　and　he　now　began　to　think　her　majesty　was　likewise　connected　with　a　plot　destined　to　rob　him　of　his　peace　and　blight　his　honour。　However；　he　was　obliged　to　obey　the　queen's　summons　and　depart。　Nor　had　he　been　many　minutes　absent　when　Lord　Arran　entered　the　presence…chamber　where　the　audience　was　being　held；　unaccompanied　by　the　duke；　at　which　Lord　Chesterfield's　jealous　fears　were　strengthened　a　thousandfold。　　Before　night　came　he　was　satisfied　he　held　sufficient　proof　of　his　wife's　infidelity。
  This　conviction　caused　him　intense　anxiety　and　pain；　he　walked　about　his　apartments　abstracted　and　brooding　on　the　wrongs　from　which　he　suffered；　avoided　all　who　came　in　his　way；　and　maintained　strict　silence　as　to　that　which　disturbed　his　peace；　until　next　day；　when　he　met　James　Hamilton。　　To　him　he　confided　an　account　of　the　troubles　which　beset　him。　　After　speaking　of　the　visit　paid　by　his　royal　highness；　and　the　part　enacted　by　my　Lord　Arran；　whom　he　described　as　〃one　of　the　silliest　creatures　in　England；　with　his　guitar；　and　his　other　whims　and　follies；〃　he　went　on　to　say　that　when　Hamilton　had　heard　him　out；　he　would　be　enabled　to　judge　whether　the　visit　ended　in　perfect　innocence　or　not。　　〃Lady　Chesterfield　is　amiable；　it　must　be　acknowledged；〃　said　he；　〃but　she　is　far　from　being　such　a　miracle　of　beauty　as　she　supposes　herself：　　you　know　she　has　ugly　feet；　but　perhaps　you　are　not　acquainted　that　she　has　still　worse　legs。　　They　are　short　and　thick；　and　to　remedy　these　defects　as　much　as　possible；　she　seldom　wears　any　other　than　green　stockings。　　I　went　yesterday　to　Miss　Stuart's　after　the　audience　of　those　damned　Muscovites：　　the　king　arrived　there　just　before　me；　and　as　if　the　duke　had　sworn　to　pursue　me　wherever　I　went　that　day；　he　came　in　just　after　me。　The　conversation　turned　upon　the　extraordinary　appearance　of　the　ambassadors。　　I　know　not　where　that　fool　Crofts　had　heard　that　all　these　Muscovites　had　handsome　wives；　and　that　all　their　wives　had　handsome　legs。　　Upon　this　the　king　maintained；　that　no　woman　ever　had　such　handsome　legs　as　Miss　Stuart；　and　she　to　prove　the　truth　of　his　majesty's　assertion；　with　the　greatest　imaginable　ease；　immediately　showed　her　leg　above　the　knee。　　Some　were　ready　to　prostrate　themselves　in　order　to　adore　its　beauty；　for　indeed　none　can　be　handsomer；　but　the　duke　alone　began　to　criticize　upon　it。　　He　contended　that　it　was　too　slender；　and　that　as　for　himself　he　would　give　nothing　for　a　leg　that　was　not　thicker　and　shorter；　and　concluded　by　saying　that　no　leg　was　worth　anything　without　green　stockings；　now　this　in　my　opinion　was　a　sufficient　demonstration　that　he　had　just　seen　green　stockings；　and　had　them　fresh　in　his　remembrance。〃
  At　hearing　this　story；　Hamilton；　being　deeply　in　love　with　Lady　Chesterfield；　was　scarcely　less　agitated　or　less　jealous　than　her　lord；　but　he　was　obliged　to　conceal　his　feelings。　　Therefore；　assuming　the　tone　of　an　impartial　hearer；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　declared　appearances　were　often　deceitful；　and　maintained　that　even　if　she　had　given　herself　airs　to　encourage　the　duke；　there　were　no　grounds　to　show　she　had　been　culpable　of　improprieties。　　My　lord　expressed　himself　much　obliged　to　his　friend　for　the　interest　he　had　shown　in　his　troubles；　and　after　exchanging　a　few　compliments　they　parted。　　Hamilton；　full　of　wrath；　returned　home；　and　wrote　a　letter　replete　with　violent　expostulations　and　tender　reproaches　to　the　woman　he　loved。　　This　he　delivered　to　her　secretly　at　the　next　opportunity。　　She　received　it　from　him　with　a　smile；　which　scared　all　doubts　of　her　frailty　from　his　mind；　and　with　a　pressure　of　his　hand　wh