there　some　shocking　irregularity；　or　some　disgusting　disagreeableness。　　But　how　unluckily　do　I　succeed　in　my　design。　　Every　feature　about　her　has　a　particular　beauty；　that　does　not　in　the　least　yield　to　that　of　her　eyes；　which；　by　the　consent　of　all　the　world；　are　the　finest　in　the　universe。　　One　thing　there　is　that　entirely　confounds　me：　　her　teeth；　her　lips；　her　mouth；　and　all　the　graces　that　attend　it；　are　lost　amongst　the　great　variety　of　beauties　in　her　face　and　what　is　but　indifferent　in　her；　will　not　suffer　us　to　consider　what　is　most　remarkable　in　others。　　The　malice　of　my　curiosity　does　not　stop　here。　　I　proceed　to　spy　out　some　defect　in　her　shape；　and　I　find　I　know　not　what　graces　of　nature　so　happily　and　so　liberally　scattered　in　her　person；　that　the　genteelness　of　others　only　seems　to　be　constraint　and　affectation。〃
  The　kingto　whom　the　presence　of　a　beautiful　woman　was　as　sunshine　to　the　earthat　once　offered　her　his　affections；　the　gallants　tendered　their　homage；　the　ladies　of　the　court　volunteered　the　flattery　embodied　in　imitation。　　And　by　way　of　practically　proving　his　admiration；　his　majesty　graciously　allotted　her　a　pension　of　four　thousand　pounds　a　year；　with　apartments　in　St。　James's　Palace。
  The　sovereignty　which　the　Duchess　of　Portsmouth　had　held　for　five　years　over　the　monarch's　heart　was　now　in　danger　of　downfall；　and　probably　would　have　ended；　but　for　Madame　Mazarine's　indiscretions。　　It　happened　a　few　months　after　her　arrival　in　London；　the　Prince　of　Monaco　visited　the　capital。　　Young　in　years；　handsome　in　person；　and　extravagant　in　expenditure；　he　dazzled　the　fairest　women　at　court；　none　of　whom　had　so　much　power　to　please　him　in　all　as　the　Duchess　of　Mazarine。　Notwithstanding　the　king's　generosity；　she　accepted　the　prince's　admiration；　and　resolved　to　risk　the　influence　she　had　gained；　that　she　might　freely　love　where　she　pleased。　　Her　entertainment　of　a　passion；　as　sudden　in　development　as　fervid　in　intensity；　enraged　the　king；　but　his　fury　served　only　to　increase　her　infatuation；　seeing　which；　his　majesty　suspended　payment　of　her　pension。
  The　gay　Prince　of　Monaco　in　due　time　ending　his　visit　to　London；　and　leaving　the　Duchess　of　Mazarine　behind　him；　she；　through　the　interposition　of　her　friends；　obtained　his　majesty's　pardon；　was　received　into　favour；　and　again　allowed　her　pension。
  She　now　ruled；　not　only　mistress　of　the　king's　heart；　but　queen　of　a　brilliant　circle　of　wits　and　men　of　parts；　whose　delight　it　became　to　heed　the　epigrams　and　eccentricities　which　fell　from　her　lips。　　Her　rooms　at　St。　James's；　and　her　house　in　Chelsea；　became　the　rendezvous　of　the　most　polite　and　brilliant　society　in　England。　　In　the　afternoons；　seated　amongst　her　monkeys；　dogs；　parrots；　and　pets；　she　discoursed　on　philosophy；　love；　religion；　politics；　and　plays；　whilst　at　night　her　saloons　were　thrown　open　to　such　as　delighted　in　gambling。　　Then　the　duchess；　seated　at　the　head　of　the　table；　her　dark　eyes　flashing　with　excitement；　her　red　lips　parted　in　expectation；　followed　the　fortunes　of　the　night　with　anxiety：　　all　compliments　being　suspended　and　all　fine　speeches　withheld　the　while；　nought　being　heard　but　the　rustle　of　cards　and　the　chink　of　gold。
  Dainty　and　luxurious　suppers　followed；　when　rare　wines　flowed；　and　wit　long　suppressed　found　joyous　vent。　　Here　sat　Charles　beside　his　beautiful　mistress；　happy　in　the　enjoyment　of　the　present；　careless　of　the　needs　of　his　people；　and　close　beside　him　my　Lord　of　Buckingham；　watchful　of　his　majesty's　face；　hatching　dark　plots　whilst　he　turned　deft　compliments。　　There　likewise　were　my　Lord　Dorset；　the　easiest　and　wittiest　man　living；　Sir　Charles　Sedley；　one　learned　in　intrigue；　Baptist　May；　the　monarch's　favourite；　Tom　Killigrew　who　jested　on　life's　follies　whilst　he　enjoyed　them；　the　Countess　of　Shrewsbury；　beautiful　and　amorous；　and　Madam　Ellen；　who　was　ready　to　mimic　or　sing；　dance　or　act；　for　his　majesty's　diversion。
  And　so；　whilst　a　new　day　stole　upon　the　world　without；　tapers　burned　low　within　the　duchess's　apartments；　and　the　king；　his　mistress；　and　a　brave　and　gallant　company　ate；　drank；　and　made　merry。
  CHAPTER　XVI。
  A　storm　threatens　the　kingdom。The　Duke　of　York　is　touched　in　his　conscience。His　interview　with　Father　Simons。The　king　declares　his　mind。The　Duchess　of　York　becomes　a　catholic。The　circumstances　of　her　death。The　Test　Act　introduced。Agitation　of　the　nation。The　Duke　of　York　marries　again。Lord　Shaftesbury's　schemes。The　Duke　of　Monmouth。William　of　Orange　and　the　Princess　Mary。Their　marriage　and　departure　from　England。
  Whilst　the　surface　life　of　the　merry　monarch　sped　onward　in　its　careless　course；　watchful　eyes　took　heed　of　potent　signs　boding　storms　and　strife。　　The　storm　which　shook　the　kingdom　to　its　centre　came　anon；　the　strife　which　dethroned　a　monarch　was　reserved　for　the　succeeding　reign。　　These　were　not　effected　by　the　king's　profligacy；　indolence；　or　extravagance；　but　because　of　a　change　in　the　religious　belief　of　the　heir…apparent　to　the　crown。
  The　cloud；　no　bigger　than　a　man's　hand；　which　presently　spread　and　overcast　the　political　horizon；　was　first　observed　towards　the　beginning　of　the　year　1669。　　The　Rev。　J。　S。　Clarke；　historiographer　to　George　III。；　chaplain　to　the　royal　household；　and　librarian　to　the　Prince　Regent；　in　his　〃Life　of　James　II。；　collected　out　of　Memoirs　writ　of　his　own　hand；〃　tells　us　that　about　this　time　the　Duke　of　York　〃was　sensibly　touched　in　his　conscience；　and　began　to　think　seriously　of　his　salvation。〃　Accordingly；　the　historian　states；　〃he　sent　for　one　Father　Simons；　a　Jesuit；　who　had　the　reputation　of　a　very　learned　man；　to　discourse　with　him　upon　that　subject；　and　when　he　came；　he　told　him　the　good　intentions　he　had　of　being　a　catholic；　and　treated　with　him　concerning　his　being　reconciled　to　the　church。　After　much　discourse　about　the　matter；　the　Jesuit　very　sincerely　told　him；　that　unless　he　would　quit　the　communion　of　the　Church　of　England；　he　could　not　be　received　into　the　Catholic　Church。　The　duke　then　said　he　thought　it　might　be　done　by　a　dispensation　from　the　pope；　alleging　the　singularity　of　his　case；　and　the　advantage　it　might　bring　to　the　catholic　religion　in　general；　and　in　particular　to　those　of　it　in　England；　if　he　might　have　such　dispensation　for　outwardly　appearing　a　protestant；　at　least　till　he　could　own　himself　publicly　to　be　a　catholic；　with　more　security　to　his　own　person　and　advantage　to　them。　　But　the　father　insisted　that　even　the　pope　himself　had　not　the　power　to　grant　it；　for　it　was　an　unalterable　doctrine　of　the　Catholic　Church；　not　to　do　ill　that　good　might　follow。　　What　this　Jesuit　thus　said　was　afterwards　confirmed　to　the　duke　by　the　pope　himself；　to　whom　he　wrote　upon　the　same　subject。　　Till　this　time　his　royal　highness　believed　（as　it　is　commonly　believed；　or　at　least　said　by　the　Church　of　England　doctors）　that　dispensations　in　any　such　cases　are　by　the　pope　easily　granted；　but　Father　Simons's　words；　and　the　letter　of　his　holiness；　made　the　duke　think　it　high　time　to　use　all　the　endeavours　he　could；　to　be　at　liberty　to　declare　himself；　and　not　to　live　in　so　unsafe　and　so　uneasy　a　condition。
  Inasmuch　as　what　immediately　followed　touches　a　point　of　great　delicacy　and　vast　importance；　the　words　of　the　historian；　mainly　taken　from　the　〃Stuart　Papers；〃　are　best　given　here；　〃His　royal　highness　well…knowing　that　the　king　was　of　the　same　mind；　and　that　his　majesty　had　opened　himself　upon　it　to　Lord　Arundel　of　Wardour；　Lord　Arlington；　and　Sir　Thomas　Clifford；　took　an　occasion　to　discourse　with　him　upon　that　subject　about　the　same　time；　and　found　him　resolved　as　to　his　being　a　catholic；　and　that　he　intended　to　have　a　private　meeting　with　those　persons　above　named　at　the　duke's　closet；　to　advise　with　them　about　the　ways　and　methods　fit　to　he　taken　for　advancing　the　catholic　religion　in　his　dominions；　being　resolved　not　to　live　any　longer　in　the　constraint　he　was　under。　　The　meeting　was　on　the　25th　of　January。　When　they　were　met　according　to　the　king's　appointment；　he　declared　his　mind　to　them　on　the　matter　of　religion；　and　said　how　uneasy　it　was　to　him　not　to　profess　the　faith　he　believed；　and　that　he　had　called　them　together　to　have　their　advice　about　the　ways　and　methods　fittest　to　be　taken　for　the　settling　of　the　catholic　religion　in　his　kingdoms；　and　to　consider　of　the　time　most　proper　to　declare　himself；　telling　them　withal　that　no　time　ought　to　be　lost；　that　he　was　to　expect　to　meet　with　many　and　great　difficulties　in　bringing　it　about；　and　that　he　chose　rather　to　undertake　it　now；　when　he　and　his　brother　were　in　their　full　strength　and　able　to　undergo　any　fatigue；　than　to　delay　it　till　they　were　grown　older　and　less　fit　to　go　through　with　so　great　a　design。　　This　he　spoke　with　great　earnestness；　and　even　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　added；　that　they　were　to　go　about　it　as　wise　men　and　good　catholics　ought　to　do。　　The　consultation　lasted　long；　and　the　result　was；　that　there　was　no　better　way　for　doing　this　work　than　to　do　it　in　conjunction　with　France；　and　with　the　assistance　of　his　Most　Christian　majesty。〃　　Accordingly　the　secret　treaty　with　France　was　entered　into；　as　already　mentioned。
  No　further　movement　towards　professing　the　catholic　religion　was　made　by　the　king　or