.

"'Must be in the park,' sez he, as he started fer the door. 'Damned if
she'll escape me this toime.'

"Oi gits out as fast as moy long legs could carry me. But Oi waited
outsoide and saw him go into the park, astrollin' along at his aise
loike.

"As soon as he had got out o' soight Oi takes after him, afollowin' the
same path that he took. He wint all over the houle damned place,
alookin' here and alookin' thare, as though he ixpicted to foind some
wan. Mither-o'-Gawd! sor, had the ladies bin thare he'd o' found some
wan behoind him afore anny harm could o' come to thim fair craters;
fer, yer honour, avin though he be a knoight, Oi'd not trust him as far
as Oi could throw him with a browken arm."

"Thou art right there," said Harleston; "he hath fallen to the lowest
depths, and needs must soon be called upon to answer for his conduct."

"Fallen! Harleston; dost thou say fallen?" I cried; "Why, the dog hath
never been aught but what he is. 'Tis but the influence that he hath
obtained with Lord Hastings that is now lending him more audacity."

"Will, sor," continued Michael, when again I told him to proceed with
his story, "he discouvered not the ladies in the park. Thin, yer
honour, he starts back, and it did give me the divil o' a toime to kape
out o' soight o' the varmint. Jist as he come in soight o' the court
yard he yills out as though some wan had struck him with a dagger--bad
luck that some wan didn't--'What the divil manes this?' sez he, so loud
that Oi could hear him, and he starts off at a run, as though the houle
Palace was afoire.

"'Uh! murther!' sez Oi, and Oi takes after him.

"Whin Oi came close enough, Oi saw the Quane, Gawd bliss her, and all
o' the Princesses, and the little Dooke o' York and his Hoighness, the
Marquis o' Dorset, and the Lady Hazel and the Lady Mary, and thare was
a strong body o' souldiers walkin' all around thim and protictin' thim
loike.

"Sor William stood alookin' after thim as they wint across the yard,
and all the whoile he was standin' he was acursin' and aswearin' as
will as a bitter man moight.

"Oi lift him astandin' thare whoilst Oi wint and took care o' moy horse.

"Whin Oi came back near the place whare he had bin, Hivin hilp me if he
wasn't still astandin' thare, with his head down, alookin' at his fate!
"'Uh!' sez he, as Oi came within ear-shot o' his tongue, 'the Dook will
give me the divil fer this. It must have bin that knave o' an
Oirishman