s of the people in
general and that of Cornwall in particular; you must know that better
than I do----"

"Ah! I know only too well the vain pretexts that one offers to
ambition."

"But, your highness, all appears to be perfectly prepared. The frigate
which has brought the good De Chemerant is filled with arms and
ammunition; there is in it enough to arm and revolutionize all the
Cornishmen in the world; moreover, you can count on a dozen of your
partisans."

"Of my partisans! and where, then?" cried Monmouth.

"On board Chemerant's frigate. These brave men are waiting for me, that
is to say, waiting for you, your highness, with great impatience. There
is above all a madman named Mortimer, whom De Chemerant had the
greatest difficulty in the world to keep on board, so much was he
possessed with the desire to embrace me--I would say embrace you, for I
confound us all the time."

Angela, seeing the troubled manner of her husband, said to him, "My God!
what ails you?"

"I can no longer hesitate," replied Monmouth, "I must tell De Chemerant
the whole truth."

"Heavens, James! what are you saying?"

"You wish to be viceroy, your highness?" interposed Croustillac.

"No, sir, I desire to prevent your ruining yourself on my account. My
gratitude will be no less lasting for the service that you wished to do
me."

"How, your highness? Is it not, then, to become viceroy that you would
dispossess me of my principality?"

"My partisans are on board the frigate; if I should accept your generous
offer, sir, to-morrow you would be known--lost."

"But, your highness----"

"Except for this circumstance which, I repeat, would cause your
discovery in a moment, I would, perhaps, have excepted your generous
devotion, the mistake of De Chemerant might have continued for a few
days, and I could have put you beyond the reach of his resentment; but
to accept your offer, sir, knowing the presence of my friends on board
the frigate, would be to expose you to certain danger. I can never
consent to do that."

"Your highness forgets that it means perpetual imprisonment for you if
you do not place yourself at the head of this movement?"

"It is because it means for me the escape from a danger that I do not
choose to sacrifice you, sir. When I learned that you were taken
prisoner by Rutler I was going to rush to your assistance in order to
release you."

"My God, James! think of the prison! of eternal confinement! but it is
not p