im, and he sadly
shook his head. "It is too late," he said, "too late, and the
shedding of blood would be vain." But I saw he was not displeased
with us, and he signified his pleasure that we should walk with
him in the Mall. Again I dared to entreat him not to leave his
capital without a stroke, and in my soul I wondered that he could
be so enduring. Had it been your man, Jean, he had been at the
Prince's throat before the Dutchman had been twenty-four hours in
England. But who am I to reflect upon my King? and I will say it,
that he spake words to me I can never forget. "You are brave men,"
said the King, and, though he be a cold man, I saw that he was
touched, "and if there had been twenty like you among the officers
and nobles, things had not come to this pass. Ye can do nothing
more in England, and for myself I have resolved to go to France,
for if I stayed here I would be a prisoner, and there is but a
short road between the prison and the graves of Kings. To you," he
said to Balcarres, "I leave the charge of civil affairs in
Scotland," and, then turning to me, "You, Lord Dundee, who ought
before to have had this place, but I was ill-advised, shall be
commander of the troops in Scotland. Do for your King what God
gives you to do, and he pledges his word to aid you by all means
in his power, and in the day of victory to reward you." We knelt
and kissed his hand, and so for the time, heaven grant it be not
forever, bade goodbye to our Sovereign. As I walked down the Mall
I saw a face I seemed to know, and the man, whoever he was, made a
sign that he would speak with me. I turned aside and found to my
amazement that the stranger, who was not in uniform, and did not
court observation, was Captain Carlton, who served with me in the
Prince's army and of whom ye may have heard me speak. A good
soldier and a fair-minded gentleman, tho' of another way of
thinking from me. After a brief salutation he told me that the
Prince was already in London and had taken up his quarters at Zion
House.

"Then," said I to him, "it availeth nothing for some of us to
remain in London, it were better that we should leave quickly."
"It might or it might not be," he replied, being a man of few and
careful words, "but before you go there is a certain person who
desires to have a word with you. If it be not too much toil will
you lay aside your military dress, and com