culminated in his descendant, the famous Lord Granville, the
rival of Walpole. He obtained from Charles a grant of Crown lands,
including the escheated manor of Meleches. And he further appropriated
to his own use the revenues of his personal enemies, the chief of whom
were the exiled Seigneurs Dumaresq, of Samares, and Lempriere, of
Maufant. It should, however, be added that he shed no more blood. In
fact with the exception of the Bandinels and Messervy, Seigneur of Bagot
(already mentioned), no one lost life for opposition to Sir George. He
even attempted to conciliate some of his opponents, restoring Le Gallais
to his post of captain in the militia, and empowering him to offer to
Lempriere's wife the use of her house at Maufant, which he had
confiscated. But that valiant lady resolutely refused to hold or inhabit
under the favour of an usurper, and continued to occupy the lodgings on
King's Cliff, though in constant straits for want of money. Marguerite,
who, however wild and light others found her, was always faithful to her
good sister, cast in her lot with Mme. de Maufant, with the consent of
her own family at Rozel; and it was chiefly by her assistance that the
expenses were in any way met. Le Gallais also lost no opportunity of
visiting the ladies and ministering to their wants like a brother, to
the great straining of his own slender savings. He carefully forebore to
press Mlle. de St. Martin with a lover's suit, whether or no to that
young lady's complete satisfaction we are not informed. In any case, her
manner, though composed by trouble, gave no sign of the state of her
feelings; and whether she was fond of Alain or weary of him, her
self-control was equally to her credit. As for Alain, he seemed to be
stupefied, rather awaiting ruin than expecting better times.

Matters were in this state, when one lovely day in September, 1651,
Alain came before Mme. de Maufant and her sister as they sate knitting
in the doorway.

"Great news!" he cried, as soon as he was near enough for the ladies to
hear. "Great news! General Cromwell has thoroughly purged the garner. He
has beaten and scattered the Scots at Worcester. 'Tis said Charles
Stuart their king is taken prisoner. This 'crowning mercy,' as it is
called by the lord general, befel on the 3rd, the same day last year he
beat these same Scots at Dunbar. 'Tis a great and a bright day in his
lordship's life."

"Count no man happy till his end," answered Rose gravel