62

Flowers and Music feed naught but Love.

CHAPTER V 87

It was never treason to steal a King's kisses.

CHAPTER VI 101

Softly on tiptoe;
Here Nell doth lie.

CHAPTER VII 111

Come down!
Come up!

CHAPTER VIII 126

"And the man that is drunk is as
great as a king."

CHAPTER IX 142

Three chickens!

CHAPTER X 168

Arrest him yourself!

CHAPTER XI 182

In the field, men; at court, women!

CHAPTER XII 195

Beau Adair is my name.

CHAPTER XIII 232

For the glory of England?

CHAPTER XIV 240

He loves me! He loves me!

CHAPTER XV 259

I come, my love; I come.

CHAPTER XVI 276

Ods-pitikins, my own reflection!

CHAPTER XVII 290

The day will be so happy; for I've seen
you at the dawn.

MISTRESS NELL

A MERRY TALE OF A MERRY TIME

MISTRESS NELL

"And once Nell Gwyn, a frail young sprite,
Look'd kindly when I met her;
I shook my head perhaps--but quite
Forgot to quite forget her."

It was a merry time in merry old England; for King Charles II. was on
the throne.

Not that the wines were better or the ladies fairer in his day, but the
renaissance of carelessness and good-living had set in. True Roundheads
again sought quiet abodes in which to worship in their gray and sombre
way. Cromwell, their uncrowned king, was dead; and there was no place
for his followers at court or in tavern. Even the austere and Catholic
smile of brother James of York, one day to be the ruler of the land,
could not cast a gloom over the assemblies at Whitehall. There were
those to laugh merrily at the King's wit, and at the players' wit. There
were those in abundance to enjoy to-day--to-day only,--to drink to the
glorious joys of to-day, with no care for the morrow.

It was, indeed, merry old England; for, when the King has no cares, and
ass