royalty restored-第21部分

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s　and　fragrant　with　sweet　scents；　till　he　arrived　at　the　gate　by　which　the　silver　streak　of　the　pleasant　Thames　flowed　past。　　And　presently　on　this　calm　May　eve　the　sound　of　oars　splashing　in　the　tide　was　heard；　and　anon　a　barge　came　in　sight；　hung　with　silken　curtains　and　emblazoned　with　the　arms　of　royalty。　　From　this　the　Duchess　of　York　disembarked；　aided　by　the　king。　　When　she　had　offered　her　congratulations　to　him；　he；　taking　her　hand；　led　her　to　his　bride；　that　such　fair　speeches　might　be　repeated　to　her　majesty。　　And　coming　into　the　queen's　presence　the　duchess　would　have　gone　upon　her　knees　and　kissed　her　majesty's　hand；　but　Catherine　raised　her　in　her　arms；　and　kissed　her　on　the　cheek。　　Then　amidst　much　joy　the　happy　evening　waned　to　night。

The　royal　palace　of　Hampton　Court；　in　which　Charles　had　decided　on　spending　his　honeymoon；　had　been　raised　by　the　magnificent　Wolsey　in　the　plenitude　of　his　power　as　a　place　of　recreation。　Since　his　downfall　it　had　been　used　by　royalty　as　a　summer　residence；　it　being　in　truth　a　stately　pleasure　house。　　The　great　pile　contained　upwards　of　four　hundred　rooms。　　The　principal　apartments　had　cedar　or　gilded　and　frescoed　ceilings；　and　walls　hung　with　rare　tapestries　and　curtains　heavy　with　gold。　Moreover；　these　rooms　contained　furniture　of　most　skilful　design　and　costly　manufacture；　and　were　adorned　by　the　choice　works　of　such　masters　of　their　art　as　Holbein；　Bellini；　Vansomer；　Rubens；　and　Raphael；　and　withal　enriched　with　Indian　cabinets；　such　as　never　were　seen　in　England　before；　which　the　queen　had　brought　with　her　from　Portugal。

The　great　hall　had　been　the　scene　of　many　sumptuous　banquets。　The　chapel　was　rich　in　carved　designs。　　Her　majesty's　bedroom；　with　its　curtains　of　crimson　silk；　its　vast　mirror　and　toilet　of　beaten　and　massive　gold；　was　a　splendid　apartmentthe　more　so　from　its　state　bed；　which　Evelyn　says　was　〃an　embroidery　of　silver　on　crimson　velvet；　and　cost　L8；000；　being　a　present　made　by　the　States　of　Holland；　when　his　majesty　returned；　and　had　formerly　been　given　by　them　to　our　king's　sister；　ye　Princess　of　Orange；　and　being　bought　of　her　againe；　was　now　presented　to　ye　king。〃　　Around　this　noble　residence；　where　the　court　was　wont　to　tarry　in　summer　months；　stretched　broad　and　flowerful　gardens；　with　wide　parterres；　noble　statues；　sparkling　fountains；　and　marble　vases；　and　beyond　lay　the　park；　planted　〃with　swete　rows　of　lime…trees。〃

And　here　all　day　long；　in　the　fair　summer　time　of　this　year；　pleasure　held　boundless　sway。　　Sauntering　in　balmy　gardens；　or　seeking　shelter　from　sun…rays　in　green　glades　and　leafy　groves；　their　majesties；　surrounded　by　their　brilliant　court；　chased　bright　hours　away　in　frolic　and　pleasantry　from　noon　till　night。　Then　revelry；　gaining　new　life；　began　once　more；　when　courtly　figures　danced　graceful　measures　to　sounds　of　mirthful　strains；　under　the　lustre　of　innumerable　lights。

For　a　while　it　seemed　as　if　a　brave　prospect　of　happiness　was　in　store　for　the　young　queen。　　Her　love　for　her　husband；　her　delight　in　his　affection；　her　pride　in　his　accomplishments；　together　with　her　simplicity；　innocence；　and　naivete；　completely　won　his　heart。　These　claims　to　his　affection　were；　moreover；　strengthened　by　the　charms　of　her　person。　　Lord　Chesterfield；　a　man　whom　experience　of　the　sex　had　made　critical；　writes　that　she　〃was　exactly　shaped；　has　lovely　hands；　excellent　eyes；　a　good　countenance；　a　pleasing　voice；　fine　hair；　and；　in　a　word；　what　an　understanding　man　would　wish　for　in　a　wife。〃　　Notwithstanding　the　attractions　of　her　majesty's　person　which　he　enumerates；　he　adds　his　fears　that　〃all　these　will　hardly　make　things　run　in　the　right　channel；　but；　if　it　should；　our　court　will　require　a　new　modelling。〃　　In　this　note　of　alarm　he　forebodes　danger　to　come。　　A　man　of　his　majesty's　character；　witty　and　careless；　weak　and　voluptuous；　was　not　likely　to　reconstruct　his　court；　or　reclaim　it　from　ways　he　loved。　　Nor　was　his　union　calculated　to　exercise　a　lasting　impression　on　him。　　The　affection　he　bore　his　wife　in　the　first　weeks　of　their　married　life　was　due　to　the　novelty　he　found　in　her　society；　together　with　the　absence　of　temptation　in　the　shape　of　his　mistress。　　Constancy　to　the　marriage　vow　was　scarcely　to　be　expected　from　a　man　whose　morals　had　never　been　shackled　by　restraint；　yet　faithlessness　to　a　bride　was　scarcely　to　be　anticipated　ere　the　honeymoon　had　waned。　　This　was；　however；　the　unhappy　fate　which　awaited　Catherine　of　Braganza。

It　happened　early　in　the　month　of　June；　whilst　the　court　was　at　Hampton；　my　Lady　Castlemaine；　who　had　remained　in　town　through　illness；　gave　birth　to　a　second　child。　　The　infant　was　baptized　Charles　Palmer；　adopted　by　the　king　as　his　own；　and　as　such　subsequently　created　Duke　of　Southampton。　　This　event　seemed　to　renew　all　his　majesty's　tenderness　towards　her。　　Wearied　by　the　charm　of　innocence　in　the　person　of　his　wife；　his　weak　nature　yielded　to　the　attraction　of　vice　in　that　of　his　mistress。　　He；　therefore；　frequently　left　Hampton　Court　that　he　might　ride　to　London；　visit　the　countess；　and　fritter　away　some　hours　in　her　presence；　being　heedless　alike　of　the　insult　he　dealt　the　queen；　and　the　scandal　he　gave　the　nation。

The　while　my　Lord　Castlemaine　lived　with　the　lady　who　shared　his　title；　and　whom　he　called　his　wife；　but　their　continuance　to　abide　in　harmony　and　goodwill　was；　soon　after　the　birth　of　this　child；　interrupted　for　ever。　　My　lord　was　certainly　a　loyal　subject；　but　he　was　likewise　a　religious　man；　as　may　be　judged；　not　by　that　which　has　been　recorded；　but　from　the　narration　which　follows。　　Having　been　bred　a　Catholic；　he　was　anxious　his　wife's　son　should　be　enrolled　a　member　of　the　same　community。　　To　this　end　he　had　him　baptized　by　a　priest；　a　proceeding　of　which　the　king　wholly　disapproved；　not　because　his　majesty　was　attached　to　any　religion　in　particular；　but　rather　that　he　resented　interference　with　the　infant　whom　he　rested　satisfied　was　his　own　child。　　Accordingly；　by　the　king's　command；　Lady　Castlemaine's　son　was　rebaptized　by　the　rector　of　St。　Margaret's；　Westminster；　in　the　presence　of　his　majesty；　the　Earl　of　Oxford；　and　the　Countess　of　Suffolk；　first　lady　of　the　bedchamber　to　the　queen　and　aunt　to　the　king's　mistress。

This　exasperated　my　Lord　Castlemaine　to　such　a　degree　that　high　words　passed　between　him　and　his　lady：　　on　which　he　resolved　to　part　from　her　for　ever。　　However；　she　was　more　prompt　to　act　in　the　matter　than　he；　for；　taking　advantage　of　his　absence　one　day；　she　packed　up　her　jewels；　plate；　and　household　treasures；　and　departed　to　the　residence　of　her　uncle；　Colonel　Edward　Villiers；　at　Richmond。　　This　step　was　probably　taken；　if　not　by　his　majesty's　suggestion；　at　least　with　his　full　approval；　for　the　house　she　selected　brought　her　within　an　easy　distance　of　Hampton　Court；　into　which　the　king　designed　promptly　to　introduce　her。

Now　rumour　of　the　king's　liason　had　spread　beyond　the　English　nation；　and　had　been　whispered　even　at　the　secluded　court　of　Portugal；　into　the　ears　of　the　bride　elect。　　And　the　queen　regent；　dreading　the　trouble　this　might　draw　upon　her　daughter；　had　counselled　her　never　to　admit　his　majesty's　mistress　into　her　presence。　　This　advice　the　young　queen　determined　to　act　upon；　and　accordingly　when　Charles；　a　couple　of　days　after　their　marriage；　presented　her　with　a　list　of　those　appointed　to　her　householdamongst　whom　was　my　Lady　Castlemaineher　majesty　drew　a　pen　across　the　name　of　the　dreaded　favourite。　　The　king；　if　surprised　or　indignant；　made　no　remark　at　the　time；　but　none　the　less　held　to　the　resolution　he　had　taken　of　appointing　the　countess　a　lady　of　the　bedchamber。　　No　further　attempt　of　intruding　his　mistress's　presence　upon　his　wife　was　made　until　Lady　Castlemaine　came　to　Richmond。

It　happened　on　the　afternoon　of　the　day　on　which　the　favourite　arrived　her　majesty　sat　in　the　great　drawing…room；　surrounded　by　a　brilliant　throng　of　noble　and　beautiful　women　and　gay　and　gallant　men。　　The　windows　of　the　apartment　stood　open；　outside　fountains　splashed　in　the　sun；　music　played　in　a　distant　glade：　and　all　the　world　seemed　glad。　　And　as　the　queen　listened　to　pleasant　sounds　of　wit　and　gossip；　murmuring　around　her；　the　courtiers；　at　sound　of　a　well…known　footstep；　suddenly　ceasing　their　discourse；　fell　back　on　either　side　adown　the　room。　　At　that　moment　the　king　entered；　leading　a　lady　apparelled　in　magnificent　attire；　the　contour　of　whose　face　and　outline　of　whose　figure　distinguished　her　as　a　woman　of　supreme　and　sensuous　loveliness。

His　majesty；　suceedingly　rich　in　waving　feathers；　glittering　satins；　and　fluttering　ribbons；　returned　the　gracious　bows　of　his　courtiers　to　right　and　left；　and；　unconscious　of　the　curious　and　perplexed　looks　they　interchanged；　advanced　to　where　his　wife　sat；　and　introduced　my　Lady　Castlemaine。　　Her　majesty　bowed　and　extended　her　hand；　which　the　countess；　having　first　courtesyed　profoundly；　raised　to　her　lips。　　The　queen　either　had　not　caught　the　name；　or　had　disassociated　it　from　that　of　her　husband's　mistress；　but　in　an　instant　the　character　of　the　woman　presented；　and　the　insult　the　king　had　inflicted；　flashed　upon　her　mind。　Coming　so　suddenly；　it　was　more　than　she　could　bear；　all　colour　fled　from　her　face；　t