royalty restored-第25部分

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　apartments　in　the　royal　palace　of　Whitehall；　appointed　him　a　retinue　befitting　the　heir　apparent；　created　him　Duke　of　Orkney　and　of　Monmouth；　and　installed　him　a　knight　of　the　garter。

But；　before　this　had　been　accomplished；　there　arrived　in　town　some　personages　whose　names　it　will　be　necessary　to　mention　here；　the　figure　they　made　at　court　being　considerable。　　These　were　Sir　George　Hamilton　and　his　family；　and　Philibert；　Chevalier　de　Grammont。　　Sir　George　was　fourth　son　of　James；　Earl　of　Abercorn；　and　of　Mary；　sister　to　James；　first　Duke　of　Ormond。　　Sir　George　had　proved　himself　a　loyal　man　and　a　brave　during　the　late　civil　war；　and　had　on　the　murder　of　his　royal　master　sought　safety　in　France；　from　which　country　he；　in　the　second　year　of　the　restoration；　returned；　accompanied　by　a　large　family；　the　women　of　which　were　fair；　the　men　fearless。　　The　Hamiltons　being　close　kin　to　the　Ormond　great　intimacy　existed　between　them；　to　facilitate　which　they　lived　not　far　apartthe　duke　residing　in　Ormond　Yard；　St。　James's　Square；　and　the　Hamiltons　occupying　a　spacious　residence　in　King　Street。　　James　Hamilton；　Sir　George's　eldest　son；　was　remarkable　for　the　symmetry　of　his　figure；　elegance　of　his　manner；　and　costliness　of　his　dress。　　Moreover；　he　possessed　a　taste　shaped　to　pleasure；　and　a　disposition　inclined　to　gallantry；　which　commended　him　so　strongly　to　the　king's　favour；　that　he　was　made　groom　of　the　bedchamber　and　colonel　of　a　regiment。

His　brother　George　was　scarcely　less　handsome　in　appearance　or　less　agreeable　in　manner。　　Another　brother；　Anthony；　best　remembered　as　the　writer　of　Grammont's　memoirs；　was　likewise　liberally　endowed　by　nature。　　Elizabeth；　commonly　called　〃la　belle　Hamilton；〃　shared　in　the　largest　degree　the　hereditary　gifts　of　grace　and　beauty　pertaining　to　this　distinguished　family。　　At　her　introduction　to　the　court　of　Charles　II。　she　was　in　the　bloom　of　youth　and　zenith　of　loveliness。　　The　portrait　of　her　which　her　brother　Anthony　has　set　before　the　world　for　its　admiration　is　delicate　in　its　colours；　and　finished　in　its　details。　　〃Her　forehead；〃　he　writes；　〃was　open；　white；　and　smooth；　her　hair　was　well　set；　and　fell　with　ease　into　that　natural　order　which　it　is　so　difficult　to　imitate。　　Her　complexion　was　possessed　of　a　certain　freshness；　not　to　be　equalled　by　borrowed　colours；　her　eyes　were　not　large；　but　they　were　lovely；　and　capable　of　expressing　whatever　she　pleased；　her　mouth　was　full　of　graces；　and　her　contour　uncommonly　perfect；　nor　was　her　nose；　which　was　small；　delicate；　and　turned　up；　the　least　ornament　of　so　lovely　a　face。　　She　had　the　finest　shape；　the　loveliest　neck；　and　most　beautiful　arms　in　the　world；　she　was　majestic　and　graceful　in　all　her　movements；　and　she　was　the　original　after　which　all　the　ladies　copied　in　their　taste　and　air　of　dress。〃

Now；　about　the　same　time　the　Hamiltons　arrived　at　court；　there　likewise　appeared　at　Whitehall　one　whose　fame　as　a　wit；　and　whose　reputation　as　a　gallant；　had　preceded　him。　　This　was　the　celebrated　Chevalier　de　Grammont；　whose　father　was　supposed　to　be　son　of　Henry　the　Great　of　France。　　The　chevalier　had　been　destined　by　his　mother　for　the　church；　the　good　soul　being　anxious　he　should　lead　the　life　of　a　saint；　but　the　youth　was　desirous　of　joining　the　army；　and　following　the　career　of　a　soldier。　　Being　remarkable　for　ingenuity；　he　conceived　a　plan　by　which　he　might　gratify　his　mother's　wishes　and　satisfy　his　own　desires　at　the　same　time。　　He　therefore　accepted　the　abbacy　his　brother　procured　for　him；　but　on　appearing　at　court　to　return　thanks　for　his　preferment；　comported　himself　with　a　military　air。　Furthermore；　his　dress　was　combined　of　the　habit　and　bands　pertaining　to　an　ecclesiastic；　and　the　buskins　and　spurs　belonging　to　a　soldier。　　Such　an　amalgamation　had　never　before　been　witnessed；　and　caused　general　attention；　the　court　was　amazed　at　his　daring；　but　Richelieu　was　amused　by　his　boldness。　His　brother　regarded　his　appearance　in　the　dual　character　of　priest　and　soldier　as　a　freak；　and　on　his　return　home　asked　him　gravely　to　which　profession　he　meant　to　attach　himself。　　The　youth　answered　he　was　resolved　〃to　renounce　the　church　for　the　salvation　of　his　soul；〃　upon　condition　that　he　retained　his　beneficed　abbacy。　　It　may　be　added；　he　kept　this　resolution。

A　soldier　he　therefore　became；　and　subsequently　a　courtier。　　His　valour　in　war　and　luck　in　gambling　won　him　the　admiration　of　the　camp；　whilst　his　ardour　in　love　and　genius　for　intrigue　gained　him　the　esteem　of　the　court；　but　finally　lost　him　the　favour　of　his　king。　　For　attaching　himself　to　one　of　the　maids　of　honour；　Mademoiselle　La　Motte　Houdancourt；　whom　his　most　Christian　Majesty　Louis　XIV。　had　already　honoured　with　his　regard；　Grammont　was　banished　from　the　French　court。

Accordingly；　in　the　second　year　of　the　merry　monarch's　reign　he　presented　himself　at　Whitehall；　and　was　received　by　Charles　with　a　graciousness　that　served　to　obliterate　the　memory　of　his　late　misfortune。　　Nor　were　the　courtiers　less　warm　in　their　greetings　than　his　majesty。　　The　men　hailed　him　as　an　agreeable　companion；　the　ladies　intimated　he　need　not　wholly　abandon　those　tender　diversions　for　which　he　had　shown　such　natural　talent　and　received　such　high　reputation　at　the　court　of　Louis　XIV。　　He　therefore　promptly　attached　himself　to　the　king；　whose　parties　he　invariably　attended；　and　whose　pleasures　he　continually　devised；　made　friends　with　the　most　distinguished　nobles；　whom　he　charmed　by　the　grace　of　his　manner　and　extravagance　of　his　entertainments；　and　took　early　opportunities　of　proving　to　the　satisfaction　of　many　of　the　fairer　sex　that　his　character　as　a　gallant　had　by　no　means　been　exaggerated　by　report。

Amongst　those　to　whom　he　paid　especial　attention　were　Mrs。　Middleton；　a　woman　of　fashion；　and　Miss　Kirk；　a　maid　of　honour；　to　whom　Hamilton；　in　his　memoirs　of　Grammont；　gives　the　fictitious　name　of　Warmestre。　　The　former　was　at　this　time　in　her　seventeenth　summer；　and　had　been　two　years　a　wife。　　Her　exquisitely　fair　complexion；　light　auburn　hair；　and　dark　hazel　eyes　constituted　her　a　remarkably　beautiful　woman。　　Miss　Kirk　was　of　a　different　type　of　loveliness；　inasmuch　as　her　skin　was　brown；　her　eyes　dark；　and　her　complexion　brilliant。　　As　Mrs。　Middleton　was　at　this　time　but　little　known　at　court；　Grammont　found　some　difficulty　in　obtaining　an　introduction　to　her　as　promptly　as　he　desired；　but　feeling　anxious　to　make　her　acquaintance；　and　being　no　laggard　in　love；　he　without　hesitation　applied　to　her　porter　for　admittance；　and　took　one　of　her　lovers　into　his　confidence。　　This　latter　gallant　rejoiced　in　the　name　of　Jones；　and　subsequently　became　Earl　of　Ranelagh。　　In　the　fulness　of　his　heart　towards　one　who　experienced　a　fellow　feeling；　he　resolved　to　aid　Grammont　in　gaining　the　lady's　favours。　　This　generosity　being　prompted　by　the　fact　that　the　chevalier　would　rid　him　of　a　rival　whom　he　feared；　and　at　the　same　time　relieve　him　of　an　expense　he　could　ill　afford；　the　lady　having　certain　notions　of　magnificence　which　her　husband's　income　was　unable　to　sustain。

Mrs。　Middleton　received　the　chevalier　with　good　grace；　but　he　found　her　more　ready　to　receive　the　presents　he　offered；　than　to　grant　the　privileges　he　required。　　Miss　Kirk；　on　the　other　hand；　was　not　only　flattered　by　his　attentions；　but　was　willing　to　use　every　means　in　her　power　to　preserve　a　continuance　of　his　friendship；　Therefore　out　of　gratitude　for　graces　received　from　one　of　the　ladies；　and　in　expectation　of　favours　desired　from　the　other；　Grammont　made　them　the　handsomest　presents。　　Perfumed　gloves；　pocket　looking…glasses；　apricot　paste；　came　every　week　from　Paris　for　their　benefit；　whilst　more　substantial　offerings　in　the　shape　of　jewellery；　diamonds；　and　guineas　were　procured　for　them　in　London；　all　of　which　they　made　no　hesitation　to　accept。

It　happened　one　night；　whilst　Grammont　was　yet　in　pursuit　of　Mrs。　Middleton；　that　the　queen　gave　a　ball。　　In　hope　of　winning　her　husband's　affection；　by　studying　his　pleasures　and　suiting　herself　to　his　ways；　her　majesty　had　become　a　changed　woman。　　She　now　professed　a　passion　for　dancing；　wore　decollete　costumes；　and　strove　to　surpass　those　surrounding　her　in　her　desire　for　gaiety。　Accordingly　her　balls　were　the　most　brilliant　spectacles　the　court　had　yet　witnessed；　she　taking　care　to　assemble　the　fairest　women　of　the　day；　and　the　most　distinguished　men。　　Now　amongst　the　latter　was　the　Chevalier　de　Grammont；　and　amidst　the　former；　Mrs。　Middleton　and　Miss　Hamilton。

Of　all　the　court　beauties；　〃la　belle　Hamilton〃　was　one　of　whom　Grammont　had　seen　least　and　heard　most；　but　that　which　had　been　told　him　of　her　charms　seemed；　now　that　he　beheld　her；　wholly　inadequate　to　express　her　loveliness。　　Therefore；　his　eyes　followed　her　alone；　as　her　graceful　figure　glided　in　the　dance　adown　the　ball…room；　lighted　with　a　thousand　tapers；　and　brilliant　with　every　type　of　beauty。　　And　when　presently　she　rested；　it　was　with　an　unusual　flutter　at　his　heart　that　this　gallant；　heretofore　so　daring　in　love；　sought　her　company；　addressed　her；　and　listened　with　strange　pleasure　to　the　music　of　her　voice。　　From　that　night　he　courted　Mrs。　Middleton　no　more；　but　devoted　himself　to　〃la　belle　Hamilton；〃　who　subsequently　became　h