you. 1 simply wish to clear myself from the imputations with which I have been charged."

"I suppose I must hear," cried Anne, with a gesture of impatience, and averting her head.

"Oh! not thus, madam," exclaimed the duchess-"not thus! For pity's sake, look at me. You were not used to be so hardhearted. Evil counsellors have produced a baneful effect upon your gentle nature. Be to me, if only for a few minutes, while I plead my cause, the Mrs. Morley you were of yore."

"No, duchess," replied Anne, in a freezing tone, and without looking at her "all that is past. You have to thank yourself for the change which has been wrought in me."

"Hear me, madam," cried the duchess passionately; "I have been much wronged before you-grievously wronged. There are those about you, whom I will not name, who have most falsely calumniated me. I am no more capable of saying aught against you majesty, than I am of taking the lives of my own offspring. Your name never passes my lips without respect-never, I take Heaven to witness!"

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"You cannot impose upon me thus, duchess," said Anne, coldly. Many false things are told of you no doubt, but I judge not of them so much as of your own deportment and discourse." "I am willing to amend both, madam," returned the duchess. "It is useless," said Anne, in the same tone as before.

"Is the quarrel, then, irreparable?" demanded the duchess. "Notwithstanding your majesty's assurance, I am certain my enemies have prevailed with you. Give me an opportunity of clearing myself. What has been told you?"

"I shall give you no answer," replied Anne.

"No answer, madam!" cried the duchess." Is this kind-is it just? Is it worthy of you to treat me thus? I do not ask the names of my accusers. Nay, I promise you not to retort upon them, if I should suspect them. But tell me what I am charged with ?"

"I shall give you no answer," replied the queen.

"Oh, madam-madam!" cried the duchess, "the cruel formula you adopt convinces me you have been schooled for the interview. Be your kind, good, gracious self, if only for a moment. Look at me, madam-look at me. I am not come here with any hope of winning my way back to your favour, for I know I have lost it irrecoverably; but I have come to vindicate my character as a faithful servant. You cannot refuse that plea, madam." "You desired no answer, and you shall have none," replied the queen, rising, and moving towards the door.

"Oh! do not go, madam!" cried the duchess, following her, and throwing herself at her feet-" do not go I implore of you." "What would you more?" demanded Anne, coldly, and still with averted looks.

"I would make a last appeal to you, madam," said the duchess, as soon as she could command herself. "By all that is right and just I implore you to answer me. Have I not despised my own interest in comparison with serving you well and faithfully? Have I ever disowned the truth? Have I ever played the hypocrite with you? Have I ever offended you, except by over-zeal, and vehemence or, if you will, arrogance? If this is true, and it cannot be gainsaid, I am entitled to credit, when I avouch that my enemies have belied me behind my back. Do not turn a deaf ear to my entreaties, madam; but tell me what I am charged with? Answer-oh, answer!"

"You compel me to reiterate my words," replied the queen, "You shall have no answer."

"You deny me common justice, madam," cried the duchess losing all patience, "in refusing me a hearing-justice, which is due to the meanest of your subjects. You owe it to yourself to speak out."

"Just or unjust, I will give you no answer," replied the queen. "And here our conference must end."

"So be it then," returned the duchess, resuming all her haughtiness. "I have loved you sincerely, madam-ay, sincerely -because I believed my affection requited; but since you have cast me off, I shall crush all feelings of regard for you within my breast. If you were but an instrument in my hands, as some avouch, I at least used you to a noble purpose. Such will not be the case with her who now governs you. She will degrade you; and the rest of your reign will be as inglorious as its opening was splendid and triumphant. Let my words dwell upon your memory. Farewell-for ever, madam." And without another word, and without an obeisance she quitted the apartment. As soon as she was gone, Mrs. Masham entered from an adjoining chamber.

"Your majesty acted your part to admiration," she cried, "I did not give you credit for so much firmness."

"I had hard work to sustain my character," replied Anne, sinking into a chair; "I am truly thankful it is over."

"It is not yet quite over," said Mrs. Masham; "one step more requires to be taken."

"True," replied the queen. "I must call upon her to resign her places. But I do not like to give them to her daughters; and yet I believe I made a promise to that effect." "Heed it not, madam," said Mrs. Masham. "Her forfeited all title to further consideration on your part." "I must own I should like to make you keeper of the privy purse, Masham," said Anne.

grace has

"And I admit I should like the place excessively, madam,” replied Mrs. Masham.

"Would I could get rid of my scruples," said Anne, ruminating.

"I will relieve you of them, madam," replied Mrs. Masham, "the promise was extorted, and is therefore not binding."

"I will make another, then, freely, that shall be so, Masham," rejoined the queen. "You shall have the place."

"I am bound to you for ever, madam, by this and a thousand other obligations," returned the artful favourite, in a tone apparently of the most fervent gratitude.

CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH.

IN WHAT MANNER THE GOLD KEY WAS DELIVERED UP BY THE DUCHESS.

THE duchess's dismissal, though fully resolved upon, as has just been shewn, was, with Anne's customary irresolution, long postponed. At length, however, on the duke's return from the campaign of 1710, it was resolved to bring matters to a crisis, and accordingly, when he waited upon her, the queen received him very coldly, studiously avoiding making any allusion to his successes, but observing, with some harshness, "I trust your grace will not allow a vote of thanks to be moved to you in parliament this year, because my ministers will certainly oppose it."

"It pains me to hear your majesty speak thus," replied Marlborough. "Such unmerited honours have ever been unsought by me; and I have welcomed them chiefly because I thought they redounded to your glory. I shall take care to avoid them in future."

"You will do well, my lord," replied Anne.

"Here is a letter from the duchess, which she entreated me to present to your majesty," pursued the duke. "Will you deign to take it ?"

I pray you excuse me," rejoined Anne, with freezing dignity; "all communication is closed between the duchess and myself."

"It is a letter of apology, madam," replied the duke—“ of humble apology. Her grace wishes to give you an assurance, under her own band, of her contrition for any faults she may have committed. She is willing and anxious to do anything that may be deemed reasonable, to prove the sincerity of her regrets, and since her presence has become irksome to your majesty, she is desirous of resigning her offices."

"I am glad to hear it, my lord," interrupted the queen, quickly.

"On the understanding, of course," pursued the duke, “that she is succeeded as groom of the stole by her eldest daughter, Lady Ryalton; and as keeper of the privy purse by Lady Sunderland. With your gracious permission, she would willingly retain the great and home parks, as well as her pension from the privy purse.