A SPY IN THE HOUSEHOLD 17

“Such ways may pass in a London usurer, but they don’t
do for us country-folk; and each farm that he has taken
has closed the doors of a dozen good houses to John Dor-
may. I fear that Celia has a bad time with him, though
she is not one to complain. I let Charlie go over to Rock-
ley much oftener than I otherwise should do for her sake
and Ciceley’s, though I would rather a hundred times that
they should come here. Not that the visits are pleasant
when they do come, for I can see that Celia is always in fear
lest I should ask her questions about her life at home;
which is the last thing that I should think of doing, for no
good ever comes of interference between man and wife,
and whatever I learned I could not quarrel with John Dor-
may without being altogether separated from Celia and the
girl.

“Tam heartily glad that Charlie has given Alured a sound
thrashing. ‘The boy is too modest; he only said a few
words last evening about the affair, and I thought that only
a blow or two had been exchanged. It was as much as I
could do not to rub my hands and chuckle when his father
told me all about it. However, I must speak gravely to
Charlie. If he takes it up every time a Whig speaks scorn-
fully of the king he will be always in hot water, and were
he a few years older would become a marked man. We
have got to bide our time, and except among friends it is
best to keep a quiet tongue until that time comes.”

To Sir Marmaduke’s disappointment three more years
went on without the position changing in any way. Mes-
sengers went and came between France and the [nglish
Jacobites, but no movement was made. ‘The failure of the
assassination plot had strengthened William’s hold on the
country, for Englishmen love fair play and hate assassina-
tion, so that many who had hitherto been opponenis of
William of Orange now ranged themselves on his side,
declaring they could no longer support a cause that used