announce such a melancholy piece of news: they found his Royal Highness
at the appointed hour in Miss Hyde's chamber: a few tears trickled down
her cheeks, which she endeavoured to restrain. The chancellor, leaning
against the wall, appeared to them to be puffed up with some thing, which
they did not doubt was--rage and despair. The Duke of York said to them,
with that serene and pleasant countenance with which men generally
announce good news: "As you are the two men of the court whom I most
esteem, I am desirous you should first have the honour of paying your
compliments to the Duchess of York: there she is."

Surprise was of no use, and astonishment was unseasonable on the present
occasion: they were, however, so greatly possessed with both surprise and
astonishment, that in order to conceal it, they immediately fell on their
knees to kiss her hand, which she gave to them with as much majesty as if
she had been used to it all her life.

The next day the news was made public, and the whole court was eager to
pay her that respect, from a sense of duty, which in the end became very
sincere.

The petits-maitres who had spoken against her, seeing their intentions
disappointed, were not a little embarrassed. Women are seldom accustomed
to forgive injuries of this nature; and, if they promise themselves the
pleasure of revenge, when they gain the power they seldom forget it: in
the present case, however, the fears of these petits-maitres were their
only punishment.

The Duchess of York, being fully informed of all that was said in the
cabinet concerning her, instead of showing the least resentment, studied
to distinguish, by all manner of kindness and good offices, those who had