mustn't stand too near the fire, and Beau always pours tea on the roots. Shall I tell you more about them, Captain Park?'

He said nothing, but looked at me.

'I shall tell Isabel you take no interest in cyclamens,' I re marked.

'You are mistaken, Miss Allcroft,' he said. "They are won derful plants.'

'How?' I asked.

'Their flourishing appearance, after the way you have just curled your tongue round them,' he replied, 'is no less than a marvel.'

'What do you mean, Captain Park?' I inquired. I was just merely telling you things.'

Again he said nothing, but looked at me.

'Captain Park,' I protested, laughing weakly, 'I am not on parade!

'No,' was his reply; 'so you might just as well sit down.'

I insinuated myself among the pots on the shelf. He leaned on his elbow and watched me.

'Does everything and everybody get wiped off like the cyclamens, Miss Allcroft?' he inquired.

'You are horrid!' I said. Here have I been trying to do what Isabel told me, and you do nothing but jeer. How long do you expect me to flourish ?'

'While there's life in the green bay-tree,' he answered.

'I declare it's too bad,' I protested. You snub me when I talk of cyclamens, and you quote vindictive things from the Psalms, and I'll not endure it. It's cruelty to animals.' I have no prejudice against

friend.

cruelty to animals,' observed my

'Then you ought to,' I said. 'Isabella sends tales about Gigi to the "Four-footed Friend.""

'I presume,' said the captain, that Mr. Whiles mayn't even throw his boots at that pug when he snores?'

Certainly not,' I replied.' 'Captain Park, you are not to be cruel to animals.'

'Then I won't,' was his answer. 'Tell me what I can do for them. Shall I pick a leaf for that green caterpillar on your back?'

I jumped up with a yell.

Take it off! take it off!' I implored.

'I am so afraid,' he said calmly, ' of squeezing it. My fingers are bony.'

'Captain Park,' I cried angrily, wriggling in frantic efforts to catch sight of my back, if you don't pick it off me, I'll not speak to you.'

Captain Park put his hand over my shoulder.

'What am I to do with it?' he asked, holding the small thing out in his palm.

'Take it out of my sight,' I commanded.

He went outside the greenhouse, then returned.

'What have you done to that caterpillar ?' I demanded. He shook his head gloomily.

'Captain Park,' said I, ‘if you have murdered that poor insect, I'll never forgive you. Go and fetch it at once.'

'Miss Allcroft,' he replied, 'it is now no more.'

You are a cruel, bad man,' I exclaimed. 'I hate soldiers! They do nothing but kill things.'

'Even ladies?' inquired Captain Park.

I put my head back, and looked down my nose at him. He bowed humbly, but chuckled.

Would not another caterpillar do almost as well, Miss Allcroft?' he asked. There is one on your sleeve.'

I made a wild rush for the door.

Captain Park got between it and me, and caught hold of my wrists.

'No need to fly off!' he said, taking it up. 'There is the beast. What do you wish me to do with it?'

'Kill it!' I cried savagely.

Certainly not,' he replied, putting the insect down on the shelf. It shall walk about as much as it likes.

ashamed of yourself?'

'No!' I said crossly. Leave hold of my wrists.'

Aren't you

'Lettice,' said the captain, not releasing me, 'do you really hate soldiers?'

I said nothing, but pouted.

'If you pout like that,' he said, 'I shall kiss you. Do you hate soldiers, Lettice?'

'Mostly,' I whispered.

'Do you hate every one of them?' he persisted.

I made a fruitless effort to wrench myself free.

'I shall just hate whomever I please,' I said petulantly.

'Then you will just love whomever I please,' said the captain.

Five minutes later a flushed damsel was set down in an arm chair. Her Betrothed marched off to Mr. Whiles's study.

'My dearest Letty!' cried Isabel joyfully, rushing in to enfold me in a sisterly hug.

'Is your head better, Bell dear?' I asked, between laughing and crying.

'Little wretch!' said my sister. 'Captain Park, how do you propose to keep this girl in order? '

The captain tugged his moustaches, and watched me with sublimest complacency.

Congratulate you, dear old girl!' said George's hearty voice. 'Give us a paw. I won't suggest more just now, with Park looking at us. Park, don't you believe all the bad things she'll say of me. We've always been good friends at bottom-haven't we, Lett?'

'Splendid!' said I; I was always perfectly willing to go shares, only Bell wouldn't hear of it.'

'Lettice! Lettice!' cried my scandalised sister.

The door opened: Brown announced Mrs. Gummidge.

H. MEYER HENNE.

349

THE COURT OF CROMWELL.

To speak of the Protector's court seems at first sight as much. a misuse of words as it would be to speak of the court of the President of the United States. England was nominally a republic throughout the Protectorate, just as much as it had been during the time of the Commonwealth, and Olivarius Dei Gratia' was but, as his coins stated, Reipublicæ Protector.' But from 1654 to 1658 the forms of a republic were being gradually exchanged for the forms of a monarchy, and when Cromwell died he was king in all but name. This revival of the externals of monarchy became still more marked after Cromwell had refused the crown, and when he had been for the second time installed as Protector. Royalists and Republicans both perceived it, and commented upon it from different points of view. Now,' writes Sir Philip Warwick, 'he models his house that it might have some resemblance to a court, and his liveries, lackies, and yeomen of the guard are known whom they belong to by their habit.' Republican pamphleteers and other opponents habitually described the friends of the Protector and his family as courtiers, and his supporters in Parliament as the court party. To most Republicans the mere appearance of a court seemed a proof of apostasy on the part of the ruler, and a source of corruption to the nation at large. His court,' wrote the severe Mrs. Hutchinson, 'was full of sin and vanity, and the more abominable, because they had not yet quite cast away the name of God, but profaned it by taking it in vain upon them.' Whether this reprobation was deserved a description of the nature of Oliver's court, and a sketch of its development, will suffice to show.

The first essential of a court is a palace, and each stage in Cromwell's progress from country gentleman to prince is marked by a change in his residence.

When he came to London in

1646, at the close of the war, he took a house in Drury Lane. 'To Lieutenant-General Cromwell at his house near the Red Lion in Drury Lane' is the address on one of his letters. The precise site of the house is unknown, except by this general description. In 1646 the neighbourhood was respectable, even

fashionable, and had not obtained the reputation it possessed when Goldsmith's poet took up his abode

Where the Red Lion staring o'er the way
Invites each passing stranger that can pay;
Where Calvert's butt and Parson's black champagne
Regale the drabs and bloods of Drury Lane.

In 1647, or early in 1648, Cromwell moved to King Street, Westminster, taking a house which is described as 'lying between the north side of the gateway entrance to Blue Boar's Head yard and the wall of Ram's Mews.' His third change of residence was in 1650. On February 25, 1650, the Parliament, which had just voted his recall from Ireland, passed a resolution that the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland have the use of the lodgings called the Cockpit, the Spring Gardens, and St. James's House, and the command of St. James's Park.'

6

When Cromwell became supreme magistrate it seemed good to himself and his Council that a further change should be made, and so, writes Ludlow, he removed from the Cockpit, which house Parliament had given him, to take possession of Whitehall, which he had assigned to himself.' On April 14, 1654, a newspaper records, 'His Highness the Lord Protector, with his lady and family, this day dined at Whitehall, whither his Highness and family are removed, and did this night lie there, and do there continue.'

Cromwell's occupation of Hampton Court began about the same time. On September 6, 1651, when the news of his victory at Worcester reached London, the Parliament voted that some testimony of their thankfulness for his great and faithful services should be made to the Lord-General,' adding that the committee to which this was referred should give order for a fit accommodation for the Lord-General at Hampton Court at present.' Though the King's lands in general were ordered to be sold, Hampton Court, like Whitehall, had been exempted by a special clause, and kept for the public use of the Commonwealth.' Members of the Parliament or the Council of State occasionally spent a holiday there, and Ludlow successfully opposed its sale in 1659, on the ground that it was very convenient for the retirement of those that were employed in public affairs when they should be indisposed in the summer season.' Others, like Vane, regarded such places as temptations to ambitious men, which tended to sharpen their appetites to ascend the throne;' and the financial