In the morning Sir Andrew escorted us to the lodgings, where
we found my brother already dressed, by the help of Nicolas, and
looking forward to the change cheerfully. I have given Sir Andrew my
purse, begging him, with his knowledge of Dutch, to discharge the
reckoning for me, after which he was to go to find a chair, a coach,
or anything that could be had to convey my brother in, for indeed he
was hardly fit to walk downstairs.
Presently the Scottish knight knocked at the door, and desired to
speak with me. 'What does this mean, Madame?' he said, looking much
amused. 'My Lord here has friends. The good vrow declares that all
his charges have been amply paid by one who bade her see that he
wanted for nothing, and often sent dainty fare for him.'
'Was no name given?'
'None; and the vrow declares herself sworn to secrecy; but I observed
that by a lapsus linguoe she implied that the sustenance came from a
female hand. Have you any suspicions that my lord has a secret
admirer?'
I could only say that I believed that many impoverished cavaliers had
met with great and secret kindness from the nobility of Holland; that
the King of England, as he knew, had interested himself about my
brother, and as we all had been, so to say, brought up in intimacy
with the royal family, I did not think it impossible that the
Princess of Orange might have interested herself about him, though
she might not wish to have it known, for fear of exciting
expectations in others.
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