And then spring was coming on, and Eustace as yet made no sign of
going to Holland. He only told me to be patient, and patience was
becoming absolutely intolerable to my temper. Meantime, we heard
that the First President, Mathieu de Mole, who had some time before
been nominated Keeper of the Seals, but had never excised the
functions of the office, had nominated M. Darpent to be his principal
secretary at Paris, remaining there and undertaking his
correspondence when he was with the Court. Clement had been
recommended for this office by his brother-in-law, one of the
Gneffiers du Roi, who was always trying to mediate between the
parties. Mole was thoroughly upright and disinterested, and he had
begged Clement to undertake the work as the one honest man whom he
could trust, and Clement had such an esteem for him that he felt
bound to do anything he could to assist him, in his true loyalty.
'I shall tell the King the truth,' said the good old man, 'and take
the consequences.'
And his being in office gave another hope for better counsels and the
States-General.
So Lady Ommaney told me, but I was anxious and dissatisfied. I had
like Clement better when he had refused to purchase an office, and
stood aloof from all the suite of the Court. She soothed me as best
she could, and, nodding her head a little, evidently was hatching as
scheme.
Now the children had a great desire to see the procession in the Mid-
Lent week.
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