forgot that her friend Mrs. Morley was also her sovereign the Queen.  She might have retained the Queen’s favor to the end, in spite of political opinions; but she presumed too far on the ascendency which she had enjoyed for nearly thirty years.  There is no height from which one may not fall; and it takes more ability to retain a proud position than to gain it.  There are very few persons who are beyond the reach of envy and detraction; and the loftier the position one occupies, the more subtle, numerous, and desperate are one’s secret enemies.

The Duchess was not, however, immediately “disgraced,”—­as the expression is in reference to great people who lose favor at court.  She still retained her offices and her apartments in the royal palace; she still had access to the Queen; she was still addressed as “my dear Mrs. Freeman.”  But Mrs. Masham had supplanted her; and Harley, through the influence of the new favorite, ruled at court.  The disaffection which had long existed between the secretary of state and the lord treasurer deepened into absolute aversion.  It became the aim of both ministers to ruin each other.  The Queen now secretly sided with the Tories, although she had not the courage to quarrel openly with her powerful ministers, or with her former favorite.  Nor was “the great breach” made public.

But the angry and disappointed Duchess gave vent to her wrath and vengeance in letters to her husband and in speech to Godolphin.  She entreated them to avenge her quarrel.  She employed spies about the Queen.  She brought to bear her whole influence on the leaders of the Whigs.  She prepared herself for an open conflict with her sovereign; for she saw clearly that the old relations of friendship and confidence between them would never return.  A broken friendship is a broken jar; it may be mended, but never restored,—­its glory has departed.  And this is one of the bitterest experiences of life, on whomsoever the fault may be laid.  The fault in this instance was on the side of the Duchess, and not on that of her patron.  The arrogance and dictation of the favorite had become intolerable; it was as hard to bear as the insolence of a petted servant.

The Duke of Marlborough and Lord Godolphin took up the quarrel with zeal.  They were both at the summit of power, and both were leaders of their party.  The victories of the former had made him the most famous man in Europe and the greatest subject in England.  They declined to serve their sovereign any longer, unless Harley were dismissed from office; and the able secretary of state was obliged to resign.