No wonder he stammered, for he was talking of what he knew nothing about—­but these two noblemen recollecting his confusion when presented to his sovereign on board of the frigate, made allowances.

“I have at last,” cried Vanslyperken, with more confidence, “been able to discover the plots of the Jacobites, your grace.”

“Indeed!  Mr Vanslyperken,” replied the duke, smiling incredulously, “and pray what may they be? you must be as expeditious as possible, for his Majesty is waiting for us.”

“These letters will take some time to read,” replied Vanslyperken; “but their contents are most important.”

“Indeed, letters—­how have you possession of their letters?”

“It will be rather a long story, sir—­my lord!  I mean,” replied Vanslyperken; “but they will amply repay an hour of your time, if you can spare it.”

At this moment, the door opened and his Majesty entered the room.  At the sight of the king, Vanslyperken’s confidence was again taking French leave.

“My lords, I am waiting for you,” said the king, with a little asperity of manner.

“May it please your Majesty, here is Lieutenant Vanslyperken, commanding one of your Majesty’s vessels, who states that he has important intelligence, and that he has possession of Jacobite papers.”

“Indeed!” replied King William, who was always alive to Jacobite plotting, from which he had already run so much risk.

“What is it, Mr Vanslyperken? speak boldly what you have to communicate.”

“Your Majesty, I beg your gracious pardon, but here are copies of the correspondence carried on by the traitors in England and this country.  If your Majesty will deign to have it read, you will then perceive how important it is—­after your Majesty has read it, I will have the honour to explain to you by what means it came into my possession.”

King William was a man of business, and Vanslyperken had done wisely in making this proposal.  His Majesty at once sat down, with the Duke of Portland on the one side and Lord Albemarle on the other:  the latter took the letters which were arranged according to their dates, and read them in a clear distinct voice.

As the reading went on, his Majesty made memorandums and notes with his pencil on a sheet of paper, but did not interrupt during the whole progress of the lecture.  When the last and most important was finished, the two noblemen looked at his Majesty with countenances full of meaning.  For a few moments his Majesty drummed with the second and third finger of his left hand upon the table, and then said—­

“Pray, Mr Vanslyperken, how did you obtain possession of these papers and letters, or make copies of these letters?”

Vanslyperken, who had been standing at the other side of the table during the time of the reading, had anxiously watched the countenance of his Majesty and the two noblemen, and perceived that the intelligence which the letters contained, had created a strong feeling, as he expected.  With a certain degree of confidence, he commenced his explanation.