Murmurs of dissent arose among the counsellors.

“Well, gentlemen,” the colonel went on, “I have no desire to interfere with your functions, but, in my opinion, it is good that a king should also be a general.  Did anyone think any the worse of Dutch William, that he was able to command his army, personally?  None of us can believe that King James will ever succeed to the inheritance of his fathers, without fighting; and it would be well, indeed, that he should not appear as a puppet, but as one qualified to command.  It was the fault, or rather the misfortune, of his father, that he was unfit to lead his troops in the field.  Had he been able to do so, he would, in all probability, have died King of England, instead of as a fugitive and a pensioner of King Louis.  In one way, it grieves me to see that the young king feels his position acutely; but, on the other hand, I am rejoiced to see that he is in no way lacking in spirit, and that he longs to be out of his cage, and to try his wings for himself.

“Well, gentlemen, having had my say, I will take my leave of you, as duty calls me back to my regiment.  I trust that the frankness with which I have spoken will not be misunderstood.”

So saying, with a bow to the courtiers he left the room, followed by Kennedy.

“They mean well,” he said, after they had mounted, and ridden off at a gallop; “but it is a pity that these gentlemen, all loyal and honourable men as they are, should surround the young king.  They suited, well enough, to the mood of his father, who was always wanting in spirit, and was broken down, not only by the loss of his kingdom, but by the conduct of his daughters; and, what with that, and his devotion to religion, he was rather a monk than a monarch.  He believed—­but most mistakenly—­that he had a genius for politics, and was constantly intriguing with his adherents at home, notably Marlborough and other lords, from whom he obtained fair words and promises of support, but nothing else.  But though he could plan, he did not possess a spark of energy, and was one of the most undecided of men, though, like most undecided men, he could be extremely obstinate; and, unfortunately, the more wrong he was, the more obstinately he held to his course.

“However, all this can make no difference in our devotion to the Stuart cause.  But I hail, with satisfaction, the prospect that, in his son, we may have one to whom we may feel personally loyal; for there can be no doubt that men will fight with more vigour, for a person to whom they are attached, than for an abstract idea.”

“I have heard Father O’Leary say the same, sir.  His opinion was that, had the late king possessed the qualities that commanded the personal admiration and fidelity of his followers, and excited something like enthusiasm among the people at large, he would never have lost his throne; nor, could he have led his armies, as did Gustavus or Charles the 12th of Sweden, would William of Orange ever have ventured to cross to England.”