‘"These things never came of blind chance; the destinies of princes are written in letters of gold, and not traced in the sands of the sea. They who betrayed my father have misled me.”’
‘How like his house,’ exclaimed the Père; ‘arrogant in the very hour of their destitution!’
‘He then went on to rave about the Scottish wars, speaking of places and people I had never before heard of. After lamenting the duplicity of Spain, and declaring that French treachery had been their ruin, “and now,” cried he, “the game is to be played over again, as though it were in the day of general demolition men would struggle to restore a worn-out dynasty.”’
‘Did he speak thus?’ cried Massoni eagerly.
‘Yes, he said the words over and over, adding, “I am but the ‘figurino,’ to be laid aside when the procession is over,” and he wept bitterly.’
‘The Stuarts could always find comfort in tears; they could draw upon their own sympathies unfailingly. What said he of me?’ asked he, with sudden eagerness.
Giacomo was silent, and folding his arms within his robe of serge, cast his eyes downward.
‘Speak out, and frankly—what said he?’ repeated the Père.
‘That you were ambitious—one whose heart yearned after worldly elevation and power.’
‘Power—yes!’ muttered the Père.