she received no ill news from him during that time, she might be sure
that he had been successful, and that he was once more master of his
kingdom. The queen remained in the apartment where the king had left
her, looking continually at the watch which she held before her, and
counting the minutes impatiently as the hands moved slowly on. She had
with her one confidential friend, the Lady Carlisle, who sat with her
and seemed to share her solicitude, though she had not been entrusted
with the secret. The time passed on. No ill tidings came; and at length
the hour fully expired, and Henrietta, able to contain herself no
longer, exclaimed with exultation, "Rejoice with me; the hour is gone.
From this time my husband is master of his realm. His enemies in
Parliament are all arrested before this time, and his kingdom is
henceforth his own."

It certainly is possible for kings and queens to have faithful friends,
but there are so many motives and inducements to falsehood and treachery
in court, that it is _not_ possible, generally, for them to distinguish
false friends from true. The Lady Carlisle was a confederate with some
of the very men whom Charles had gone to arrest. On receiving this
intimation of their danger, she sent immediately to the houses of
Parliament, which were very near at hand, and the obnoxious members
received warning in time to fly. The hour had indeed elapsed, but the
king had met with several unexpected delays, both in his preparations
for going, and on his way to the House of Commons, so that when at
last he entered, the members were gone. His attempt, however,
unsuccessful as it was, evoked a general storm of indignation and
anger, producing thus all the exasperation which was to have been
expected from the measure, without in any degree accomplishing its
end. The poor queen was overwhelmed with confusion and dismay when she
learned the result. She had urged her husband forward to an extremely