If there was any pleasure in this—­and when is not in creased importance pleasurable?—­it was speedily brought to an end, as soon as the trials of the conspirators began, and intelligence of more and more traitors being arrested in different parts, and increased rumours of the number suspected, or actually implicated, reaching the ears of the Duke.  Persons who one day appeared perfectly free and stainless, were the next marked out as having a share in the conspiracy.  Fear fell upon all men:  the times of Titus Oates and his famous plot presented themselves to everybody’s imagination, and the Duke’s head lay more and more uneasy on his pillow every night.

Sir John Fenwick, however, was not yet taken:  Sir William Parkyns and Sir John Friend died with firmness and with honour, compromising no man.  Sir George Barkley had escaped; the Earl of Aylesbury, though implicated by the testimony of several witnesses in the lesser offences of the conspiracy, was not arrested; and not a word had yet been spoken of the Duke’s name.

It was about this period, however, that Laura’s father suddenly received a note from Lord Aylesbury to the following effect:—­

“Your grace and I being somewhat similarly situated in several respects, I think fit to give you intimation of my views at the present moment.  While gentlemen, and men of honour, were the only individuals made to suffer in consequence of the late lamentable events, people, who knew themselves to be innocent of any bloody or treasonable designs, might feel themselves tolerably safe, even though they were well acquainted with some of the persons accused.  I hear now, however, that there is a certain Rookwood, together with men named Cranburne, Lowick, Knightly, and others, some of them small gentry of no repute, and others merely vulgar and inferior persons, who are about to be brought to immediate trial; and I have it from a sure hand, that some of these persons, for the purpose of saving their own miserable lives, intend to charge men of much higher rank than themselves with crimes of which they never had any thought, simply because they were acquainted with some of the unfortunate gentlemen by whom these evil and foolish things were designed.  Such being the case, and knowing myself to be somewhat obnoxious to many persons in power, I have determined to remove from London for the time, that my presence may not excite attention, and perhaps call upon my head an accusation which may be levelled at any other if I should not be here.  I by no means purpose to quit the kingdom, and would rather, indeed, surrender myself, and endeavour to prove my innocence, even against the torrent of prejudice, and all the wild and raging outcry which this business has produced, both in the parliament and in the nation.  At the same time, I think it best to inform you of these facts, as an old friend, well knowing that your grace has a house ready to receive you in Hampshire, within thirty-five