I'm sorry Hamilton is so fixed in your heart that you cannot dislodge him, but this good may grow out of the evil: you may judge other men dispassionately." A great sigh was her only answer.
* * * * * Frances took my advice, along with the king's pension, and soon learned that as good wine needs no bush, so true virtue needs no defence.
A brief account of Frances's triumphs and adventures at court is necessary before this history can be brought to the point of Hamilton's return; that is, to the time when I knew he was in London.
Her first great triumph was over the heart of the king, to whose lovemaking she learned to listen and to smile; not the smile of assent, but of amusement.
Soon our august monarch became silly with love of the new beauty, and with her help often made himself ridiculous.

On one occasion, a few months after Frances's installation as maid of honor, he left a love note in her muff which she pushed out at one end as she thrust her hand in at the other.

She was careful to do this little trick in such a manner that those who saw the king place the note in her muff should see it fall out.
It was picked up by an inquisitive soul, reached the hands of the "lampooners," and appeared in biting verse in the next issue of the _News Letter_.
When the king complained to Frances of her ill-treatment of his note, she declared, with a great show of astonishment, that she had not seen it, which was literally true, since she had only felt it.

She said that it must have fallen to the ground as she took up her muff, and tried to make it appear that she was greatly disappointed.
"I would not slight so great an honor as a letter from my king," she said demurely.
"No, no," returned his Majesty, laughing.

"Our most devoted subject would not slight her king's message.