William opened the letter and seemed unusually moved.

It was the first letter which he had received from his father in law since they had become avowed enemies.

Once they had been on good terms and had written to each other familiarly; nor had they, even when they had begun to regard each other with suspicion and aversion, banished from their correspondence those forms of kindness which persons nearly related by blood and marriage commonly use.

The letter which the Commissioners had brought was drawn up by a secretary in diplomatic form and in the French language.

"I have had many letters from the King," said William, "but they were all in English, and in his own hand." He spoke with a sensibility which he was little in the habit of displaying.