Till very recently, the little knot of personal friends who had followed William from his native land to his place of splendid banishment had been firmly united.
The aversion which the English nation felt for them had given him much pain; but he had not been annoyed by any quarrel among themselves.
Zulestein and Auverquerque had, without a murmur, yielded to Portland the first place in the royal favour; nor had Portland grudged to Zulestein and Auverquerque very solid and very signal proofs of their master's kindness.

But a younger rival had lately obtained an influence which created much jealousy.

Among the Dutch gentlemen who had sailed with the Prince of Orange from Helvoetsluys to Torbay was one named Arnold Van Keppel.

Keppel had a sweet and obliging temper, winning manners, and a quick, though not a profound, understanding.

Courage, loyalty and secresy were common between him and Portland.