He had
already weaned Wilhelmina from the political bias, imbibed from her
father and his connections, without acquainting her with his belonging
to the opposite party, for the present. It had been his intention as
soon as his services were required elsewhere, to have demanded
Wilhelmina's hand from her father, still leaving him in error as to his
politics; and by taking her with him, after the marriage, to the court
of St Germains, to have allowed Mynheer Krause to think what he pleased,
but not to enter into any explanation; but, as Ramsay truly observed,
Mynheer Krause had, by his not retaining the secrets confided to him,
rendered himself suspected, and once suspected with King William, his
disgrace, if not ruin, was sure to follow. This fact, so important to
Ramsay's plans, had been communicated in the extracts made by
Vanslyperken from the last despatches, and Ramsay had been calculating
the consequences when Mynheer Krause returned discomfited from the
presence of the king.
That Ramsay played a very diplomatic game in the conversation which we
have repeated is true; but still it was the best game for Krause as well
as for his own interests, as the events will show.
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