We citizens of London will give him a right royal welcome; perchance we may be able to crave a boon of him in return.
He--or, rather, his wife--is all-powerful with our good Queen Anne; and she would not wish a hair of a man's head hurt could she but have her way." "By the Duke you mean the great Duke of Marlborough, who has done such great things in the war?
But what is the war about?
Can you tell me that, for I have never rightly understood ?" Cale was a great politician in his own eyes, and was well versed in the politics of the day.

He strove hard to make Tom understand the intricacies of the Spanish succession, the danger of allowing Spain to be ruled by one of the Bourbons, and the fear of the all-powerful French king, who seemed like to rule Europe, if the allied powers could not make head against him.

Tom did his best to understand, and got a rather clearer view of the situation than he had before; but what interested him most was the information that the Duke would come over to England shortly, and that a magnificent reception was to be given to him.
Whigs and Tories had alike grown proud of the victorious general, and the war had become popular from success, though the drain on the country was great.

The Queen was personally liked, although she was but a small power in the kingdom; and for the time being Jacobite plots were in abeyance.

So long as she lived, nobody was likely seriously to desire the return of the banished Stuarts; but, of course, there was the future to think for.