The work of improving Kensington House continued for another year or more, costing during this period £60,000. It was, however, far from finished, when, in November, 1691, a serious fire occurred, necessitating re-building at a cost of upwards of £6,000. From the year 1691 to 1696 another £35,000 was spent in further "altering the old house," and in additional works of decoration in the galleries and other rooms--details as to which will be given in our description of those apartments. Extensive alterations and improvements were also in progress at the same time in the gardens, which at this period were confined to the ground east and south of the Palace, as to which we shall refer again. =Deaths of Queen Mary and King William.= Ere the work, however, was completed, Queen Mary was taken ill at Kensington with small pox in December, 1694. On learning the nature of her illness she locked herself in her closet, burned some papers, and calmly awaited her fate, which quickly came a few days after, the 28th of December. Evelyn visited Kensington again in 1696, and speaks of it then as "noble but not greate," commending especially the King's Gallery, which was then filled with the finest pictures in the royal collection, "a greate collection of Porcelain, and a pretty private library. The gardens about it very delicious." Peter the Great's visit to William III. in this same gallery is referred to in our description of it below. The next event of moment is William III.'s own death at Kensington Palace, after his accident in Hampton Court Park. "Je tirs vers ma fin," said he to Albemarle, who had hurried from Holland to his master's bedside; and to his physician: "I know that you have done all that skill and learning could do for me; but the case is beyond your art, I must submit." "Can this," he said soon after, "last long?" He was told that the end was approaching. He swallowed a cordial, and asked for Bentinck. Those were his last articulate words. "Bentinck instantly came to the bedside, bent down, and placed his ear close to the King's mouth. The lips of the dying man moved, but nothing could be heard. The King took the hand of his earliest friend and pressed it tenderly to his heart. In that moment, no doubt, all that had cast a slight passing cloud over their long pure friendship was forgotten. It was now between seven and eight in the morning. He closed his eyes, and gasped for breath. The bishops knelt down and read the commendatory prayer. When it ended William was no more. When his remains were laid out, it was found that he wore next to his skin a small piece of black silk ribbon. The lords in waiting ordered it to be taken off. It contained a gold ring and a lock of the hair of Mary." =Queen Anne at Kensington Palace.=