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Rh LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 239 who know so many of the king's secrets, tell me why Mon- sieur de Bragelonne is in England?" "Because he was sent as an envoy from one sovereign to another." "That may be; but, seriously, although politics do not much concern us, we know enough to be satisfied that Mon- sieur de Bragelonne has no mission of any serious import here." "Well, then, listen," said Stewart, with assumed gravity; "for your sake, I am going to betray a state secret. Shall I tell you the nature of the letter which King Louis XIV. gave Monsieur de Bragelonne for King Charles II. ? I will; these are the very words: 'My brother, the bearer of this is a gentleman attached to my court, and the son of one whom you regard most warmly. Treat him kindly, I beg, and try and make him like England.' " "Did it say that?" "Word for word — or something very like it. I will not answer for the form, but the substance I am sure of." "Well, and what conclusion do you, or rather, what con- clusion does the king draw from that?" "That the King of France has his own reasons for remov- ing Monsieur de Bragelonne, and for getting him married — somewhere else than in France." "So that, then, in consequence of this letter " "King Charles received Monsieur de Bragelonne, as you are aware, in the most distinguished and friendly manner; the handsomest apartments in Whitehall were allotted to him; and as you are the most valuable and precious person in his court, inasmuch as you have rejected his heart — nay, do not blush — he wished you to take a fancy to this French- man, and he was desirous to confer upon him so costly a prize. And this is the reason why you, the heiress of three hundred thousand pounds, a future duchess, and one so beautiful, and so good, have been thrown in Bragelonne's way, in all the promenades and parties of pleasure to which he was invited. In fact, it was a plot — a kind of con- spiracy." Mary Grafton smiled with that charming expression which was habitual to her, and, pressing her companion's arm, said: "Thank the king, Lucy." "Yes, yes; but the Duke of Buckingham is jealous, so take care." Hardly had she pronounced these words than the duke