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Rh 8f LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. covered with perspiration. '*No, no," he said, "a hundred times no! I have no curiosity for matters which do not concern me. The Duke of Buckingham is for me nothing more than a simple acquaintance, while Raoul is an intimate friend. I have not the slightest curiosity to learn what happened to the duke, while I have, on the contrary, the greatest interest to learn what happened to Eaoul." '*At Paris?" "Yes, at Paris, or at Boulogne. You understand, I am on the spot; if anything should happen, I am here to meet it; while Raoul is absent, and has only myself to represent him; so Raoul's affairs before my own." "But Raoul will return?" "Not, however, until his mission is completed. In the meantime, you understand, evil reports cannot be per- mitted to circulate about him without my looking into them." "And for a greater reason still, that he will remain some time in London," said De Wardes, chuckling. "You think so," said De Guiche simply. "Think so, indeed! do you suppose that he was sent to London for no other purpose than to go there and return again immediately? No, no; he was sent to London to remain there." "Ah! De Wardes," said De Guiche, seizing De Wardes' hand violently, "that is a very serious suspicion concerning Brageloune, which completely confirms what he wrote to me from Boulogne." De Wardes resumed his former coldness of manner; his love of raillery had led him too far, and by his own impru- dence he had laid himself open to attack. "Well, tell me, what did he write to you about?" he inquired. "He told me that you had artfully insinuated some in- jurious remarks against La Valliere, and that you had seemed to laugh at his great confidence in that young girl." "Well, it is perfectly true I did so," said De Wardes, "and I was quite ready at the time to hear from the Vi- comte de Bragelonne that which every man expects from another whenever anything may have been said to displease him. In the same way, for instance, if I were seeking a quarrel with you, I should tell you that madame, after hav- ing shown the greatest preference for the Duke of Bucking- ham, is at this moment supposed to have sent the handsome duke away for your benefit."