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228 "That I have been made a fool of; that Buckingham was only a pretext, and that De Guiche is the one who is really guilty."

Anne shrugged her shoulders. "Well," she said, "what else?"

"I wish De Guiche to be dismissed from my household, as Buckingham was, and I shall ask the king, unless "

"Unless what?"

"Unless you, my dear mother, who are so clever and so kind, will execute the commission yourself."

"I shall not do it, Philip."

"What! madame?"

"Listen, Philip: I am not disposed to pay people ill compliments every day; I have some influence over young people, but I cannot take advantage of it without running the chance of losing it altogether. Besides, there is nothing to prove that Monsieur de Guiche is guilty."

"He has displeased me."

"That is your own affair."

"Very well, I know what I shall do," said the prince impetuously.

Anne looked at him with some uneasiness. "What do you intend to do?" she said.

"I will have him drowned in my reservoir the next time I find him in my apartments again." Having launched this terrible threat, the prince expected his mother would be frightened out of her senses; but the queen was unmoved by it.

"Do so," she said.

Philip was as weak as a woman and began to cry out: "Every one betrays me — no one cares for me; my mother even joins my enemies."

"Your mother, Philip, sees further in the matter than you do, and does not care about advising you, since you do not listen to her."

"I will go to the king."

"I was about to propose that to you. I am now expecting his majesty; it is the hour he usually pays me a visit; explain the matter to him yourself."

She had hardly finished, when Philip heard the door of the anteroom open with some noise. He began to feel nervous. At the sound of the king's footsteps, which could be heard upon the carpet, the duke hurriedly made his escape out of the room. Anne of Austria could not resist laughing, and was laughing still when the king entered.