Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/241

Rh He came very affectionately to inquire after the even now uncertain health of the queen-mother, and to announce to her that the preparations for the journey to Fontainebleau were complete. Seeing her laugh, his uneasiness on her account diminished, and he addressed her in a laughing tone himself. Anne of Austria took him by the hand, and, in a voice full of playfulness, said, "Do you know, sire, that I am proud of being a Spanish woman?"

"Why, madame?"

"Because Spanish women are worth more than English women, at least."

"Explain yourself."

"Since your marriage ypu have not, I believe, had a single reproach to make against the queen."

"Certainly not."

"And you, too, have been married some time. Your brother, on the contrary, has been married only a fortnight."

"Well!"

"He is now finding fault with madame a second time."

"What, Buckingham still?"

"No, another."

"Who?"

"De Guiche."

"Really, madame is a coquette, then."

"I fear so."

"My poor brother," said the king, laughing.

"You don't mind coquetting, it seems?"

"In madame, certainly I do; but madame is not a coquette at heart."

"That may be, but your brother is excessively angry about it."

"What does he want?"

"He wishes to drown De Guiche."

"That is a violent measure to resort to."

"Do not laugh; he is extremely irritated. Think of what can be done."

"To save De Guiche — certainly."

"Oh, if your brother heard you, he would conspire against you as your uncle Monsieur did against your father."

"No; Philip has too much affection for me for that, and I, on my side, have too great a regard for him; we shall live together on very good terms. But what is the substance of his request?"

"That you will prevent madame from being a coquette, and De Guiche from being amiable."