Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/246

234 "I implore you, my dear sister," said the king, advancing to take her warm and throbbing hand, which she abandoned to him.

"In the first place, sire, I was deprived of the presence of my brother's friend. The Duke of Buckingham was an agreeable, cheerful visitor; my own countryman, who knew my habits; I will say, almost a companion, so accustomed had he been to pass our days together, with our other friends upon the beautiful piece of water at St. James'."

"But Villiers was in love with you?"

"A pretext! What does it matter," she said seriously, "whether the duke was in love with me or not? Is a man in love so very dangerous for me? Ah! sire, it is not sufficient for a man to love a woman." And she smiled so tenderly, and with so much archness, that the king felt his heart beat and throb within his breast.

"At all events, if my brother were jealous?" interrupted the king.

"Very well, I admit that is a reason; and the duke was sent away accordingly."

"No, not sent away."

"Driven away, expelled, dismissed, then, if you prefer it, sire. One of the first gentlemen of Europe was obliged to leave the court of the King of France, of Louis XIV., like a beggar, on account of a glance or a bouquet. It was little worthy of the most gallant court; but forgive me, sire; I forgot that, in speaking thus, I am attacking your sovereign power."

"I assure you, my dear sister, it was not I who dismissed the Duke of Buckingham; I was very charmed with him."

"It was not you?" said madame; "ah! so much the better;" and she emphasized the "so much the better," as if she had instead said, "so much the worse."

A few minutes' silence ensued. She then resumed: "The Duke of Buckingham having left, I now know why and by whose means, I thought I should have recovered my tranquillity; but not at all, for all at once Monsieur finds another pretext; all at once "

"All at once," said the king playfully, "some one else presents himself. It is but natural; you are beautiful, and will always meet with those who will love you."

"In that case," exclaimed the princess, "I shall create a solitude around me, which indeed seems to be what is wished, and what is being prepared for me; but no, I prefer to return to Loudon. There I am known and