Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/68

Rh 58 TEN TEAES LATER. Buckingham, instead of replying, seemed to seek counsel from the expression of madame's face. She, however, half- concealed beneath the thick curtains of the velvet and gold which sheltered her, had not listened to the discussion, hav- ing been occupied in watching the Comte de Guicbe, who was conversing with Eaoul. This was a fresh misfortune for Buckingbam, who fancied he perceived in Mme. Henri- etta's look a deeper feeling than that of curiosity. He with- drew, almost tottering in his gait, and nearly stumbled against the mainmast of the ship. "The duke has not acquired a steady footing yet," said the queen-mother, in French, "and that may possibly be his reason for wishing to find himself on firm land again." The young man overheard this remark, turned suddenly pale, and, letting his hands fall in great discouragement by his side, drew aside, mingling in one sigh his old affection and his new hatreds. The admiral, however, without taking any further notice of the duke's ill-humor, led the princesses into the quarter-deck cabin, where dinner had been served with a magnificence worthy in every respect of his guests. The admiral seated himself at the right hand of the princess, and placed the Comte de Guiche on her left. This was the place Buckingham usually occupied; and when he entered the cabin, how profound was his unhappiness to see himself banished by etiquette from the presence of the sovereign to whom he owed respect, to a position inferior to that which, by his rank, he was entitled to occupy. De Guiche, on the other hand, paler still, perhaps from happiness, than his rival was from anger, seated himself tremblingly next the princess, whose silken robe, as it lightly touched him, caused a tremor of mingled regret and happiness to pass through his whole frame. The repast finished, Bucking- ham darted forward to hand Mme. Henrietta from the table; but this time it was De Guiche's turn to give the duke a lesson. "Have the goodness, my lord, from this moment," said he, "not to interpose between her royal highness and my- self. From this moment, indeed, her royal highness be- longs to France, and when her royal highness honors me by touching my hand, it is the hand of His Eoyal Highness Monsieur, the brother of the King of France, that she touches." And saying this, he presented his hand to Mme. Henri- etta with so marked a timidity, and, at the same time, with a nobleness of mien so intrepid, that a murmur of admira-