Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/84

73 CHAPTER XII.

FROM HAVRE TO PARIS.

The next day the fetes took place, accompanied by all the pomp and animation which the resources of the town and the natural disposition of men's minds could supply. During the last few hours spent in Havre every preparation for the departure had been made. After madame had taken leave of the English fleet, and once again had saluted the country in saluting its flags, she entered the carriage prepared for her, surrounded by a brilliant escort. De Guiche had hoped that the Duke of Buckingham would accompany the admiral to England; but Buckingham succeeded in demonstrating to the queen that there would be great impropriety in allowing madame to proceed to Paris almost entirely alone. As soon as it had been settled that Buckingham was to accompany madame the young duke selected a court of gentlemen and officers to form part of his own suite, so that it was almost an army which proceeded toward Paris, scattering gold, and exciting the liveliest demonstrations as they passed through the different towns and villages on the route. The weather was very fine. France is a beautiful country, especially along the route by which the procession passed. Spring cast its flowers and its perfumed foliage upon their path. Normandy, with its vast variety of vegetation, its blue skies and silver rivers, displayed itself in all the loveliness of a paradise for the new sister of the king. Fetes and brilliant displays received them everywhere along the line of march. De Guiche and Buckingham forgot everything; De Guiche, in his anxiety to prevent any fresh attempts on the part of the duke, and Buckingham, in his desire to awaken in the heart of the princess a softer remembrance of the country, to which the recollection of many happy days belonged. But, alas! the poor duke could perceive that the image of that country so cherished by himself became, from day to day, more and more effaced in madame's mind, in exact proportion as her affection for France became more deeply engraved on her heart. In fact, it was not difficult to perceive that his most devoted attention awakened no acknowledgment, and that the grace with which he rode one of his most fiery horses was thrown away, for it was only casually and by the merest accident that the princess' eyes were turned toward him. In vain did he try, in order to fix