Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/95

Rh TEN" YEARS LATER. 85 The Dnke of Orleans dreaded the satirical humor of the Chevalier de Lorraine whenever he found it reached a cer- tain degree of bitterness, and he changed the conversation abrui^tly. "The princess is pretty," said he very negligently, as if he were speaking of a stranger. "Yes," replied the chevalier, in the same tone. "You say 'yes' like a 'no.' She has very beautiful black eyes." "Yes, but small." "That is so, but they are brilliant. She has a good figure." "Her figure is a little spoiled, my lord." "I do not deny it. She has a noble appearance." "Yes, but her face is thin." "I thought her teeth beautiful." "They can easily be seen, for her mouth is large enough. Decidedly, I was wrong, my lord; you are certainly hand- somer than your v/ife." "But do you think me as handsome as Buckingham?" "Certainly; and he thinks so, too; for, look, my lord, he is redoubling his attentions to madame to prevent your effacing the impression he has made." Monsieur made a movement of impatience, but as he noticed a smile of triumph pass across the chevalier's lips, he drew up his horse to a foot-paee. "Why," said he, "should I occupy myself any longer about my cousin? Do I not already know her? Were we not brought up together? Did I not see her at the Louvre when she was quite a child?" "A great change has taken place in her since then, prince. At the period you allude to she was somewhat less brilliant, and somewhat less proud, too. One evening, particularly, you may remember, my lord, the king refused to dance with her, because he thought her plain and badly dressed." These words made the Duke of Orleans frown. It was by no means flattering for him to marry a princess of whom, when young, the king had not thought much. He might probably have replied, but at this moment De Guiche quitted the carriage to join the prince. He had remarked the prince and the chevalier together, and full of anxious attention; he seemed to try and guess the nature of the remarks which they had just exchanged. The chevalier, whether he had fome treacherous object in view, or from imprudence, did not take the trouble to dissimulate.