"What is the meaning of that speech, which is turned so like a French madrigal, duke? I do not understand it."
"It means, madam, that you yourself, so good, so charming, so sensible, you have laughed sometimes - smiled, I should say - at the idle prattle of that good Parry, for whom your royal highness to-day entertains such a marvelous susceptibility."
"Well, my lord, if I have forgotten myself so far," said Henrietta, "you do wrong to remind me of it." And she made a sign of impatience. "The good Parry wants to speak to me, I believe: please order them to row to the shore, my Lord Rochester."
Rochester hastened to repeat the princess's command; and a moment later the boat touched the bank.
"Let us land, gentlemen," said Henrietta, taking the arm which Rochester offered her, although Buckingham was nearer to her, and had presented his. Then Rochester, with an ill-dissembled pride, which pierced the heart of the unhappy Buckingham through and through, led the princess across the little bridge which the rowers had cast from the royal boat to the shore.
"Which way will your highness go?" asked Rochester.
"You see, my lord, towards that good Parry, who is wandering, as my lord of Buckingham says, and seeking me with eyes weakened by the tears he has shed over our misfortunes."
"Good heavens!" said Rochester, "how sad your royal highness is to-day; in truth we seem ridiculous fools to you, madam."
"Speak for yourself, my lord," interrupted Buckingham with vexation; "for my part, I displease her royal highness to such a degree, that I appear absolutely nothing to her."
Neither Rochester nor the princess made any reply; Henrietta only urged her companion more quickly on. Buckingham remained behind, and took advantage of this isolation to give himself up to his anger; he bit his handkerchief so furiously that it was soon in shreds.
"Parry, my good Parry," said the princess, with her gentle voice, "come hither. I see you are seeking me, and I am waiting for you."
"Ah, madam," said Rochester, coming charitably to the help of his companion, who had remained, as we have said, behind, "if Parry cannot see your royal highness, the man who follows him is a sufficient guide, even for a blind man; for he has eyes of flame. That man is a double- lamped lantern."
"Lighting a very handsome martial countenance," said the princess, determined to be as ill-natured as possible. Rochester bowed. "One of those vigorous soldiers' heads seen nowhere but in France," added the princess, with the perseverance of a woman sure of impunity.
Rochester and Buckingham looked at each other, as much as to say, - "What can be the matter with her?"
"See, my lord of Buckingham, what Parry wants," said Henrietta. "Go!"
The young man, who considered this order as a favor, resumed his courage, and hastened to meet Parry, who, followed by D'Artagnan, advanced slowly on account of his age. D'Artagnan walked slowly but nobly, as D'Artagnan, doubled by the third of a million, ought to walk, that is to say, without conceit or swagger, but without timidity. When Buckingham, very eager to comply with the desire of the princess, who had seated herself on a marble bench, as if fatigued with the few steps she had gone, - when Buckingham, we say, was at a distance of only a few paces from Parry, the latter recognized him.
"Ah! my lord!" cried he, quite out of breath, "will your grace obey the king?"
"In what, Mr. Parry?" said the young man, with a kind of coolness tempered by a desire to make himself agreeable to the princess.
"Well, his majesty begs your grace to present this gentleman to her royal highness the Princess Henrietta."
"In the first place, what is the gentleman's name?" said the duke, haughtily.
D'Artagnan, as we know, was easily affronted, and the Duke of Buckingham's tone displeased him. He surveyed the courtier from head to foot, and two flashes beamed from beneath his bent brows. But, after a struggle, - "Monsieur le Chevalier d'Artagnan, my lord," replied he, quietly.
"Pardon me, sir, that teaches me your name, but nothing more."
"You mean - "
"I mean I do not know you."
"I am more fortunate than you, sir," replied D'Artagnan, "for I have had the honor of knowing your family, and particularly my lord Duke of Buckingham, your illustrious father."
"My father?" said Buckingham. "Well, I think I now remember. Monsieur le Chevalier d'Artagnan, do you say?"
D'Artagnan bowed. "In person," said he.
"Pardon me, but are you one of those Frenchmen who had secret relations with my father?"
"Exactly, my lord duke, I am one of those Frenchmen."
"Then, sir, permit me to say that it was strange my father never heard of you during his lifetime."
"No, monsieur, but he heard of me at the moment of his death: it was I who sent to him, through the hands of the _valet de chambre_ of Anne of Austria, notice of the dangers which threatened him; unfortunately, it came too late."