"Yes, yes," said De Wardes; "what reason has he?"

"A very excellent one," replied Manicamp.

"You know what it is, then?"

"I fancy I do."

"Tell us then."

"Bend your head down towards me."

"What! may it not be spoken except in private?"

"You shall judge of that yourself."

"Very well." De Guiche bent down.

"Love," said Manicamp.

"I do not understand you at all."

"Say rather, you cannot understand me yet."

"Explain yourself."

"Very well; it is quite certain, count, that his royal highness will be
the most unfortunate of husbands."

"What do you mean?"

"The Duke of Buckingham----"

"It is a name of ill omen to the princes of the house of France."

"And so the duke is madly in love with Madame, so the rumor runs, and
will have no one approach her but himself."

De Guiche colored. "Thank you, thank you," said he to Manicamp, grasping
his hand. Then, recovering himself, added, "Whatever you do, Manicamp,
be careful that this project of Buckingham's is not made known to any
Frenchman here; for, if so, many a sword would be unsheathed in this
country that does not fear English steel."

"But after all," said Manicamp, "I have had no satisfactory proof given
me of the love in question, and it may be no more than an idle tale."

"No, no," said De Guiche, "it must be the truth;" and despite his
command over himself, he clenched his teeth.

"Well," said Manicamp, "after all, what does it matter to you? What
does it matter to me whether the prince is to be what the late king
was? Buckingham the father for the queen, Buckingham the son for the
princess."

"Manicamp! Manicamp!

"It is a fact, or at least, everybody says so."

"Silence!" cried the count.

"But why, silence?" said De Wardes, "it is a highly creditable
circumstance for the French nation. Are not you of my opinion, Monsieur
de Bragelonne?"

"To what circumstance do you allude?" inquired De Bragelonne with an
abstracted air.

"That the English should render homage to the beauty of our queens and
our princesses."

"Forgive me, but I have not been paying attention to what has passed;
will you oblige me by explaining.

"There is no doubt it was necessary that Buckingham the father should
come to Paris in order that his majesty, King Louis XIII., should
perceive that his wife was one of the most beautiful women of the French
court; and it seems necessary, at the present time, that Buckingham the
son should consecrate, by t