procession passed. Spring cast its flowers and
its perfumed foliage on their path. Normandy, with its vast variety of
vegetation, its blue skies and silver rivers, displayed itself in all
the loveliness of a paradise to 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's eyes were turned towards him. In vain did he try,
in order to fix upon himself one of those looks, which were thrown
carelessly around, or bestowed elsewhere, to produce in the animal he
rode its greatest display of strength, speed, temper and address; in
vain did he, by exciting his horse almost to madness, spur him, at the
risk of dashing himself in pieces against the trees, or of rolling in
the ditches, over the gates and barriers which they passed, or down the
steep declivities of the hills. Madame, whose attention had been aroused
by the noise, turned her head for a moment to observe the cause of it,
and then, slightly smiling, again entered into conversation with her
faithful guardians, Raoul and De Guiche, who were quietly riding at her
carriage doors. Buckingham felt himself a prey to all the tortures of
jealousy; an unknown, unheard of anguish glided through his veins, and
laid siege to his heart; and then, as if to show that he knew the
folly of his conduct, and that he wished to correct, by the humblest
submission, his flights of absurdity, he mastered his horse, and
compelled him, reeking with sweat and flecked with foam, to champ
his bit close beside the carriage, amidst the crowd of courtiers.
Occasionally he obtained a word from Madame as a recompense, and yet her
speech seemed almost a reproach.

"That is w