rles II. had declared
that there was no hope of safety for a woman who wore green
silk-stockings, because Miss Lucy Stewart wore them of that color. While
the king is endeavoring in all directions to inculcate others with his
preferences on this point, we will ourselves bend our steps toward an
avenue of beech-trees opposite the terrace, and listen to the
conversation of a young girl in a dark-colored dress, who is walking
with another of about her own age dressed in lilac and dark blue. They
crossed a beautiful lawn, in the middle of which arose a fountain, with
the figure of a syren executed in bronze, and strolled on, talking as
they went, toward the terrace, along which, looking out upon the park,
and interspersed at frequent intervals, were erected summer-houses,
various in form and ornaments. These summer-houses were nearly all
occupied. The two young women passed on, the one blushing deeply, while
the other seemed dreamily silent. At last, having reached the end of the
terrace which looks on the river, and finding there a cool retreat, they
sat down close to each other.

"Where are we going, Stewart?" said the younger to her companion.

"My dear Grafton, we are going where you yourself led the way."

"I?"

"Yes, you; to the extremity of the palace, toward that seat yonder,
where the young Frenchman is seated, wasting his time and sighs and
lamentations."

Miss Mary Grafton hurriedly said, "No, no; I am not going there."

"Why not?"

"Let us go back, Stewart."

"Nay, on the contrary, let us go on and have an explanation."

"About what?"

"About how it happens that the Vicomte de Bragelonne always accompanies
you in all your walks, as you invariably accompany him in his."

"And you conclude either that he loves me or that I love him?"

"Why not?--he is a most agreeable and charming companion--No one hears
me, I hope," said Lucy Stewart, as she turned round with a smile, which
indicated, moreover, that her uneasiness on the subject was not extreme.

"No, no," said Mary, "the king is engaged in his summer-house with the
Duke of Buckingham."

"Oh! apropos of the duke; Mary, it seems he has shown you great
attention since his return from France; how is your own heart in that
direction?"

Mary Grafton shrugged her shoulders with seeming indifference.

"Well, well, I will ask Bragelonne about that," said Stewart, laughing;
"let us go and find him at once."

"What for?"

"I wish to speak to him."