Paris under orders, my dear Stewart; and--prepare to be
surprised--by express orders of the king."

"Ah! I begin to see now."

"At least say nothing at all about it."

"You know very well that I am quite as discreet as any man could be. And
so the king sent him away?"

"Yes."

"And during his absence he takes his mistress away from him?"

"Yes; and, will you believe it? the silly fellow, instead of thanking
the king, is making himself miserable."

"What! thank the king for depriving him of the woman he loves! Really,
sire, yours is a most ungallant speech."

"But, pray understand me. If she whom the king had run off with was
either a Miss Grafton or a Miss Stewart, I should be of his opinion;
nay, I should even think him not half miserable enough; but she is a
little, thin, lame thing. Deuce take such fidelity as that! Surely, one
can hardly understand how a man can refuse a girl who is rich, for one
who is poverty itself--a girl who loves him for one who deceives and
betrays him."

"Do you think that Mary seriously wishes to please the vicomte, sire?"

"I do, indeed."

"Very good! the vicomte will settle down in England, for Mary has a
clear head, and when she fixes her mind upon anything, she does so
thoroughly."

"Take care, my dear Miss Stewart; if the vicomte has any idea of
adopting our country, he has not long to do so, for it was only the day
before yesterday that he again asked me permission to leave."

"Which you refused him, I suppose?"

"I should think so, indeed; my royal brother is far too anxious for his
absence; and, for myself, my amour-propre is enlisted on his side, for I
will never have it said that I had held out as a bait to this young man
the noblest and gentlest creature in England--"

"You are very gallant, sire," said Miss Stewart, with a pretty pout.

"I do not allude to Miss Stewart, for she is worthy a king's devotion;
and since she has captivated me, I trust that no one else will be caught
by her; I say, therefore, finally, that the attention I have shown this
young man will not have been thrown away; he will stay with us here,
will marry here, or I am very much mistaken."

"And I hope that when he is once married and settled, instead of being
angry with your majesty, he will be grateful to you, for every one tries
his utmost to please him; even the Duke of Buckingham, whose brilliancy,
which is hardly credible, seems to pale before that of this young
Frenchman."

"A