ly, and with such extreme attention,
to the French coast, where he is to take leave of us."

Buckingham, instead of replying, seemed to seek counsel from the
expression of Madame's face. She, however, half-concealed beneath the
thick curtains of the velvet and gold which sheltered her, had not
listened to the discussion, having been occupied in watching the Comte
de Guiche, who was conversing with Raoul. This was a fresh misfortune
for Buckingham, who fancied he perceived in Madame Henrietta's look a
deeper feeling than that of curiosity. He withdrew, almost tottering in
his gait, and nearly stumbled against the mainmast of the ship.

"The duke has not acquired a steady footing yet," said the queen-mother,
in French, "and that may possibly be his reason for wishing to find
himself on firm land again."

The young man overheard this remark, turned suddenly pale, and, letting
his hands fall in great discouragement by his side, drew aside, mingling
in one sigh his old affection and his new hatreds. The admiral, however,
without taking any further notice of the duke's ill-humor, led the
princesses into the quarter-deck cabin, where dinner had been served
with a magnificence worthy in every respect of his guests. The admiral
seated himself at the right hand of the princess, and placed the Comte
de Guiche on her left. This was the place Buckingham usually occupied;
and when he entered the cabin, how profound was his unhappiness to see
himself banished by etiquette from the presence of his sovereign, to a
position inferior to that which, by rank, he was entitled to. De Guiche,
on the other hand, paler still perhaps from happiness, than his rival
was from anger, seated himself tremblingly next to the princess, whose
silken robe, as it lightly touched him, caused a tremor of mingled
regret and happiness to pass through his whole frame. The repast
finished, Buckingham darted forward to hand Madame Henrietta from the
table; but this time it was De Guiche's turn to give the duke a lesson.
"Have the goodness, my lord, from this moment," said he, "not to
interpose between her royal highness and myself. From this moment,
indeed, her royal highness belongs to France, and when she deigns to
honor me by touching my hand it is the hand of Monsieur, the brother of
the king of France, she touches."

And saying this, he presented his hand to Madame Henrietta with such
marked deference, and at the same time with a nobleness of mien so
intr