ed to enter the
chamber of a king of France."

"Your majesty will form an exception, if you wish it; but then I shall
avoid my responsibility by informing the king's attendant."

"Here is my sword, monsieur. Will you now please to announce me to his
majesty?"

"Instantly, sire." And the officer immediately went and knocked at the
door of communication, which the valet opened to him.

"His Majesty the King of England!" said the officer.

"His Majesty the King of England!" replied the _valet de chambre_.

At these words a gentleman opened the folding-doors of the king's
apartment, and Louis XIV. was seen, without hat or sword, and his
_pourpoint_ open, advancing with signs of the greatest surprise.

"You, my brother--you at Blois!" cried Louis XIV., dismissing with a
gesture both the gentlemen and the _valet de chambre_, who passed out
into the next apartment.

"Sire," replied Charles II., "I was going to Paris, in the hope of
seeing your majesty, when report informed me of your approaching arrival
in this city. I therefore prolonged my abode here, having something very
particular to communicate to you."

"Will this closet suit you, my brother?"

"Perfectly well, sire; for I think no one can hear us here."

"I have dismissed my gentleman and my watcher; they are in the next
chamber. There, behind that partition, is a solitary closet, looking
into the ante-chamber, and in that ante-chamber you found nobody but a
solitary officer, did you?"

"No, sire."

"Well, then, speak, my brother; I listen to you."

"Sire, I commence, and entreat your majesty to have pity on the
misfortunes of our house."

The king of France colored, and drew his chair closer to that of the
king of England.

"Sire," said Charles II., "I have no need to ask if your majesty is
acquainted with the details of my deplorable history."

Louis XIV. blushed, this time more strongly than before; then,
stretching forth his hand to that of the king of England, "My brother,"
said he, "I am ashamed to say so, but the cardinal scarcely ever speaks
of political affairs before me. Still more, formerly I used to get
Laporte, my _valet de chambre_, to read historical subjects to me; but
he put a stop to these readings, and took away Laporte from me. So that
I beg my brother Charles to tell me all those matters as to a man who
knows nothing."

"Well, sire, I think that by taking things from the beginning I shall
have a better chance of touching the