rtagnan.

"What is Rochester doing?" said the king.

"He is on the canal with the ladies," replied Parry.

"And Buckingham?"

"He is there also."

"That is well. You will conduct the chevalier to Villiers; that is
the Duke of Buckingham, chevalier; and beg the duke to introduce M.
d'Artagnan to the Princess Henrietta."

Parry bowed and smiled to D'Artagnan.

"Chevalier," continued the king, "this is your parting audience; you can
afterwards set out as soon as you please."

"Sire, I thank you."

"But be sure you make your peace with Monk!"

"Oh, sire--"

"You know there is one of my vessels at your disposal?"

"Sire, you overpower me; I cannot think of putting your majesty's
officers to inconvenience on my account."

The king slapped D'Artagnan upon the shoulder.

"Nobody will be inconvenienced on your account, chevalier, but for that
of an ambassador I am about sending to France, and to whom you will
willingly serve as a companion, I fancy, for you know him."

D'Artagnan appeared astonished.

"He is a certain Comte de la Fere,--whom you call Athos," added the
king; terminating the conversation, as he had begun it, by a joyous
burst of laughter. "Adieu, chevalier, adieu. Love me as I love you." And
thereupon, making a sign to Parry to ask if there were any one waiting
for him in the adjoining closet, the king disappeared into that closet,
leaving the chevalier perfectly astonished by this singular audience.
The old man took his arm in a friendly way, and led him towards the
garden.

Chapter XXXV. On the Canal.

Upon the green waters of the canal bordered with marble, upon which time
had already scattered black spots and tufts of mossy grass, there
glided majestically a long, flat bark adorned with the arms of England,
surmounted by a dais, and carpeted with long damasked stuffs, which
trailed their fringes in the water. Eight rowers, leaning lazily to
their oars, made it move upon the canal with the graceful slowness of
the swans, which, disturbed in their ancient possessions by the approach
of the bark, looked from a distance at this splendid and noisy pageant.
We say noisy--for the bark contained four guitar and lute players, two
singers, and several courtiers, all sparkling with gold and precious
stones, and showing their white teeth in emulation of each other, to
please the Lady Henrietta Stuart, grand-daughter of Henry IV., daughter
of Charles I., and sister of Charles II., who occupied