lord, though not a hint of
whither had been breathed to any one, was doubly devoted to the
success of the scheme, that a method must be arranged by which he
could have daily interviews with the lovely Melanie; and this she
promised that she would use all her powers to induce her mistress to
permit, saying, with a gay laugh, that her permission gained, all the
rest was easy.

The next day, the better to avoid suspicion, Raoul was presented to
the king, in full court, by his uncle, on the double event of his
return from India, and of his approaching departure for the colony of
Acadie, for which it was his present purpose to sue for his majesty's
consent and approbation.

The king was in great good humor, and nothing could have been more
flattering or more gracious than Raoul de St. Renan's reception. Louis
had heard that very morning of the fair Melanie's arrival in the city,
and nothing could have fallen out more _apropos_ than the intention of
her quondam lover to depart at this very juncture, and that, too, for
an indefinite period from the land of his birth.

Rejoicing inwardly at his good fortune, and of course, ascribing the
conduct of the young man to pique and disappointment, the king, while
he loaded him with honors and attentions, did not neglect to encourage
him in his intention of departing on a very early day, and even
offered to facilitate his departure by making some remissions in his
behalf from the strict regulations of the Douane.

All this was perfectly comprehensible to Raoul; but he was far too
wise to suffer any one, even his uncle, to perceive that he understood
it; and while he profited to the utmost by the readiness which he
found in high places to smooth away all the difficulties from his
path, he laughed in his sleeve as he thought what would be the fury of
the licentious and despotic sovereign when he should discover that the
very steps which he had taken to remove a dangerous rival, had
actually cast the lady into that rival's arms.

Nor had this measure of Raoul's been less effectual in sparing Melanie
much grief and vexation, than it had proved in facilitating his own
schemes of escape; for on that very day, within an hour after his
reception of St. Renan, the king caused information to be conveyed to
the Marquis de Ploermel that the presentation of Madame should be
deferred until such time as the Vicomte de St. Renan should have set
sail for Acadie, which it was expected would take p