tter, will
not keep."

The duchess laughed, as though speaking in jest, but she was in earnest
and spoke the truth.

"But I must learn the current faults of my friends-to-be," suggested
Frances, laughing, "so that I may not fall into the unpardonable error of
repeating an old story. Stale scandal is doubtless an offence in the ear
of the Anointed."

The Anointed was the king.

"That is true," returned the duchess, seriously. "Old scandals bore him,
but if, by good fortune, a rich new bit comes your way, save it for our
Rowley, whisper it in his ear and forget it. Leave to him the pleasure of
disseminating it. He dearly loves the 'ohs' and 'ahs' of delight incident
to the telling of a racy tale. But I'll take you in hand one of these
days and tell you how best to please the king, though your beauty will
make all other means mere surplusage. To please the king, you need but be
yourself; to please my husband, the duke, is even an easier task. He is
everybody's friend. They will be wanting to divorce the queen and me for
your sake. Two such fools about pretty women the world has never known
before and I hope never will again. To see the two royal brothers ogling
and smiling and smirking is better than a play. I used to be disgusted,
but now it amuses me. So if my husband makes love to you, don't fear that
I shall be offended, and if the king makes love to you, as he surely
will, have no fear of the queen. She is used to it."

"I shall try to please every one," said Frances.

"No, no, no!" cried the duchess. "That would be your ruin! A dog licks
the hand that smites it. We're all dogs. Every failure I have known at
court has come from too great a desire to please."

Frances laughed uneasily, for she knew she was hearing the truth,
disguised as a jest. After a moment's silence, she asked:--

"May I not at least try to please your Grace? And may I not seek your
advice and thank you now and then for a reprimand?"

"Yours is the first request of the sort I have ever heard from a maid of
honor, and I shall take you at your word," said the duchess. "I'm not
posing as the head of a morality school, but if I may, I shall try to be
your guide."

Lady Wentworth was almost comatose with pride--"pride on the brain"
Frances afterwards called it.

Presently her Grace continued seriously. "The king will make love to you
on sight. If he fails in obtaining a satisfactory response, he may affect
to be offended for a few days, du