ough we spoke not a word, for fear of saying too much, save
"good night" at the door.

"Good night at the door!" God gave its sweetness to youth right out of
the core of His infinite love.

CHAPTER XII

A PERILOUS EMBASSY

Four or five days after our visit to Bettina, I met De Grammont at
Charing Cross, and he surprised me with an invitation to his house
that night to meet Monsieur l'Abbe du Boise at supper.

"The king and a dozen other gentlemen will be present," he said, "but
there will be no ladies. Monsieur l'Abbe, being of the church, is not a
ladies' man, and besides, ladies have sharper eyes than men, and might
see much that is intended to remain unseen."

The count's remark seemed to settle the question of the Abbe's identity,
and I hastened to Frances with the news. She assured me that she was
ready to die of fright, but showed no outward sign of dissolution, and
when I complimented her on her power of self-control, said:--

"Fortunately, I am part hypocrite, and can easily act a part."

"You have a hard one ahead of you," I returned, "and will need all your
strength before it is played to the end."

* * * * *

I was on hand early at De Grammont's supper, but found several gentlemen
ahead of me, awaiting, with the count in his parlor, the arrival of the
king. Soon after I entered the room, De Grammont presented me to the
Abbe. I was convinced at once that he was not George Hamilton. His beard,
worn a la Richelieu,--a mustache and a tuft on the chin,--was snow white,
and his hair, which was thin, hung in long white waves almost to his
shoulders. He walked with a stoop and wore spectacles, the glasses of
which were slightly colored. Being an ecclesiastic, though not a priest,
he wore no wig; but he was of the Order of the Cordon Bleu, and wore, in
addition to his badge and blue ribbon, a sword beneath his long coat. It
was the first time I had ever seen an ecclesiastic wearing a sword,
though it has since become common in France, where there are many "Abbes"
who are neither priests nor in orders.

The Abbe spoke poor English, therefore the conversation was carried on in
French, much to the annoyance of some of our guests, who pretended to a
greater knowledge of that language than they possessed.

Soon after my presentation to the Abbe, the king arrived, and we all went
out to the supper table, where the Abbe's chair was on the king's right,
with De Grammont on