itness the sights, and the prince
is expected in an hour's time!"

I had no desire to swell the welcome to Conde, but to sit moping alone
was dreary work; so, buckling on my sword, I sallied out. Always at
one extreme or the other, the Parisians had prepared a magnificent
reception for their latest favourite. Lanterns were hung from the
windows of the houses, bonfires blazed, bands of nobles in gorgeous
dresses lined the streets, splendid carriages with richly-caparisoned
horses were drawn up, ready to take part in the procession, while the
people were cheering in their thousands for Conde.

"_Ma foi!_" exclaimed a strong voice, which sounded somewhat familiar,
"one would imagine this Conde to be a king!" and looking round, I
recognised the Englishman who belonged to the Queen's Guards.

"Be careful," said I, warningly. "It is unwise to abuse Conde here."

"For to-day!" replied he, laughing. "To-morrow it may be different.
Pardon me, monsieur, but I do not understand your people. They are too
much like quicksilver; one is never sure where to catch them. Just now
they welcome Conde as a hero, but who can say what they will do in a
week?"

"Monsieur makes the mistake of most strangers; he judges the country by
Paris, which is wrong," I remarked.

"Perhaps so. Paris is almost the only place with which I am
acquainted. But are you, too, waiting to cheer Conde? If not, let us
slip away from the crowd; the noise is becoming a nuisance."

He was such a pleasant fellow that I gladly joined him, and we strolled
back together to the Palais Royal. His name, as I have mentioned, was
John Humphreys, and, although still a young man, he had already been
through numerous adventures. In the great English Civil War he had
fought at his father's side for King Charles. Then, being left alone
and penniless by the death of his father in the Low Countries, he had
journeyed to Paris and taken service in the Queen's Guards. There were
numerous English exiles in Paris at that time, but most of them, I
think, were in the pay of Conde.

Raoul had not returned, so that I was glad of the Englishman's company,
and, indeed, we very soon became good friends. He was never tired of
talking about his country and of his hope one day to live there again.
Sometimes I accompanied him to his quarters at the Palais Royal, where
he introduced me to a few of his comrades, but more often we strolled
about the city.

For once in a while Par