d Rochester, "how sad your royal highness is to-day;
in truth we seem ridiculous fools to you, madam."

"Speak for yourself, my lord," interrupted Buckingham with vexation;
"for my part, I displease her royal highness to such a degree, that I
appear absolutely nothing to her."

Neither Rochester nor the princess made any reply; Henrietta only urged
her companion more quickly on. Buckingham remained behind, and took
advantage of this isolation to give himself up to his anger; he bit his
handkerchief so furiously that it was soon in shreds.

"Parry my good Parry," said the princess, with her gentle voice, "come
hither. I see you are seeking me, and I am waiting for you."

"Ah, madam," said Rochester, coming charitably to the help of his
companion, who had remained, as we have said, behind, "if Parry cannot
see your royal highness, the man who follows him is a sufficient
guide, even for a blind man, for he has eyes of flame. That man is a
double-lamped lantern."

"Lighting a very handsome martial countenance," said the princess,
determined to be as ill-natured as possible. Rochester bowed. "One of
those vigorous soldiers' heads seen nowhere but in France," added the
princess, with the perseverance of a woman sure of impunity.

Rochester and Buckingham looked at each other, as much as to say,--"What
can be the matter with her?"

"See, my lord of Buckingham, what Parry wants," said Henrietta. "Go!"

The young man, who considered this order as a favor, resumed his
courage, and hastened to meet Parry, who, followed by D'Artagnan,
advanced slowly on account of his age. D'Artagnan walked slowly but
nobly, as D'Artagnan, doubled by the third of a million, ought to walk,
that is to say, without conceit or swagger, but without timidity. When
Buckingham, very eager to comply with the desire of the princess, who
had seated herself on a marble bench, as if fatigued with the few steps
she had gone,--when Buckingham, we say, was at a distance of only a few
paces from Parry, the latter recognized him.

"Ah I my lord!" cried he, quite out of breath, "will your grace obey the
king?"

"In what, Mr. Parry?" said the young man, with a kind of coolness
tempered by a desire to make himself agreeable to the princess.

"Well, his majesty begs your grace to present this gentleman to her
royal highness the Princess Henrietta."

"In the first place, what is the gentleman's name?" said the duke,
haughtily.

D'Artagnan, as we know, was