ound herself obliged to ride by the King, she unconcernedly observed
that these fantastic dances might perhaps arouse sinners, but that they
were a horrible sight for the unprepared.

'Very like a dream becoming flesh and blood,' said James. 'We in advance
were slow to perceive what it was, and then the King merely thought
whether it would alarm the Queen.'

'I trow it did not.'

'No; the thing has not been found that will stir her placid face. She
merely said it was very lugubrious, and an ill turn in the Parisians thus
to greet her, but they were always senseless _betes_; and he, being
relieved of care for her, looked with all his eyes, with a strange
mixture of drollery at the antics and the masques, yet of grave musing at
the likeness to this present life.'

'I think,' said Esclairmonde, 'that King Henry is one of the few men to
whom the spectacle _is_ a sermon. He laughs even while he lays a thing
to heart.'

These few sentences had brought them to the concourse around the gateway
of the great Hotel de St. Pol, in whose crowded courtyard Esclairmonde
had to dismount; and, after being handed through the hall by King James,
to make her way to the ladies' apartments, and there find out, what she
was most anxious about, how Alice, who had been riding at some distance
from her with her father, had fared under the alarm.

Alice ran up to her eagerly. 'Ah, dear Clairette, and was he greatly
hurt?'

'Not much; he had only swooned for fright.'

'Swooned! to be a prince, and not have the heart of a midge!'

'And how was it with you, you very wyvern for courage?'

'With me? Oh, I was somewhat appalled at first, when my father took hold
of my rein, and bade me never fear; for I saw his face grow amazed. Sir
Richard Nevil rode up on the other side, and said the hobgoblins should
eat out his heart ere they hurt me; and I looked into his face as he said
that, and liked it more than ever I thought to like any but yours,
Clairette. I think my father was going to leave me to him and see
whether the King needed some one to back him; but up came a French lord,
and said 'twas all a mere show, and my father said he was glad I was a
stout-hearted wench that had never cried out for fear; and then I was so
pleased, that I never heeded the ugly sight any more. Ay, and when Sir
Richard lifted me off my horse, he kissed my hand of his own accord.'

'This is all he has ever said to you?' said Esclairmonde, smiling. 'It
is