,
and on the injuries and neglect which they themselves have sustained,
never suffer such hints to drop from them in the presence of the
Sovereign or those of his family. The lady was, therefore, scandalised
to the last degree at the mistake which had induced her to speak so
indecorously in presence of the daughter of Louis. She would have
exhausted herself in expressing regret and making apologies, had she
not been put to silence and restored to equanimity by the Princess,
who requested, in the most gentle manner, yet which, from a Daughter of
France, had the weight of a command, that no more might be said in the
way either of excuse or of explanation.

The Princess Joan then took her own chair with a dignity which became
her, and compelled the two strangers to sit, one on either hand, to
which the younger consented with unfeigned and respectful diffidence,
and the elder with an affectation of deep humility and deference which
was intended for such.

They spoke together, but in such a low tone that the sentinel could not
overhear their discourse, and only remarked that the Princess seemed to
bestow much of her regard on the younger and more interesting lady; and
that the Countess Hameline, though speaking a great deal more, attracted
less of the Princess's attention by her full flow of conversation and
compliment, than did her kinswoman by her brief and modest replies to
what was addressed to her.

The conversation of the ladies had not lasted a quarter of an hour, when
the door at the lower end of the hall opened, and a man entered shrouded
in a riding cloak. Mindful of the King's injunction, and determined not
to be a second time caught slumbering, Quentin instantly moved towards
the intruder, and, interposing between him and the ladies, requested him
to retire instantly.

"By whose command?" said the stranger, in a tone of contemptuous
surprise.

"By that of the King," said Quentin, firmly, "which I am placed here to
enforce."

"Not against Louis of Orleans," said the Duke, dropping his cloak.

The young man hesitated a moment; but how enforce his orders against
the first Prince of the Blood, about to be allied, as the report now
generally went, with the King's own family?

"Your Highness," he said, "is too great that your pleasure should be
withstood by me. I trust your Highness will bear me witness that I have
done the duty of my post so far as your will permitted."

"Go to--you shall have no blame, yo