om's
relative, and the Marquis de la Rochefoucauld, captain of the princess's
guard, held the canopy over their heads; Messrs. de Mouchy and de Lauzun
stood, one by the duchess and the other by Riom.

"Certainly fortune is against us, monseigneur," said Dubois; "we are
five minutes too late."

"Mordieu!" cried the duke, exasperated, "we will see."

"Chut," said Dubois; "I cannot permit sacrilege. If it were any use, I
do not say; but this would be mere folly."

"Are they married, then?" asked the duke, drawing back.

"So much married, monseigneur, that the devil himself cannot unmarry
them, without the assistance of the pope."

"I will write to Rome!"

"Take care, monseigneur; do not waste your influence; you will want it
all, so get me made a cardinal."

"But," exclaimed the regent, "such a marriage is intolerable."

"Mesalliances are in fashion," said Dubois; "there is nothing else
talked of--Louis XIV. made a mesalliance in marrying Madame de
Maintenon, to whom you pay a pension as his widow--La Grande
Mademoiselle made a mesalliance in marrying the Duc de Lauzun--you did
so in marrying Mademoiselle de Blois, so much so, indeed, that when you
announced the marriage to your mother, the princess palatine, she
replied by a blow. Did not I do the same when I married the daughter of
a village schoolmaster? After such good examples, why should not your
daughter do so in her turn?"

"Silence, demon," said the regent.

"Besides," continued Dubois, "the Duchesse de Berry's passion began to
be talked about, and this will quiet the talk; for it will be known all
through Paris to-morrow. Decidedly, monseigneur, your family begins to
settle down."

The Duc d'Orleans uttered an oath, to which Dubois replied by a laugh,
which Mephistopheles might have envied.

"Silence!" cried a Swiss, who did not know who it was that was making a
noise, and did not wish the pious exhortation of the chaplain to be
lost.

"Silence, monseigneur," repeated Dubois; "you are disturbing the
ceremony."

"If we are not silent," replied the duke, "the next thing they will do
will be to turn us out."

"Silence!" repeated the Swiss, striking the flagstone with his halberd,
while the Duchesse de Berry sent M. de Mouchy to learn who was causing
the disturbance.

M. de Mouchy obeyed the orders of the duchess, and perceiving two
persons who appeared to be concealing themselves in the shade, he
approached them.

"Who is making this noise?