anaged her so craftily--says La Rochefoucauld--that
very soon she was, whilst hardly realizing it, his Eminence's most
valuable spy near Buckingham. Richelieu informed her that he was
mainly concerned with information that would throw light upon the real
relations of Buckingharn and the Queen of France, and he persuaded her
that nothing was too insignificant to be communicated. Her resentment
of the treatment she had received from Buckingham, a resentment the more
bitter for being stifled--since for her reputation's sake she dared
not have given it expression--made her a very ready instrument in
Richelieu's hands, and there was no scrap of gossip she did not
carefully gather up and dispatch to him. But all was naught until one
day at last she was able to tell him something that set his pulses
beating more quickly than their habit.

She had it upon the best authority that a set of diamond studs
constantly worn of late by the Duke was a love-token from the Queen of
France sent over to Buckingham by a messenger of her own. Here, indeed,
was news. Here was a weapon by which the Queen might be destroyed.
Richelieu considered. If he could but obtain possession of the studs,
the rest would be easy. There would be an end--and such an end!--to
the King's obstinate, indolent faith in his wife's indifference to that
boastful, flamboyant English upstart. Richelieu held his peace for the
time being, and wrote to the Countess.

Some little time thereafter there was a sumptuous ball given at York
House, graced by the presence of King Charles and his young French
Queen. Lady Carlisle was present, and in the course of the evening
Buckingham danced with her. She was a very beautiful, accomplished and
ready-witted woman, and to-night his Grace found her charms so alluring
that he was almost disposed to blame himself for having perhaps treated
her too lightly. Yet she seemed at pains to show him that it was his to
take up again the affair at the point at which it had been dropped.
She was gay, arch, provoking and irresistible. So irresistible that
presently, yielding to the lure of her, the Duke slipped away from his
guests with the lady on his arm, and they found themselves at the foot
of the garden in the shadow of the water-gate that Inigo Jones had just
completed for him. My lady languished at his side, permitted him to
encircle her with a protecting arm, and for a moment lay heavily against
him. He caught her violently to him, and no