d to announce
to her that the preparations for the journey to Fontainebleau were
complete. Seeing her laugh, his uneasiness on her account diminished,
and he addressed her in a vivacious tone himself. Anne of Austria took
him by the hand, and, in a voice full of playfulness, said, "Do you
know, sire that I am proud of being a Spanish woman?"

"Why, madame?"

"Because Spanish women are worth more than English women at least."

"Explain yourself."

"Since your marriage you have not, I believe, had a single reproach to
make against the queen."

"Certainly not."

"And you, too, have been married some time. Your brother, on the
contrary, has been married but a fortnight."

"Well?"

"He is now finding fault with Madame a second time."

"What, Buckingham still?"

"No, another."

"Who?"

"Guiche."

"Really? Madame is a coquette, then?"

"I fear so."

"My poor brother," said the king, laughing.

"You don't object to coquettes, it seems?"

"In Madame, certainly I do; but Madame is not a coquette at heart."

"That may be, but your brother is excessively angry about it."

"What does he want?"

"He wants to drown Guiche."

"That is a violent measure to resort to."

"Do not laugh; he is extremely irritated. Think of what can be done."

"To save Guiche--certainly."

"Of, if your brother heard you, he would conspire against you as your
uncle did against your father."

"No; Philip has too much affection for me for that, and I, on my side,
have too great a regard for him; we shall live together on very good
terms. But what is the substance of his request?"

"That you will prevent Madame from being a coquette and Guiche from
being amiable."

"Is that all? My brother has an exalted idea of sovereign power. To
reform a man, not to speak about reforming a woman!"

"How will you set about it?"

"With a word to Guiche, who is a clever fellow, I will undertake to
convince him."

"But Madame?"

"That is more difficult; a word will not be enough. I will compose a
homily and read it to her."

"There is no time to be lost."

"Oh, I will use the utmost diligence. There is a repetition of the
ballet this afternoon."

"You will read her a lecture while you are dancing?"

"Yes, madame."

"You promise to convert her?"

"I will root out the heresy altogether, either by convincing her, or by
extreme measures."

"That is all right, then. Do not mix me up in the affair; Madame would
never forgive me al