e come, De Luynes," he cried, putting forth his hand. "I did
not dare to hope that you would."

"No," I answered. "Truly it was not to be expected that I could be
easily lured from Paris just as my fortunes are nearing a high tide,
and his Eminence proposing to make me a Marshal of France and create me
Duke. As you say, you had scant grounds for hoping that my love for you
would suffice to make me renounce all these fine things for the mere
sake of accompanying you on your jaunt to Blois."

He laughed, then fell to thanking me for having rid him of Canaples. I
cut him short at last, and in answer to his questions told him what had
passed 'twixt his Eminence and me that afternoon. Then as the waiter
entered to spread our supper, the conversation assumed a less delicate
character, until we were again alone with the table and its steaming
viands between us.

"You have not told me yet, Andrea, what takes you to Blois," quoth I
then.

"You shall learn. Little do you dream how closely interwoven are our
morning adventures with this journey of mine. To begin with, I go to
Blois to pay my devoirs to the lady whom his Eminence has selected for
my future wife."

"You were then right in describing this as a mission of great delicacy."

"More than you think--I have never seen the lady."

"Never seen her? And you go a-wooing a woman you have never seen?"

"It is so. I have never seen her; but his Eminence has, and 't is he
who arranges the affair. Ah, the Cardinal is the greatest match-maker in
France! My cousin Anna Martinozzi is destined for the Prince de Conti,
my sisters Olympia and Marianne he also hopes to marry to princes of the
blood, whilst I dare wager that he has thoughts of seating either Maria
or Hortensia upon the throne of France as the wife of Louis XIV., as
soon as his Majesty shall have reached a marriageable age. You may
laugh, De Luynes, nevertheless all this may come to pass, for my uncle
has great ambitions for his family, and it is even possible that should
that poor, wandering youth, Charles II. of England, ever return to the
throne of his fathers he may also become my brother-in-law. I am likely
to become well connected, De Luynes, so make a friend of me whilst I
am humble. So much for Mazarin's nieces. His nephews are too young for
alliances just yet, saving myself; and for me his Eminence has
chosen one of the greatest heiresses in France--Yvonne St. Albaret de
Canaples."

"Whom?" I shouted.