And so the king sent him away ?" "Yes." "And during his absence he takes his sweetheart from him ?" "Yes; and, will you believe it?
the silly fellow, instead of thanking the king, is making himself miserable." "What! thank the king for depriving him of the woman he loves! Really, sire, yours is a most ungallant speech." "But, pray understand me.

If she whom the king had run off with was either a Miss Grafton or a Miss Stewart, I should not be of his opinion; nay, I should even think him not half wretched enough; but she is a little, thin, lame thing.

Deuce take such fidelity as that! Surely, one can hardly understand how a man can refuse a girl who is rich for one who is poverty itself--a girl who loves him for one who deceives and betrays him." "Do you think that Mary seriously wishes to please the vicomte, sire ?" "I do, indeed." "Very good! the vicomte will settle down in England, for Mary has a clear head, and when she fixes her mind upon anything, she does so thoroughly." "Take care, my dear Miss Stewart; if the vicomte has any idea of adopting our country, he has not long to do so, for it was only the day before yesterday that he again asked me for permission to leave." "Which you refused him, I suppose ?" "I should think so, indeed; my royal brother is far too anxious for his absence; and, for myself, my _amour propre_ is enlisted on his side, for I will never have it said that I had held out as a bait to this young man the noblest and gentlest creature in England--" "You are very gallant, sire," said Miss Stewart, with a pretty pout.
"I do not allude to Miss Stewart, for she is worthy of a king's devotion; and since she has captivated me I trust that no one else will be caught by her; I say, therefore, finally, that the attention I have shown this young man will not have been thrown away; he will stay with us here, he will marry here, or I am very much mistaken." "And I hope that when he is once married and settled, instead of being angry with your majesty, he will be grateful to you, for every one tries his utmost to please him; even the Duke of Buckingham, whose brilliancy, which is incredible, seems to pale before that of this young Frenchman." "Including Miss Stewart even, who calls him the most finished gentleman she ever saw." "Stay, sire; you have spoken quite enough, and quite highly enough, of Miss Grafton, to overlook what I may have said about De Bragelonne.

But, by the by, sire, your kindness for some time past astonishes me: you think of those who are absent, you forgive those who have done you a wrong, in fact, you are as nearly as possible, perfect.

How does it happen--" "It is because you allow yourself to be loved," he said, beginning to laugh.
"Oh! there must be some other reason." "Well, I am doing all I can to oblige my brother, Louis XIV." "Nay, I must have another reason." "Well, then, the true motive is that Buckingham strongly recommended the young man to me, saying: 'Sire, I begin by yielding up all claim to Miss Grafton; I pray you follow my example.'" "The duke is, indeed, a true gentleman." "Oh! of course, of course; it is Buckingham's turn now, I suppose, to turn your head.