50 TEN YEARS LATER. fleeted in the water, inhaling with rapture the sea breezes, and listening to the waves which noisily broke upon the shore and on the beach, dashing the spray into the air with a noise which echoed in the distance. "But," exclaimed De Guiche, "what is Buckingham's motive for providing such a supply of lodgings?" "Yes, yes," said De Wardes; "what reason has he?" "A very excellent one," replied Manicamp. "You know what it is, then?" "I fancy I do." "Tell us, then." "Bend your head down toward me." "What! can it not be said except in secrecy?" "You shall judge of that yourself." "Very well." De Guiche bent down. "Love," said Manicamp. "1 do not understand you at all." "Say, rather, you cannot understand me yet.^' "Explain yourself." "Very well; it is quite certain, count, that his royal high- ness will be the most unfortunate of husbands." "What do you mean?" "The Duke of Buckingham " ^ "It is a name of ill-omen to princes of the house of France." "And so the duke is madly in love with madame, so the rumor runs, and will have no one apj)roach near her but himself." De Guiche colored. "Thank you, thank you," said he to Manicamp, grasping his hand. Then, recovering him- self, added: "Whatever you do, Manicamp, be careful that this project of Buckingham is not made known to any Frenchman here; for, if so, swords will be unsheathed in this country which do not fear the English steel." "But after all," said Manicamp, "I have had no satis- factory proof given me of the love in question, and it may be no more than a mere idle tale." "No, no," said De Guiche; "it must be the truth;" and despite his command over himself he clinched his teeth. "Well," said Manicamp, "after all, what does it matter to you? What does it matter to me whether the prince is to be what the late king was? Buckingham the father for the queen, Buckingham the son for the young princess," "Manicamp! Manicamp!" "It is a fact, or at least, everybody says so."
