The King's Esquires; Or, The Jewel of France

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

  DENIS IS SLEEPY.

  His Majesty of England was in high good humour that night, since thepreparations for the grand reception he had ordered in honour of theambassador-like visitor from France had been carried out quite to hissatisfaction.

  There was show, there was music, and there was dancing going on, as heentered the _salon_ from his private rooms and looked round searchinglybefore turning to speak to his stately chamberlain.

  "Our visitor?" he said laconically.

  "Fatigued, perhaps, with the journey, Sire. He has not yet arrived."

  The King frowned, and his chamberlain raised his eyebrows a little, halfexpecting to be taken to task for not having the visitor there.

  "See that everything is done, Hurst, so that he may go back to mybrother of France full of admiration of my Court. We must make himenvious," added the King, with a laugh.

  At that moment there was a flourish of trumpets, and, escorted by twonoblemen of the English Court, Francis, followed by his three gentlemanattendants, advanced to meet the King.

  Leoni watched his master narrowly as he followed his progress throughthe brilliant throng of courtiers towards the spot where Henry stoodawaiting his coming, and there was but one thought animating his brain--the thought of whether Francis with his impetuous nature would notcommit some act in this strangest of all episodes--King meeting King,and one ignorant of the other's real identity--which would enlightenHenry and maybe bring disaster on them all.

  "But Henry has never seen our King," he murmured softly to himself."Why should there be this presagement of harm? He cannot be recognisedhere, or if any of these gentlemen who have travelled do imagine aresemblance, they will laugh it on one side."

  He felt reassured again as he saw Henry advance a step to meet his guestand take his hand with a few words of welcome, ere he pointed to a seatnear at hand.

  "Our brother of France is indeed fortunate," he said, "to be representedby yourself, Comte." And then followed words which Leoni did not hear,for a gentleman approached the group formed by himself, Saint Simon, andDenis, and with a bow said courteously:

  "May I present you gentlemen to his Majesty?"

  A minute later Leoni heard Francis say:

  "Your Majesty will permit me to present to your notice Master ReneLeoni, the most learned of doctors, and at the same time one of the mosttyrannical. But to those who understand well the subtle art ofmedicine, we must forgive all."

  "True," said Henry, and he leaned forward with a gracious inclination."We can read in your countenance, sir, the deep learning of the south.Would to Heaven that there were more of it here! I trust that the stayyou make at our Court will not be displeasing to you, for that it willbe productive to us I make no doubt."

  Leoni bowed low before the two Kings.

  "My master has exaggerated my poor abilities, your Majesty," he said,and then he drew back to allow of the introduction of his twocompanions, to each of whom Henry addressed words of encouragement andwelcome.

  Later, as the music struck up, the English King turned to his visitorand asked more questions concerning Francis.

  "He is at Fontainebleau?" he asked.

  "Not at present, Sire," said Francis drily, and with a glance at Leoni.

  "Ah!" and Henry seemed to relapse into thought.

  "I would that he were here, Sire, in order that he might see how wellyou treat his envoys."

  But Henry waved the compliment aside.

  "Tell me about France," he said; "tell me about France." And he lookedfixedly at the messenger from the kingdom of the fleur-de-lys, whileLeoni would have given anything to draw nearer, to gather up if it wereonly scraps of the conversation that ensued; but he was bound to imitatethe action of those around and draw back, full of anxiety about hispupil, but fain to content himself with looking around at the gaythrong, before sinking into a chair where he could think about hismission, his searching eyes always busy looking about, especially at thejewels that were flashing on every side, as he hungrily sought for somethread which might form a clue to lead him ultimately to the object ofhis quest.

  Meanwhile Denis and Saint Simon, looking as courtly as the most brightlydressed among whom they stood, were invited by one of the dignifiedfunctionaries to join in the dance, but declined on the score offatigue; and the former had sauntered away from the throng, to standnear a curtained window a moment, when he heard his name spoken, and ahand was laid on his arm. He turned sharply, to find himself face toface with Carrbroke.

  "Found you," he said. "Well, it did not require my services to show youthe Court. What do you think of it? Better than Fontainebleau, is itnot?"

  It was not necessary for Denis to reply, because his companion went onquickly to speak of other things.

  "We shall be able to see a great deal of each other, I hope," he said.

  "I hope so," responded Denis readily.

  "I am sure. There is a great banquet to-morrow. You will be there."

  "Would they ask me?"

  "Why, of course; but--here, come this way," and Carrbroke touched theother's arm. "You are not going to dance, so let us talk--out here inthe garden."

  Denis accompanied his friend out on to a wide terrace where there cameto the ear the sound of the music still, and where there were thethousand scents of the flowers on that soft June night.

  "The King sometimes walks here," said the lad; "but he will not cometo-night. I like this place. Yonder is the river. You have not ariver like that?"

  "Oh, we have the Seine."

  Carrbroke made a movement of dissent.

  "They laugh at me here," he said, "because I fish. Lord Hurst wouldhave one always wearing one's best and acting the courtier; but the Kingloves sport, and so do I. Let's go this way, and enter the palace byanother door. There will be supper soon, and one must eat."

  A moment before, Denis was beginning to think that the place was not soattractive after all, but the word supper seemed to accord well with hissensations.

  He was weary with the excitement of the day, and he suddenly felt thatsome of his distaste was due to hunger, which he was ready enough toappease, being well looked after by his new friend; while the rest ofthe evening was filled up by faintly heard sounds of music andconversation which seemed to be buzzing around him, as he sat back inone of the many chairs of the grand _salon_, completely overcome by aninvincible sense of drowsiness which seemed dark and cloudy, while outof it came a familiar voice, saying:

  "Why, Denis, boy, I have been seeking you everywhere. Saint Simon waslooking for you too, and said you must have gone off to bed."

  "Bed--bed?" the boy remembered saying, and then all was confused againtill Master Leoni's voice whispered in his ear:

  "Come, wake up."

  "Where's Carrbroke?" he said drowsily.

  "Gone away in attendance on the King, who will soon be leaving the_salon_. Come, we must be in attendance too."

  The next thing that occurred was the sudden starting up of the boy inhis bed, with the bright morning sun shining in through the window.

  "Where am I?" he muttered. "How did I come here?" And then by degreeshe began to have some faint recollection of Leoni helping him to hisroom.

  "Why, I must have disgraced myself in some way," he muttered. "Whatcould I have done? Gone to sleep in the middle of that _fete_? I don'tknow; everything seems a blank."