Before I rose, however, La
Trape came to me and again interrupted me. He announced that a
messenger from his Majesty was waiting in the hall.
I went out, thinking it very probable that Henry had sent me a
present; though it was his more usual custom on this day to
honour me with a visit, and declare his generous intentions by
word of mouth, when we had both retired to my library and the
door was closed. Still, on one or two occasions he had sent me a
horse from his stables, a brace of Indian fowl, a melon or the
like, as a foretaste; and this I supposed to be the errand on
which the man had come.
His first words disabused me. "May it please your excellency,"
he said, very civilly, "the King desires to be remembered to you
as usual, and would ]earn whether you know anything of
Mademoiselle D'Oyley."
"Of whom?" I cried, astonished.
"Of Mademoiselle D'Oyley, her Majesty's maid of honour."
"Not I, i'faith!" I said, drily. "I am no squire of dames, to
say nothing of maids!"
"But his Majesty--"
"If he has sent that message," I replied, "has yet something to
learn--that I do not interest myself in maids of honour or such
frailties.
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