will be your fault if you do not find your coat still at table; for the country gentry are not accustomed to rise very soon from a wedding dinner.”  And then, in a very serious tone, told him, “he knew not who had advised him to this unexpected return, which might probably ruin all his affairs; but he had orders from the king to bid him go back again without appearing at court.  He told him afterwards that he was very much astonished at his impatience, as, till this time, he had conducted himself uncommonly well, and was sufficiently acquainted with the king’s temper to know that the only way to merit his pardon was to wait until it freely came from his clemency.”

The Chevalier, in justification of his conduct, produced Madame de Saint Chaumont’s letter, and told the Marechal that he would very willingly have spared her the trouble of writing him such kind of news, to occasion him so useless a journey.  “Still more indiscretion,” replied his brother; “for pray how long has our sister being either secretary of state or minister, that she should be employed by the king to make known his majesty’s order?  Do you wish to know the real state of the case?  Some time ago the king told Madame—­[Henrietta]—­how you had refused the pension the King of England offered you.

["Henrietta, youngest daughter of Charles the First,—­born at Exeter 16th June, 1644, from whence she was removed to London in 1646, and, with her governess, Lady Dalkeith, soon afterwards conveyed to France.  On the restoration, she came over to England with her mother, but returned to France in about six months, and was married to Philip, Duke of Orleans, only brother of Louis XIV.  In May, 1670, she came again to Dover, on a mission of a political nature, it is supposed, from the French king to her brother, in which she was successful.  She died, soon after her return to France, suddenly, not without suspicion of having been poisoned by her husband.  King James, in his Diary, says, ’On the 22d of June, the news of the Duchess of Orleans’ death arrived.  It was suspected that counter-poisons were given her; but when she was opened, in the presence of the English ambassador, the Earl of Ailesbury, an English physician and surgeon, there appeared no grounds of suspicion of any foul play.  Yet Bucks tallied openly that she was poisoned; and was so violent as to propose to foreign ministers to make war on France.’—­Macpherson’s Original Papers, vol i.  At the end of Lord Arlington’s Letters are five very remarkable ones from a person of quality, who is said to have been actually on the spot, giving a particular relation of her death.]

“He appeared pleased with the manner in which Comminges had related to him the circumstances attending it, and said he was pleased with you for it:  Madame interpreted this as an order for your recall; and Madame de Saint Chaumont being very far from possessing that wonderful discretion she imagines herself mistress of, she hastened to despatch to you this consequential order in her own hand.  To conclude, Madame said yesterday, when the king was at dinner, that you would very soon be here; and the king, as soon as dinner was over, commanded me to send you back as soon as you arrived.  Here you are; set off again immediately.”