"No," answered M. D’Avaux softly. "I will tell Your Highness where I get my information. You know of one Verace, of Geneva?" The Prince’s whip still stirred leisurely among the daisies. "He was steward once to the Princess and dismissed." "As early as August, Monseigneur, this Verace wrote to M. Skelton giving information of the intrigues of Your Highness, the Princess, and M. Bentinck." He watched the effect of his shaft, but the Prince was unmoved. "You might as well quote the gazettes, Monsieur," he said. "These letters, Your Highness, were sent by M. Skelton to my Lord Sunderland," replied M. D’Avaux, "and he took no heed of them—we have reason to believe that they never reached the King." William answered dryly— "None of this is very interesting, Monsieur. You have had the assurances of M. Van Citters in London, of M. Castagnana, King James himself is content, M. D’Albeville is content, and it is not for France to take this part of interfering on the information of cast-off servants." "I have had other news from Rome," said M. D’Avaux coldly, "of the intrigues of Your Highness with the Vatican. Your Highness, methinks, knoweth something of some letters which went in to the Pope in a basket of wax fruit." William gave him a quick glance. "Take these advices to the court of England, which they concern, Monsieur." "Your Highness is very well aware that all the foreign intelligence that goeth to England is under the control of M. de Sunderland—who is your very good friend." The Prince faintly smiled. "I thought M. de Sunderland was believed the very good friend of France." "He may," said M. D’Avaux, rather hotly, "deceive M. Barillon, but he doth not deceive me." "It is unfortunate," remarked the Prince, "that you are not Ambassador to London. I think your abilities wasted here, Monsieur." "I thank Your Highness." He bowed grandly. "Such as my talents are, I find scope for them at The Hague—I only regret that my confrère is no longer M. Skelton." He said this knowing that Mr. Skelton was detested by the Prince, who had made his residence in Holland unendurable to him. The dislike was returned by the Englishman, who was the close ally of M. D’Avaux in the attempt to expose and ruin the plans of William. William, however, had triumphed in ousting Skelton from The Hague, and his successor, D’Albeville, was, as M. D’Avaux knew to his vexation, a mean creature that no one could long depend on. "Mr. Skelton," said the Prince, "is no doubt extremely useful in Paris. And I must ask you, Monsieur, to let me know the true object of this audience, which was not, I think, to discuss these puerile rumours." The Frenchman flushed; he had always found the Prince difficult to come to conclusions with. William had a short, flashing way of scorn, an inscrutable calm, that even now, when, in his certain knowledge of the Prince’s intended enterprise, M. D’Avaux felt he had the upper hand, was difficult to face.