"He who wrote me so does not sign his letter." "An anonymous denunciation! some treachery, be assured," said Miss Grafton. "Stay," said Raoul, showing the young girl a letter which he had read over a thousand times; she took it from his hand and read as follows: "Vicomte--You are perfectly right to amuse yourself yonder with the lovely faces of Charles II.'s court, for at Louis XIV.'s court, the castle in which your affections are enshrined is being besieged. Stay in London altogether, poor vicomte, or return without delay to Paris." "There is no signature," said Miss Mary. "None." "Believe it not, then." "Very good; but here is a second letter, from my friend De Guiche, which says, 'I am lying here wounded and ill. Return, Raoul, oh return!'" "What do you intend doing?" inquired the young girl, with a feeling of oppression at her heart. "My intention, as soon as I received this letter, was immediately to take my leave of the king." "When did you receive it?" "The day before yesterday." "It is dated from Fontainebleau." "A singular circumstance, do you not think, for the court is now at Paris? At all events, I would have set off; but when I mentioned my intention to the king, he began to laugh, and said to me, 'How comes it, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, that you think of leaving? Has your sovereign recalled you?' I colored, naturally enough, for I was confused by the question; for the fact is, the king himself sent me here, and I have received no order to return." Mary frowned in deep thought, and said, "Do you remain, then?" "I must, mademoiselle." "Do you ever receive any letters from her to whom you are so devoted?" "Never." "Never, do you say? Does she not love you, then?" "At least, she has not written to me since my departure, although she used occasionally to write to me before. I trust she may have been prevented." "Hush! the duke is here." And Buckingham at that moment was seen at the end of the walk, approaching toward them, alone and smiling; he advanced slowly, and held out his hands to them both. "Have you arrived at an understanding?" he said. "About what?" "About whatever might render you happy, dear Mary, and make Raoul less miserable." "I do not understand you, my lord," said Raoul. "That is my view of the subject, Miss Mary: do you wish me to mention it before M. de Bragelonne?" he added with a smile. "If you mean," replied the young girl, haughtily, "that I was not indisposed to love M. de Bragelonne, that is useless, for I have told him so myself." Buckingham reflected for a moment, and, without seeming in any way discountenanced, as she expected, he said: "My reason for leaving you with M. de Bragelonne was, that I thoroughly knew your refined delicacy of feeling, no less than the perfect loyalty of your mind and heart, and I hoped that M. de Bragelonne's cure might be effected by the hands of a physician such as you are."