"She is like to have enough of that and to spare, without asking, if she
is half as beautiful as she is said to be," returned his Grace.

"Of that your Highness may now be your own judge," I returned. "Here she
comes."

At that moment Frances entered on the arm of the Mother of the Maids, and
the duke, catching sight of her, exclaimed:--

"God have pity on the other women! Half has not been told, baron. There
is no beauty at court compared to hers. Earl? You may be a duke!"

While Frances and the Mother were making their way across the room to pay
their respects to the duke and the duchess, a buzz of admiration could be
heard on every hand, and Mary whispered to me behind her fan:--

"If the king were unmarried, I would wager all I have that your cousin
would be our queen within a month."

Count Grammont, who was standing behind me, leaned forward and whispered,
"Your cousin, baron?"

"Yes, count," I answered.

"Mon Dieu!" he returned, shrugging his shoulders. "You will soon be a
duke. We may not call her the queen of hearts, for already we have one,
but surely she is the duchess of hearts. I wish I might present her in
Paris. Ah Dieu! She would make quickly my peace with my king!"