companion.”
“Yes,” said the princess, at first with languor, but then,
— “What mean those words, `Nobody but Parry;’ say, my
lord?”
“Because, madam,” replied Buckingham, piqued, “because the
faithful Parry, the wandering Parry, the eternal Parry, is
not, I believe, of much consequence.”
“You are mistaken, duke. Parry — the wandering Parry, as
you call him — has always wandered in the service of my
family, and the sight of that old man always gives me
satisfaction.”
The Lady Henrietta followed the usual progress of pretty
women, particularly coquettish women; she passed from
caprice to contradiction; — the gallant had undergone the
caprice, the courtier must bend beneath the contradictory
humor. Buckingham bowed, but made no reply.
“It is true, madam,” said Rochester, bowing in his turn,
“that Parry is the model of servants; but, madam, he is no
longer young, and we laugh only when we see cheerful
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objects. Is an old man a gay object?”
“Enough, my lord,” said the princess, coolly; “the subject
of conversation is unpleasant to me.”
Then, as if speaking to herself, “It is really
unaccountable,” said she, “how little regard my brother’s
friends have for his servants.”
“Ah, madam,” cried Buckingham, “your royal highness pierces
my heart with a dagger forged by your own hands.”
“What is the meaning of that speech, which is turned so like
a French madrigal, duke? I do not understand it.”
“It means, madam, that you yourself, so good, so charming,
so sensible, you have laughed sometimes — smiled, I should
say — at the idle prattle of that good Parry, for whom your
royal highness to-day entertains such a marvelous
susceptibility.”
“Well, my lord, if I have forgotten myself so far,” said
Henrietta, “you do wrong to remind me of it.” And she made a
sign of impatience. “The good Parry wants to speak to me, I
believe: please order them to row to the shore, my Lord
Rochester.”
Rochester hastened to repeat the princess’s command; and a
moment later the boat touched the bank.
“Let us land, gentlemen,” said Henrietta, taking the arm
which Rochester offered her, although Buckingham was nearer
to her, and had presented his. Then Rochester, with an
ill-dissembled pride, which pierced the heart of the unhappy
Buckingham through and through, led the princess across the
little bridge which the rowers had cast from the royal boat
to the shore.
“Which way will your royal highness go?” asked Rochester.
“You see, my lord, towards that good Parry, who is
wandering, as my lord of Buckingham says, and seeking me
with eyes weakened by the tears he has shed over our
misfortunes.”
“Good heavens!” said Rochester, “how sad your royal highness
is to-day; in truth we seem ridiculous fools to you, madam.”
“Speak for yourself, my lord,” interrupted Buckingham with
vexation; “for my part, I displease her royal highness to
such a degree, that I appear absolutely nothing to her.”
Neither Rochester nor the princess made any reply; Henrietta
only urged her companion more quickly on. Buckingham
remained behind, and took advantage of this isolation to
give himself up to his anger; he bit his handkerchief so
furiously that it was soon in shreds.
“Parry my good Parry,” said the princess, with her gentle
voice, “come hither. I see you are seeking me, and I am
waiting for you.”
“Ah, madam,” said Rochester, coming charitably to the help
of his companion, who had remained, as we have said, behind,
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“if Parry cannot see your royal highness, the man who
follows him is a sufficient guide, even for a blind man, for
he has eyes of flame. That man is a double-lamped lantern.”
“Lighting a very handsome martial countenance,” said the
princess, determined to be as ill-natured as possible.
Rochester bowed. “One of those vigorous soldiers’ heads seen
nowhere but in France,” added the princess, with the
perseverance of a woman sure of impunity.
Rochester and Buckingham looked at each other, as much as to
say, — “What can be the matter with her?”
“See, my lord of Buckingham, what Parry wants,” said
Henrietta. “Go!”
The young man, who considered this order as a favor, resumed
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