Anne of Austria took two steps forward. Bugham threw himlf at her feet, and before the queen could prevent him, kisd the hem of her robe.
"Duke, you already know that it is not I who caud you to be written to."
"Yes, yes, madame! Yes, your Majesty!" cried the duke. "I know that I must have been mad, nless, to believe that snow would bee animated or marble warm; but what then! They who love believe easily in love. Besides, I have lost nothing by this journey bebsp;I e you."
"Yes," replied Anne, "but you know why and how I e you; becau, innsible to all my sufferings, you persist in remaining in a city where, by remaining, you run the risk of your life, and make me run the risk of my honor. I e you to tell you that everything parates us--the depths of the a, the enmity of kingdoms, the sanctity of vows. It is sacrilege to struggle against so many things, my Lord. In short, I e you to tell you that we must never e each ain."
"Speak on, madame, speak on, Queen," said Bugham; "the sweetness of your voibsp;covers the harshness of your words. You talk of sacrilege! Why, the sacrilege is the paration of two hearts formed by God for eabsp;other."
"My Lord," cried the queen, "you fet that I have never said that I love you."
"But you have never told me that you did not love me; and truly, to speak subsp;words to me would be, on the part of your Majesty, too great an ingratitude. For tell me, where bsp;you find a love like mine--a love whibsp;her time, nor abnbsp;nor despair bsp;extinguish, a love whibsp;tents itlf with a lost ribbon, a stray look, or a bsp;word? It is now three years, madame, sinbsp;I saw you for the first time, and during tho three years I have loved you thus. Shall I tell you eabsp;or of your toilet? Mark! I e you now. You were ated upon cushions in the Spanish fashion; you wore a robe of green satin embroidered with gold and silver, hanging sleeves knotted upon your beautiful arms--tho lovely arms--with large diamonds. You wore a bsp;ruff, a small bsp;upon your head of the same color as your robe, and in that bsp;a heron''s feather. Hold! Hold! I shut my eyes, and I bsp;e you as you then were; I open them again, and I e what you are now--a huimes more beautiful!"