I, with a dozen other gentlemen, had been
commanded to be present, not as advisers, but as attendants on the king
to give dignity to the occasion.
George, having been sent to England secretly, had brought no retinue,
since it was desired by every one connected with the affair that his
presence should attract as little attention as possible and thus avoid
alarming London. When George went to Whitehall, he was accompanied only
by De Grammont and a gentleman of the count's household.
While George knelt before his Majesty, asking leave to speak for the
French king, his master, I could not help thinking of the strange
contiguity of antagonisms so frequently observed in one's journey through
this life, nor could I help wondering what would be the fate of the bold
man kneeling before the king if his Majesty could but see through the
Abbe's disguise.
But I had little time for reflection, since George was not one who
allowed matters to drag. On receiving permission to speak, he rose
and went to the point at once in badly broken English, which I shall
not try to reproduce.
"I shall not take up your Majesty's time with idle words," said the
Abbe, glancing at a written memorandum which he held in his hand. "My
master, King Louis, sends greeting to his royal brother, and hopes that
no cause of difference may ever arise to darken the blue sky of peace
that now hangs over two kings, potent as are your Majesty and my master,
and two nations, happy, rich, and powerful as are the noble realms of
France and England.
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