The count, after that, kept a more careful watch over himself.
At the termination of the ceremony, the king and queen passed onward towards the grand reception-room, where Madame and her suite were to be presented to them.

It was remarked that the king, who had seemed more than surprised at his sister-in-law's appearance, was most flattering in his compliments to her.

Again, it was remarked that the queen-mother, fixing a long and thoughtful gaze upon Buckingham, leaned towards Madame de Motteville as though to ask her, "Do you not see how much he resembles his father ?" and finally it was remarked that Monsieur watched everybody, and seemed quite discontented.

After the reception of the princess and ambassadors, Monsieur solicited the king's permission to present to him as well as to Madame the persons belonging to their new household.
"Are you aware, vicomte," inquired the Prince de Conde of Raoul, "whether the household has been selected by a person of taste, and whether there are any faces worth looking at ?" "I have not the slightest idea, monseigneur," replied Raoul.
"You affect ignorance, surely." "In what way, monseigneur ?" "You are a friend of De Guiche, who is one of the friends of the prince." "That may be so, monseigneur; but the matter having no interest whatever for me, I have never questioned De Guiche on the subject; and De Guiche, on his part, never having been questioned, did not communicate any particulars to me." "But Manicamp ?" "It is true I saw Manicamp at Le Havre, and during the journey here, but I was no more inquisitive with him than I had been towards De Guiche.
Besides, is it likely that Manicamp should know anything of such matters?
for he is a person of only secondary importance." "My dear vicomte, do you not know better than that ?" said the prince; "why, it is these persons of secondary importance, who, on such occasions, have all the influence; and the truth is, that nearly everything has been done through Manicamp's presentations to De Guiche, and through De Guiche to Monsieur." "I assure you, monseigneur, I was ignorant of that," said Raoul, "and what your highness does me the honor to impart is perfectly new to me." "I will most readily believe you, although it seems incredible; besides we shall not have long to wait.

See, the flying squadron is advancing, as good Queen Catherine used to say.