Lemprière followed his glance, and saw the Duke’s Daughter and another in the trees near by.
He hastily put up his sword. “When, my lord?” he asked.
“You will hear from me to-night,” was the answer, and Leicester went forward hastily to meet the ladies—they had news, no doubt.
Lemprière turned on his heel and walked quickly away among the trees towards the quarters where Buonespoir was in durance, which was little more severe than to keep him within the palace yard. There he found the fool and the pirate in whimsical converse. The fool had brought a letter of inquiry and warm greeting from Angèle to Buonespoir, who was laboriously inditing one in return. When Lemprière entered the pirate greeted him jovially.
“In the very pinch of time!” he said. “You have grammar and syntax and etiquette.”
“’Tis even so, Nuncio,” said the fool. “Here is needed prosody potential. Exhale!”
The three put their heads together above the paper.