After we had waited a few minutes, one of the king's pages came up and
said he had been looking all over the palace for me, and that the king
desired my presence immediately. I went in with the page to the king,
leaving Mary alone and very melancholy in the ante-chamber.
Upon entering the king's presence he asked, "Where have you been, Sir
Edwin? I have almost killed a good half-dozen pages hunting you. I
want you to prepare immediately to go to Paris with an embassy to his
majesty, King Louis. You will be the interpreter. The ambassador you
need not know. Make ready at once. The embassy will leave London from
the Tabard Inn one hour hence."
Could a command to duty have come at a more inopportune time? I was
distracted; and upon leaving the king went at once to seek the Lady
Mary where I had left her in the ante-room. She had gone, so I went
to her apartments, but could not find her. I went to the queen's
salon, but she was not there, and I traversed that old rambling palace
from one end to the other without finding her or Lady Jane.
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