"
Bewildered, the valet went off upon his errand. The Duke sat down
to write. And next morning English merchants learnt that the
ports of England were closed by the King's express command--
delivered by his minister, the Duke of Buckingham--that measures
were being taken--were already taken in all southern ports--so
that no vessel of any kind should leave the island until the
King's further pleasure were made known. Startled, the people
wondered was this enactment the forerunner of war. Had they known
the truth, they might have been more startled still, though in a
different manner. As swiftly as couriers could travel--and
certainly well ahead of any messenger seeking escape overseas--
did this blockade spread, until the gates of England were tight
locked against the outgoing of those diamond studs whirls meant
the honour of the Queen of France.
And meanwhile a diamond-cutter was replacing the purloined stones
by others, matching them so closely that no man should be able to
say which were the originals and which the copies. Buckingham and
Gerbier between them guided the work. Soon it was accomplished,
and a vessel slipped down the Thames, allowed to pass by those
who kept close watch to enforce the royal decree, and made sail
for Calais, which was beginning to manifest surprise at this
entire cessation of traffic from England.
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