Mary of Orange started to say something, but d'Avaux ran her off the road. 'Mademoiselle Eliza has been trying valiantly to teach me how to skate,' he said commandingly, giving Eliza a wet look. 'But I am like a peasant listening to one of the lectures of Monsieur Huygens.' He glanced over toward the water-gate through which he and Eliza had just passed, for the house of the Huygens family lay very nearby that corner of the palace.