'Now truly you are speaking French,' the ambassador said approvingly. 'The princeling * is off on another of his insufferable hunting expeditions, but some persons of quality are there.' He had put on a surprising – almost alarming – burst of speed and was several paces ahead of Eliza now. 'They will open the gate for me,' he said confidently, tossing the words back over his shoulder like a scarf. 'When they do, you put on one of those magnificent accélérations and sail past me into the Hofvijver.'