154 LOTTISE DE LA VALLIERE.
- No acting, if you please, or I will undertake the denoue-
ment of the comedy; leave the room; return to your own apartment, and I trust my less n may be of service to you.'^ "Madame!" said La Valliere to the Duchess d'Orleans, whose hands she seized in her own, "do you, who are so good, intercede for me." "I!" replied the latter, with an insulting joy, "I — good — Ah, mademoiselle, you think nothing of the kind;" and with a rude, hasty gesture she repulsed the young girl's hand. La Valliere, instead of giving way, as from her extreme pallor and from her tears the two princesses might possibly have expected, suddenly resumed her calm and dignified air; she bowed profoundly, and left the room. "Weill" said Anne of Austria to madame, "do you think she will begin again?" "I always suspect those gentle and patient characters," replied madame. "Nothing is more full of courage than a patient heart, nothing is more self-reliant than a gentle spirit." "I feel I may almost venture to assure you she will think twice before she looks at the god Mars again." "So long as she does not obtain the protection of his buckler I do not care," retorted madame. A proud, defiant look of the queen-mother was the reply to this objection, which was by no means deficient m finesse; and both of them, almost sure of their victory, went to look for Maria Theresa, who had been engaged, while awaiting their arrival, in endeavoring to disguise her impatience. It was about half-past six in the evening, and the king had just partaken of some refreshment. He lost no time; but no sooner was the repast finished, and business matters settled, than he took St. Aignan by the arm, and desired him to lead him to La Valliere's apartments. The courtier uttered a loud exclamation. "Well, what is that for? It is a habit you will have to adopt, and in order to adopt a habit you must begin by something or another at first." "Oh, sire!" said St. Aignan, "it is hardly possible, for every one can be seen entering or leaving those apartments. If, however, some pretext or other were made use of — if your majesty, for instance, would wait until madame were m her own apartments— — " "No pretexts; no delays. I have had enough of these impediments and these mysteries; I cannot perceive in
