Page:Ten Years Later 2.djvu/503

TEN YEARS LATER. 491 The ladies of honor, united in a body, in order to resist with greater effect, and consequently with more success, the witty and lively conversations which the young men held about them, were enabled, like a battalion formed in a square, to offer one another the means of attack and defense which were thus at their command. Montalais, learned in that species of warfare which consists of a skirmishing character, protected the whole line by the sort of rolling fire which she directed against the enemy. St. Aignan, in utter despair at the rigor, which became insulting almost, from the very fact of her persisting in it, which Mile, de Tonnay-Charente displayed, tried to turn his back upon her; but, overcome by the irresistible brilliancy of her large eyes, he, every moment, returned to consecrate his defeat by new submissions, to which Mile, de Tonnay-Charente did not fail to reply by fresh acts of impertinence. St. Aignan did not know which way to turn. La Valliere had about her, not exactly a court, but sprinklings of courtiers. St. Aignan, hoping by this maneuver to attract Athenais' attention toward him, had apjoroached the young girl, and saluted her with a respect which induced some to believe that he wished to balance Athenais by Louise. But these were persons who had neither been witnesses of the scene during the shower, nor had heard it spoken of. But, as the majority was already informed, and well informed, too, on the matter, the acknowledged favor with which she was re- garded had attracted to her side some of the most astute, as well as the least sensible, members of the court. The for- mer, because they said with Montaigne, "What can we tell?" and the latter, who said with Kabelais, "It is likely," The greatest number had followed in thawake of the latter, just as in hunting five or six of the best hounds alone follow the scent of the animal hunted, while the remainder of the pack follow only the scent of the hounds. The two queens and madame examined with particular attention the toilets of their ladies and maids of honor; and they condescended to forget they were queens in recollecting that they were women. In other words, they pitilessly tore in pieces every person there who wore a petticoat. The looks of both princesses simultaneously fell upon La Valliere, who, as we have just said, was completely surrounded at that moment. Madame knew not what pity was, and said to the queen- mother, as she turned toward her, "If fortune were just, she would favor that poor La Valliere." "That is not possible," said the queen-mother, smiling.