Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/247

Rh. I shall have friends, without fearing they may be regarded as my lovers. Shame! it is a disgraceful suspicion, and unworthy a gentleman. Monsieur has lost everything in my estimation, since he has shown me he can be the tyrant of a woman."

"Nay, nay; my brother's only fault is that of loving you."

"Love me! Monsieur love me! Ah! sire," and she burst out laughing. "Monsieur will never love any woman," she said; "Monsieur loves himself too much; no, unhappily for me. Monsieur's jealousy is of the worst kind — he is jealous without love."

"Confess, however," said the king, who began to be excited by this varied and animated conversation, "confess that De Guiche loves you."

"Ah! sire, 1 know nothing about that."

"You must have perceived it. A man who loves readily betrays himself."

"Monsieur de Guiche has not betrayed himself."

"My dear sister, you are defending Monsieur de Guiche."

"I, indeed ! Ah, sire, I only needed a susipicion from yourself to complete my wretchedness."

"No, madame, no," returned the king hurriedly; "do not distress yourself. Nay, you are weeping. I implore you to calm yourself."

She wept, however, and large tears fell upon her hands; the king took one of her hands in his, and kissed the tears away. She looked at him so sadly and with so much tenderness that he felt his heart throb under her gaze.

"You have no kind of feeling, then, for De Guiche?" he said, more disturbed than became his character of mediator.

"None — absolutely none."

"Then I can reassure my brother in that respect?"

"Nothing will satisfy him, sire. Do not believe he is jealous. Monsieur has been badly advised by some one, and he is of an anxious disposition."

"He may well be so when you are concerned," said the Madame cast down her eyes, and was silent; the king did so likewise, still holding her hand all the while. His momentary silence seemed to last an age. Madame gently withdrew her hand, and from that moment she felt her triumph was certain, and the field of battle was her own.

"Monsieur complains," said the king, "that you prefer the society of private individuals to his own conversation and society."