Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/254

242 the number was one which he hoped and feared nearly to an equal extent. It was that of the Chevalier de Lorraine. About three o'clock in the afternoon the chevalier entered De Guiche's rooms. His looks were of the most assuring character. "Monsieur," said he to De Guiche, "was in an excellent humor, and no one could say that the slightest cloud had passed across the conjugal sky. Besides, Monsieur was not one to bear ill-feeling."

For a very long time past, during his residence at the court, the Chevalier de Lorraine had decided that, of Louis XlII.'s two sons, Monsieur was the one who had inherited the father's character — an uncertain, irresolute character; impulsively good, evilly disposed at bottom; but certainly a cipher for his friends. He had especially cheered De Guiche, by pointing out to him that madame would, before long, succeed in governing her husband, and that, consequently, that man would govern Monsieur who should succeed in influencing madame. To this, De Guiche, full of mistrust and presence of mind, had replied, "Yes, chevalier; but I believe madame to be a very dangerous person."

"In what respect?"

"She has perceived that Monsieur is not very passionately inclined toward women."

"Quite true," said the Chevalier de Lorraine, laughing.

"In that case, madame will choose the first one who approaches, in order to make him the object of her preference, and to bring back her husband by jealousy."

"Deep! deep!" exclaimed the chevalier.

"But true," replied De Guiche. But neither the one nor the other expressed his real thought. De Guiche, at the very moment he thus attacked madame's character, mentally asked her forgiveness from the bottom of his heart. The chevalier, while admiring De Guiche's penetration, led him, blindfolded, to the brink of the precipice. De Guiche then questioned him more directly upon the effect produced by the scene of that morning, and upon the still more serious effect produced by the scene at dinner.

"But I have already told you they are all laughing at it," replied the Chevalier de Lorraine, "and Monsieur himself at the head of them."

"Yet," hazarded De Guiche, "I have heard that the king paid madame a visit."

"Yes, precisely so. Madame was the only one who did not laugh, and the king went to her in order to make her laugh too."