Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/259

Rh "No; I shall have a visit to pay in town. Farewell, De Guiche."

The reception was to take place in the king's apartments. In the first place, there were the queens, then madame, and a few ladies of the court, who had been selected. A great number of courtiers, also carefully selected, occupied the time, before the dancing commenced, in conversing, as people knew how to converse in those times. None of the ladies who had received invitations appeared in the costumes of the fête, as the Chevalier de Lorraine had predicted, but many conversations took place about the rich and ingenious toilets designed by different painters for the ballet of "The Demi-Gods," for thus were termed the kings and queens, of which Fontainebleau was about to become the Pantheon. Monsieur arrived, holding in his hand a drawing representing his character; he looked somewhat anxious; he bowed courteously to the young queen and his mother, but saluted madame almost cavalierly. His notice of her and his coldness of manner were observed by all. M. de Guiche indemnified the princess by a look of passionate devotion, and it must be admitted that madame, as she raised her eyes, returned it to him with usury. It is unquestionable that De Guiche had never looked so handsome, for madame's glance had had the effect of lighting up the features of the son of the Marshal de Grammont. The king's sister-in-law felt a storm mustering above her head; she felt, too, that during the whole of the day, so fruitful in future events, she had acted unjustly, if not treasonably, toward one who loved her with such a depth of devotion. In her eyes, the moment seemed to have arrived for an acknowledgment to the poor victim of the injustice of the morning. Her heart spoke, and murmured the name of De Guiche; the comte was sincerely pitied, and accordingly gained the victory over all others. Neither Monsieur, nor the king, nor the Duke of Buckingham was any longer thought of; and De Guiche at that moment reigned without a rival. But although Monsieur also looked very handsome, still he could not be compared to the comte. It is well known — indeed, all women say so — that a very wide difference invariably exists between the good looks of a lover and those of a husband. Besides, in the present case, after Monsieur had left, and after the courteous and affectionate recognition of the young queen and of the queen-mother, and the careless and indifferent notice of madame, which all the courtiers had remarked, all these motives gave the lover