Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/278

266 "Hush! this time some one is really coming," said madame; and she stooped down to gather a flower from the thick grass at her feet. Some one, in fact, was approaching; for suddenly a bevy of young girls ran down from the top of the little hillock, following the cavaliers — the cause of this irruption being a magnificent hawk-moth, with wings like rose leaves. The prey in question had fallen into the net of Mlle. de Tonnay-Charente, who displayed it with some pride to her less successful rivals. The queen of the chase had seated herself some twenty paces from the bank on which Louis and Mme. Henrietta were reclining, and leaned her back against a magnificent oak-tree intwined with ivy, and stuck the butterfly on the long cane she carried in her hand. Mlle. de Tonney-Charente was very beautiful, and the gentlemen, accordingly, deserted her companions, and, under the pretext of complimenting her upon her success, pressed in a circle around her. The king and the princess looked gloomily at this scene, as spectators of maturer age look on at the games of little children.

"They seem to be amusing themselves there," said the king.

"Greatly, sire; I have always found that people are amused wherever youth and beauty are to be found."

"What do you think of Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente, Henrietta?" inquired the king.

"I think she is rather fair in complexion," replied madame, fixing in a moment upon the only fault it was possible to find in the almost perfect beauty of the future Mme. de Montespan.

"Rather fair, yes; but beautiful, I think, in spite of that."

"Is that your opinion, sire?"

"Yes, really."

"Very well; and it is mine, too."

"And she seems to be much sought after, too."

"Oh, that is a matter of course. Lovers flutter from one to another. If we had hunted for lovers instead of butterflies, you can see, from those who surround her, what successful sport we should have had."

"Tell me, Henrietta, what would be said if the king were to make himself one of those lovers and let his glance fall in that direction? Would some one else be jealous, in such a case?"

"Oh, sire. Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente is a very efficacious remedy," said madame, with a sigh. "She