Page:Ten Years Later.djvu/280

268 and unfeeling. If it were so, I should be alarmed at the threat you hold out; our precautions have been taken on this point, and around you, as around myself, it would be difficult to meet with a disagreeable-looking face."

While the king was speaking, madame had risen from her seat, looked around the greensward, and after a careful and silent examination, she called the king to her side, and said:

"See yonder, sire, upon the declivity of that little hill, near that group of Guelder roses, that beautiful girl walking alone, her head down, her arms hanging by her side, with her eyes fixed upon the flowers, which she crushes beneath her feet, like one who is lost in thought."

"Mademoiselle de la Valliere, do you mean ?"

"Yes."

"Oh!"

"Will she not suit you, sire?"

"Why, look how thin the poor child is. She has hardly any flesh upon her bones."

"Nay; am I stout, then?"

"She is so melancholy."

"The greater contrast to myself, who am accused of being too lively."

"She is lame."

"Do you think so?"

"No doubt of it. Look; she has allowed every one to pass by her, from the fear of her defect being remarked."

"Well, she will not run so fast as Daphne, and will not be able to escape Apollo."

"Henrietta," said the king, out of temper, "of all your maids of honor, you have really selected for me the one most full of defects."

"Still she is one of my maids of honor."

"Of course; but what do you mean ?"

"I mean that, in order to visit this new divinity, you will not be able to do so without paying a visit to my apartments, and that, as propriety will forbid your conversing with her in private, you will be compelled to see her in my circle, to speak to me while speaking to her. I mean, in fact, that those who may be jealous will be wrong if they suppose you come to my apartments for my sake, since you will come there for Mademoiselle de la Valliere."

"Who happens to be lame."

"Hardly that."