Part 38 (1/2)
”She is so reater contrast totoo lively”
”She is lame”
”Do you really think so?”
”No doubt of it Look; she has allowed every one to pass by her, through fear of her defect being remarked”
”Well, she will not run so fast as Daphne, and will not be as 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 apart with her in private, you will be compelled to see her into her Iif they suppose you coo there for Mademoiselle de la Valliere”
”Who happens to be lame”
”Hardly that”
”Who never opens her lips”
”But hen she does open them, displays a beautiful set of teeth”
”Who ist”
”Your favor will change her appearance”
”Henrietta!”
”At all events you allowed me to choose”
”Alas! yes”
”Well, my choice is made: I impose her upon you, and you must submit”
”Oh! I would accept one of the furies, if you were to insist upon it”
”La Valliere is as gentle as a lamb: do not fear she will ever contradict you when you tell her you love her,” said Mada
”You are not afraid, are you, that I shall say too much to her?”
”It would be for reed to, then?”
”Not only so, but signed You will continue to show me the friendshi+p of a brother, the attention of a brother, the gallantry of a monarch, will you not?”
”I will preserve for you intact a heart that has already become accustomed to beat only at your couaranteed the future by this means?”
”I hope so”
”Will your ard me as an ene in Spanish before Monsieur, who has a horror of conversation held in foreign languages, because he always thinks he is being ill spoken of? and lastly,” continued the princess, ”will people persist in attributing a wrongful affection to the king when the truth is, we can offer nothing to each other, except absolute sympathy, free fro, hesitatingly ”But other things may still be said of us”
”What can be said, sire? shall we never be left in tranquillity?”
”People will say I am deficient in taste; but what is my self-respect in comparison with your tranquillity?”
”In comparison with my honor, sire, and that of our fa you to attend, do not be so hastily prejudiced against La Valliere She is slightly laood sense Moreover, all that the king touches is converted into gold”
”Well, Madarateful to you: you ht even yet make me pay dearer for your stay in France”
”Sire, some one approaches”
”Well!”
”One last word”
”Say it”
”You are prudent and judicious, sire; but in the present instance you will be obliged to su, ”froin to act my part, and you shall see whether I am not quite fit to represent the character of a tender swain After luncheon, there will be a promenade in the forest, and then there is supper and the ballet at ten o'clock”
”I know it”
”The ardor of my passion shall blaze more brilliantly than the fireworks, shall shi+ne more steadily than our friend Colbert's laly that the queens and Monsieur will be almost blinded by it”
”Take care, sire, take care”
”In Heaven's nain to recall the compliments I paid you just now You prudent! you wise! did I say? Why, you begin by the most reckless inconsistencies! Can a passion be kindled in this manner, like a torch, in a moment? Can a monarch, such as you are, without any preparation, fall at the feet of a girl like La Valliere?”