Part 50 (2/2)
”I shall ask no one to explain matters, I know better than any one”
”Coe”
”They must indeed”
”You know that, whether I see you or not, I a tone of voice
”Oh, you are thinking ofnew?”
”What about?”
”About my post in Monsieur's household”
”Ah, my dear Malicorne, no one has ventured lately to approach his royal highness”
”Well, but now?”
”Now it is quite a different thing; since yesterday he has left off being jealous”
”Bah! how has his jealousy subsided?”
”It has been diverted into another channel”
”Tellhad fallen in love with some one else, and Monsieur was tranquillized immediately”
”And who spread the report?”
Montalais lowered her voice ”Between ourselves,” she said, ”I think that Mada about it”
”Ah!” said Malicorne; ”that was the only way to e it But what about poor M de Guiche?”
”Oh, as for hi to each other?”
”No, certainly not; I have not seen a pen in either of their hands for the last week”
”On what terms are you with Mada?”
”The king always smiles at me whenever I pass him”
”Good Now tell me whom have the two lovers selected to serve as their screen?”
”La Valliere”
”Oh, oh, poor girl! We must prevent that!”
”Why?”
”Because, if M Raoul Bragelonne were to suspect it, he would either kill her or kill himself”
”Raoul, poor fellow! do you think so?”
”Woe of the state of people's affections,” said Malicorne, ”and they do not even kno to read the thoughts of their own elonne loves La Valliere to such a degree that, if she deceived him, he would, I repeat, either kill hi is there to defend her,” said Montalais
”The king!” exclai as he would a common thief”
”Good heavens!” said Montalais; ”you areI have told you is, on the contrary, perfectly serious; and, for ”
”What is that?”
”That I shall quietly tell Raoul of the trick”
”Hush!+” said Montalais,another round of the ladder, so as to approach Malicorne more closely, ”do not open your lips to poor Raoul”
”Why not?”
”Because, as yet you know nothing at all”
”What is the -but no one is listening, I hope?”
”No”
”This evening, then, beneath the royal oak, La Valliere said aloud, and innocently enough, 'I cannot conceive that when one has once seen the king, one can ever love another irl! did she really say that?”
”Word for word”
”And she thinks so?”
”La Valliere always thinks what she says”