Chapter 35 - Page 2

She looked at the king, who held out his hand to her, which she took and
gently pressed between her own.

"You were saying," continued the king, "that I shall be detected coming
here, where any one who pleases can enter."

"Stay, sire; at this very moment, even while you are speaking about it, I
tremble with dread of your being discovered."

"But you would not be found out, Louise, if you were to descend the
staircase which leads to the room underneath."

"Oh, sire! what do you say?" cried Louise, in alarm.

"You do not quite understand me, Louise, since you get offended at my
very first word; first of all, do you know to whom the apartments
underneath belong?"

"To M. de Guiche, sire, I believe."

"Not at all; they are M. de Saint-Aignan's."

"Are you sure?" cried La Valliere; and this exclamation which escaped
from the young girl's joyous heart made the king's heart throb with
delight.

"Yes, to Saint-Aignan, _our friend_," he said.

"But, sire," returned La Valliere, "I cannot visit M. de Saint-Aignan's
rooms any more than I could M. de Guiche's. It is impossible –
impossible."

"And yet, Louise, I should have thought that, under the safe-conduct of
the king, you would venture anything."

"Under the safe-conduct of the king," she said, with a look full of
tenderness.

"You have faith in my word, I hope, Louise?"

"Yes, sire, when you are not present; but when you are present, - when
you speak to me, - when I look upon you, I have faith in nothing."

"What can possibly be done to reassure you?"

"It is scarcely respectful, I know, to doubt the king, but - for me - you
are _not_ the king."

"Thank Heaven! - I, at least, hope so most devoutly; you see how
anxiously I am trying to find or invent a means of removing all
difficulty. Stay; would the presence of a third person reassure you?"

"The presence of M. de Saint-Aignan would, certainly."

"Really, Louise, you wound me by your suspicions."

Louise did not answer, she merely looked steadfastly at him with that
clear, piercing gaze which penetrates the very heart, and said softly to
herself, "Alas! alas! it is not you of whom I am afraid, - it is not you
upon whom my doubts would fall."

"Well," said the king, sighing, "I agree; and M. de Saint-Aignan, who
enjoys the inestimable privilege of reassuring you, shall always be
present at our interviews, I promise you."

"You promise that, sire?"

"Upon my honor as a gentleman; and you, on your side - "

"Oh, wait, sire, that is not all yet; for such conversations ought, at
least, to have a reasonable motive of some kind for M. de Saint-Aignan."

"Dear Louise, every