Chapter 30 - Page 2

civil to any of the court beauties. He had
eyes and ears for one person alone. In this manner, and, as it were,
without design, he devoted himself to Monsieur, who had a great regard
for him, and kept him as much as possible in his own apartments.
Unsociable from natural disposition, he had estranged himself too much
previous to the arrival of Madame, but, after her arrival, he did not
estrange himself sufficiently. This conduct, which every one had
observed, had been particularly remarked by the evil genius of the house,
the Chevalier de Lorraine, for whom Monsieur exhibited the warmest
attachment because he was of a very cheerful disposition, even in his
remarks most full of malice, and because he was never at a loss how to
wile the time away. The Chevalier de Lorraine, therefore, having noticed
that he was threatened with being supplanted by De Guiche, resorted to
strong measures. He disappeared from the court, leaving Monsieur much
embarrassed. The first day of his absence, Monsieur hardly inquired
about him, for he had De Guiche with him, and, except that the time given
to conversation with Madame, his days and nights were rigorously devoted
to the prince. On the second day, however, Monsieur, finding no one near
him, inquired where the chevalier was. He was told that no one knew.

De Guiche, after having spent the morning in selecting embroideries and
fringes with Madame, went to console the prince. But after dinner, as
there were some amethysts to be looked at, De Guiche returned to Madame's
cabinet. Monsieur was left quite to himself during the time devoted to
dressing and decorating himself; he felt that he was the most miserable
of men, and again inquired whether there was any news of the chevalier,
in reply to which he was told that no one could tell where the chevalier
was to be found. Monsieur, hardly knowing in what direction to inflict
his weariness, went to Madame's apartments dressed in his morning-gown.
He found a large assemblage of people there, laughing and whispering in
every part of the room; at one end, a group of women around one of the
courtiers, talking together, amid smothered bursts of laughter; at the
other end, Manicamp and Malicorne were being pillaged at cards by
Montalais and Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente, while two others were
standing by, laughing. In another part were Madame, seated upon some
cushions on the floor, and De Guiche, on his knees beside her, spreading
out a handful of pearls and precious stones, while the princess, with her
white and slender fingers pointed out such among them as pleased her the
most. Again, in another corner of the room, a guitar player was playing
some of the Spanish seguedillas, to which Madame had taken the greatest
fancy ever since she had