Chapter 43

Chapter XLIII:
The King's Secret.

On his way Louis met the Comte de Saint-Aignan. "Well, Saint-Aignan," he
inquired, with affected interest, "how is the invalid."

"Really, sire," stammered Saint-Aignan, "to my shame, I confess I do not
know."

"What! you do not know?" said the king, pretending to take in a serious
manner this want of attention for the object of his predilection.

"Will your majesty pardon me; but I have just met one of our three
loquacious wood-nymphs, and I confess that my attention has been taken
away from other matters."

"Ah!" said the king, eagerly, "you have found, then - "

"The one who deigned to speak of me in such advantageous terms; and,
having found mine, I was searching for yours, sire, when I had the
happiness to meet your majesty."

"Very well; but Mademoiselle de la Valliere before everything else," said
the king, faithful to the character he had assumed."

"Oh! our charming invalid!" said Saint-Aignan; "how fortunately her
fainting fit came on, since your majesty had already occupied yourself
about her."

"What is the name of your fair lady, Saint-Aignan? Is it a secret?"

"It ought to be a secret, and a very great one, even; but your majesty is
well aware that no secret can possibly exist for you."

"Well, what is her name?"

"Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente."

"Is she pretty?"

"Exceedingly, sire; and I recognized the voice which pronounced my name
in such tender accents. I accosted her, questioned her as well as I was
able to do, in the midst of the crowd; and she told me, without
suspecting anything, that a little while ago she was under the great oak,
with her two friends, when the sound of a wolf or a robber had terrified
them, and made them run away."

"But," inquired the king, anxiously, "what are the names of these two
friends?"

"Sire," said Saint-Aignan, "will your majesty send me forthwith to the
Bastile?"

"What for?"

"Because I am an egotist and a fool. My surprise was so great at such a
conquest, and at so fortunate a discovery, that I went no further in my
inquiries. Besides, I did not think that your majesty would attach any
very great importance to what you heard, knowing how much your attention
was taken up by Mademoiselle de la Valliere; and then, Mademoiselle de
Tonnay-Charente left me precipitately, to return to Mademoiselle de la
Valliere."

"Let us hope, then, that I shall be as fortunate as yourself. Come,
Saint-Aignan."

"Your majesty is ambitions, I perceive, and does not wish to allow any
conquest to escape you. Well, I assure you that I will conscientiously
set about my inquiries; and, moreover, from one or the other of