H

The next day, about two in the afternoon, Madame d'Espard, who had seen
and heard nothing of the princess for more than a month, went to see her
under the impulse of extreme curiosity. Nothing was ever more amusing
of its kind than the conversation of these two crafty adders during the
first half-hour of this visit.

Diane d'Uxelles cautiously avoided, as she would the wearing of a yellow
gown, all mention of d'Arthez. The marquise circled round and round that
topic like a Bedouin round a caravan. Diane amused herself; the marquise
fumed. Diane waited; she intended to utilize her friend and use her in
the chase. Of these two women, both so celebrated in the social world,
one was far stronger than the other. The princess rose by a head
above the marquise, and the marquise was inwardly conscious of that
superiority. In this, perhaps, lay the secret of their intimacy. The
weaker of the two crouched low in her false attachment, watching for the
hour, long awaited by feeble beings, of springing at the throat of the
stronger and leaving the mark of a joyful bite. Diane saw clear; but the
world was the dupe of the wile caresses of the two friends.

The instant that the princess perceived a direct question on the lips of
her friend, she said:--

"Ah! dearest, I owe you a most complete, immense, infinite, celestial
happiness."

"What can you mean?"

"Have you forgotten what we ruminated three months ago in the little
garden, sitting on a bench in the sun, under the jasmine? Ah! there are
none but men of genius who know how to love! I apply to my grand Daniel
d'Arthez the Duke of Alba's saying to Catherine de' Medici: 'The head of
a single salmon is worth all the frogs in the world.'"

"I am not surprised that I no longer see you," said Madame d'Espard.

"Promise me, if you meet him, not to say to him one word about me, my
angel," said the princess, taking her friend's hand. "I am happy, oh!
happy beyond all expression; but you know that in society a word, a mere
jest can do much harm. One speech can kill, for they put such venom into
a single sentence! Ah! if you knew how I long that you might meet with
a love like this! Yes, it is a sweet, a precious triumph for women like
ourselves to end our woman's life in this way; to rest in an ardent,
pure, devoted, complete and absolute love; above all, when we have
sought it long."

"Why do you ask me to be faithful to my dearest friend?" said Madame
d'Espard. "Do you th