"

She trembled with agitation to the very depths of her heart; it was the
first time she had heard her name pronounced in that manner by her
royal lover. As for the king, taking off his glove, and placing his
hand within the carriage, he continued:--"Swear, that never in all
our quarrels will we allow one night even to pass by, if any
misunderstanding should arise between us, without a visit, or at least
a message, from either, in order to convey consolation and repose to the
other."

La Valliere took her lover's burning hand between her own cool palms,
and pressed it softly, until a movement of the horse, frightened by the
proximity of the wheels, obliged her to abandon her happiness. She had
vowed as he desired.

"Return, sire," she said, "return to the queen. I foresee a storm
yonder, which threatens my peace of mind and yours."

Louis obeyed, saluted Mademoiselle de Montalais, and set off at a gallop
to rejoin the queen. As he passed Monsieur's carriage, he observed that
he was fast asleep, although Madame, on her part, was wide awake. As
the king passed her she said, "What a beautiful horse, sire! Is it not
Monsieur's bay horse?"

The young queen kindly asked, "Are you better now, sire?" [3]

Chapter XXIII. Triumfeminate.

On the king's arrival in Paris, he sat at the council which had been
summoned, and worked for a certain portion of the day. The queen
remained with the queen-mother, and burst into tears as soon as she had
taken leave of the king. "Ah, madame!" she said, "the king no longer
loves me! What will become of me?"

"A husband always loves his wife when she is like you," replied Anne of
Austria.

"A time may come when he will love another woman instead of me."

"What do you call loving?"

"Always thinking of a person--always seeking her society."

"Do you happen to have remarked," said Anne of Austria, "that the king
has ever done anything of the sort?"

"No, madame," said the young queen, hesitatingly.

"What is there to complain of, then, Marie?"

"You will admit that the king leaves me?"

"The king, my daughter, belongs to his people."

"And that is the very reason why he no longer belongs to me; and that is
the reason, too, why I shall find myself, as so many queens before me,
forsaken and forgotten, whilst glory and honors will be reserved for
others. Oh, my mother! the king is so handsome! how often will others
tell him that they love him, and how much, indeed, they must