ormed a singular contrast with the fresh
and perfectly arranged toilette of Madame, who, notwithstanding the
rouge on her cheeks, turned pale as Louis entered the room. Louis
lost no time in approaching the object of his visit; he sat down, and
Montalais disappeared.

"My dear sister," said the king, "you are aware that Mademoiselle de la
Valliere fled from her own room this morning, and that she has retired
to a cloister, overwhelmed by grief and despair." As he pronounced these
words, the king's voice was singularly moved.

"Your majesty is the first to inform me of it," replied Madame.

"I should have thought that you might have learned it this morning,
during the reception of the ambassadors," said the king.

"From your emotion, sire, I imagined that something extraordinary had
happened, but without knowing what."

The king, with his usual frankness, went straight to the point. "Why did
you send Mademoiselle de la Valliere away?"

"Because I had reason to be dissatisfied with her conduct," she replied,
dryly.

The king became crimson, and his eyes kindled with a fire which it
required all Madame's courage to support. He mastered his anger,
however, and continued: "A stronger reason than that is surely
requisite, for one so good and kind as you are, to turn away and
dishonor, not only the young girl herself, but every member of her
family as well. You know that the whole city has its eyes fixed upon the
conduct of the female portion of the court. To dismiss a maid of honor
is to attribute a crime to her--at the very least a fault. What crime,
what fault has Mademoiselle de la Valliere been guilty of?"

"Since you constitute yourself the protector of Mademoiselle de la
Valliere," replied Madame, coldly, "I will give you those explanations
which I should have a perfect right to withhold from every one."

"Even from the king!" exclaimed Louis, as, with a sudden gesture, he
covered his head with his hat.

"You have called me your sister," said Madame, "and I am in my own
apartments."

"It matters not," said the youthful monarch, ashamed at having been
hurried away by his anger; "neither you, nor any one else in this
kingdom, can assert a right to withhold an explanation in my presence."

"Since that is the way you regard it," said Madame, in a hoarse, angry
tone of voice, "all that remains for me to do is bow submission to your
majesty, and to be silent."

"Not so. Let there be no equivocation between us.