is
leave of her. As he passed before a glass, he saw that his eyes were
red, and angrily stamped his foot on the ground. But it was too late,
for Malicorne and D'Artagnan, who were standing at the door, had seen
his eyes.

"The king has been crying," thought Malicorne. D'Artagnan approached the
king with a respectful air, and said in a low tone of voice:

"Sire, it would be better to return to your own apartments by the small
staircase."

"Why?"

"Because the dust of the road has left its traces on your face," said
D'Artagnan. "By heavens!" he thought, "when the king has given way like
a child, let those look to it who may make the lady weep for whom the
king sheds tears."

Chapter XXXI. Mademoiselle de la Valliere's Pocket-Handkerchief.

Madame was not bad-hearted--she was only hasty and impetuous. The king
was not imprudent--he was simply in love. Hardly had they entered into
this compact, which terminated in La Valliere's recall, when they both
sought to make as much as they could by their bargain. The king wished
to see La Valliere every moment of the day, while Madame, who was
sensible of the king's annoyance ever since he had so entreated her,
would not relinquish her revenge on La Valliere without a contest. She
planted every conceivable difficulty in the king's path; he was,
in fact, obliged, in order to get a glimpse of La Valliere, to be
exceedingly devoted in his attentions to his sister-in-law, and this,
indeed, was Madame's plan of policy. As she had chosen some one to
second her efforts, and as this person was our old friend Montalais,
the king found himself completely hemmed in every time he paid Madame
a visit; he was surrounded, and was never left a moment alone. Madame
displayed in her conversation a charm of manner and brilliancy of wit
which dazzled everybody. Montalais followed her, and soon rendered
herself perfectly insupportable to the king, which was, in fact, the
very thing she expected would happen. She then set Malicorne at the
king, who found means of informing his majesty that there was a young
person belonging to the court who was exceedingly miserable; and on
the king inquiring who this person was, Malicorne replied that it
was Mademoiselle de Montalais. To this the king answered that it was
perfectly just that a person should be unhappy when she rendered others
so. Whereupon Malicorne explained how matters stood; for he had received
his directions from Montalais. The king beg