rest by the first path before her. Two of the outriders preceded
her majesty with long poles, which they used for the purpose of putting
the branches of the trees aside, or removing the bushes that might
impede her progress. As soon as Madame alighted, she found the Comte
de Guiche at her side, who bowed and placed himself at her disposal.
Monsieur, delighted with his bath of the two previous days, had
announced his preference for the river, and, having given De Guiche
leave of absence, remained at the chateau with the Chevalier de Lorraine
and Manicamp. He was not in the slightest degree jealous. He had been
looked for to no purpose among those present; but as Monsieur was a man
who thought a great deal of himself, and usually added very little to
the general pleasure, his absence was rather a subject of satisfaction
than regret. Every one had followed the example which the queen and
Madame had set, doing just as they pleased, according as chance or fancy
influenced them. The king, we have already observed, remained near La
Valliere, and, throwing himself off his horse at the moment the door of
her carriage was opened, he offered her his hand to alight. Montalais
and Tonnay-Charente immediately drew back and kept at a distance; the
former from calculated, the latter from natural motives. There was this
difference, however, between the two, that the one had withdrawn from
a wish to please the king, the other for a very opposite reason. During
the last half-hour the weather also had undergone a change; the veil
which had been spread over the sky, as if driven by a blast of heated
air, had become massed together in the western part of the heavens;
and afterwards, as if driven by a current of air from the opposite
direction, was now advancing slowly and heavily towards them. The
approach of the storm could be felt, but as the king did not perceive
it, no one thought it proper to do so. The promenade was therefore
continued; some of the company, with minds ill at ease on the subject,
raised their eyes from time to time towards the sky; others, even more
timid still, walked about without wandering too far from the carriages,
where they relied upon taking shelter in case the storm burst. The
greater number of these, however, observing that the king fearlessly
entered the wood with La Valliere, followed his majesty. The king,
noticing this, took La Valliere's hand, and led her to a lateral
forest-alley; where no one this time ve