o the one
by which they had just entered. We shall now follow them, and leave the
chevalier undisturbed to his correspondence. When they had arrived at
the grove of trees, the foremost of the two halted, somewhat out of
breath, and, cautiously raising her hood, said, "Are we still far from
the tree?"

"Yes, Madame, more than five hundred paces; but pray rest awhile, you
will not be able to walk much longer at this rate."

"You are right," said the princes, for it was she; and she leaned
against a tree. "And now," she resumed, after having recovered her
breath, "tell me the whole truth, and conceal nothing from me."

"Oh, Madame," cried the young girl, "you are already angry with me."

"No, my dear Athenais, reassure yourself, I am in no way angry with you.
After all, these things do not concern me personally. You are anxious
about what you may have said under the oak; you are afraid of having
offended the king, and I wish to tranquillize you by ascertaining myself
if it were possible you could have been overheard."

"Oh, yes, Madame, the king was close to us."

"Still, you were not speaking so loud that some of your remarks may not
have been lost."

"We thought we were quite alone, Madame."

"There were three of you, you say?"

"Yes; La Valliere, Montalais, and myself."

"And _you_, individually, spoke in a light manner of the king?"

"I am afraid so. Should such be the case, will your highness have the
kindness to make my peace with his majesty?"

"If there should be any occasion for it, I promise you I will do so.
However, as I have already told you, it will be better not to anticipate
evil. The night is now very dark, and the darkness is still greater
under the trees. It is not likely you were recognized by the king. To
inform him of it, by being the first to speak, is to denounce yourself."

"Oh, Madame, Madame! if Mademoiselle de la Valliere were recognized,
I must have been recognized also. Besides, M. de Saint-Aignan left no
doubt on the subject."

"Did you, then, say anything very disrespectful of the king?"

"Not at all; it was one of the others who made some very flattering
speeches about the king; and my remarks must have been much in contrast
with hers."

"Montalais is such a giddy girl," said Madame.

"It was not Montalais. Montalais said nothing; it was La Valliere."

Madame started as if she had not known it perfectly well already. "No,
no," she said, "the king cannot have heard. Bes