-"His strength equals his courage; no one
displays greater address in hunting wild beasts, nor greater wisdom in
matters where judgment is required. Whenever he mounts and exercises his
horse in the beautiful plains of his inheritance, or whenever he joins
with the shepherds who owe him allegiance, in different games of skill
and strength, one might say that it is the god Mars hurling his lance on
the plains of Thrace, or, even better, that it was Apollo himself, the
god of day, radiant upon earth, bearing his flaming darts in his hand."
Every one understood that this allegorical portrait of the king was not
the worst exordium the narrator could have chosen; and consequently it
did not fail to produce its effect, either upon those who, from duty or
inclination, applauded it to the very echo, or on the king himself, to
whom flattery was very agreeable when delicately conveyed, and whom,
indeed, it did not always displease, even when it was a little too
broad. Saint-Aignan then continued:--"It is not in games of glory only,
ladies, that the shepherd Tyrcis had acquired that reputation by which
he was regarded as the king of the shepherds."

"Of the shepherds of Fontainebleau," said the king, smilingly, to
Madame.

"Oh!" exclaimed Madame, "Fontainebleau is selected arbitrarily by the
poet; but I should say, of the shepherds of the whole world." The king
forgot his part of a passive auditor, and bowed.

"It is," paused Saint-Aignan, amidst a flattering murmur of applause,
"it is with ladies fair especially that the qualities of this king of
the shepherds are most prominently displayed. He is a shepherd with a
mind as refined as his heart is pure; he can pay a compliment with a
charm of manner whose fascination it is impossible to resist; and in his
attachments he is so discreet, that beautiful and happy conquests may
regard their lot as more than enviable. Never a syllable of disclosure,
never a moment's forgetfulness. Whoever has seen and heard Tyrcis
must love him; whoever loves and is beloved by him, has indeed found
happiness." Saint-Aignan here paused; he was enjoying the pleasure
of all these compliments; and the portrait he had drawn, however
grotesquely inflated it might be, had found favor in certain ears,
in which the perfections of the shepherd did not seem to have been
exaggerated. Madame begged the orator to continue. "Tyrcis," said the
comte, "had a faithful companion, or rather a devoted servant, whose
nam