mere
mortal by striking at his heart, or rather even at his face, like the
meanest of his subjects, was to inflict a terrible blow upon the pride
of that generous nature. Louis was more easily captivated by vanity than
affection. Madame had wisely calculated her vengeance, and it has been
seen, also, in what manner she carried it out. Let it not be supposed,
however, that Madame possessed such terrible passions as the heroines of
the middle ages, or that she regarded things from a pessimistic point of
view; on the contrary, Madame, young, amiable, of cultivated intellect,
coquettish, loving in her nature, but rather from fancy, or imagination,
or ambition, than from her heart--Madame, we say, on the contrary,
inaugurated that epoch of light and fleeting amusements, which
distinguished the hundred and twenty years that intervened between
the middle of the seventeenth century, and the last quarter of the
eighteenth. Madame saw, therefore, or rather fancied she saw,
things under their true aspect; she knew that the king, her august
brother-in-law, had been the first to ridicule the humble La Valliere,
and that, in accordance with his usual custom, it was hardly probable
he would ever love the person who had excited his laughter, even had it
been only for a moment. Moreover, was not her vanity ever present,
that evil influence which plays so important a part in that comedy of
dramatic incidents called the life of a woman? Did not her vanity tell
her, aloud, in a subdued voice, in a whisper, in every variety of tone,
that she could not, in reality, she a princess, young, beautiful, and
rich, be compared to the poor La Valliere, as youthful as herself it
is true, but far less pretty, certainly, and utterly without money,
protectors, or position? And surprise need not be excited with respect
to Madame; for it is known that the greatest characters are those
who flatter themselves the most in the comparisons they draw between
themselves and others, between others and themselves. It may perhaps be
asked what was Madame's motive for an attack so skillfully conceived
and executed. Why was there such a display of forces, if it were not
seriously her intention to dislodge the king from a heart that had never
been occupied before, in which he seemed disposed to take refuge? Was
there any necessity, then, for Madame to attach so great an importance
to La Valliere, if she did not fear her? Yet Madame did not fear La
Valliere in that dire