thilde. Nevertheless, this time the preoccupations on both sides were
so powerful that Bathilde could not help expressing her uneasiness to
Raoul; he made but little answer, for the absence of Buvat became
connected in his mind with some suspicions which he had entertained for
a minute, and then cast from him. The time, nevertheless, flowed away
with its accustomed rapidity, and four o'clock struck, when the lovers
fancied that they had only been together a few minutes. It was the hour
at which he generally took his leave.

If Buvat returned, he would probably return at this time. After
exchanging a hundred vows, the two young people separated, agreeing,
that if anything new happened to either of them, whatever hour of the
day or night it might be, they should let the other know directly.

At the door of Madame Denis's house D'Harmental met Brigaud. The sitting
was over, and nothing positive was yet known, but vague rumors were
afloat that terrible measures had been taken. The information must soon
arrive, and Brigaud had fixed a rendezvous with Pompadour and Malezieux
at D'Harmental's lodgings, which, as they were the least known, must be
the least watched.

In about an hour the Marquis de Pompadour arrived. The parliament had at
first wished to make opposition, but everything had given way before the
will of the regent. The king of Spain's letters had been read and
condemned. It had been decided that the dukes and peers should rank
immediately after the princes of the blood. The honors of the
legitimated princes were restricted to the simple rank of their
peerages. Finally, the Duc de Maine lost the superintendence of the
king's education, which was given to the Duc de Bourbon. The Comte de
Toulouse alone was maintained, during his lifetime, in his privileges
and prerogatives. Malezieux arrived in his turn; he had recently left
the duchess. They had just given her notice to quit her apartments in
the Tuileries, which belonged henceforward to Monsieur le Duc. Such an
affront had, as may easily be understood, exasperated the granddaughter
of the great Conde. She had flown into a violent passion, broken all the
looking-glasses with her own hands, and had all the furniture thrown out
of the window; then, this performance finished, she had got into her
carriage, sending Laval to Rambouillet, in order to urge Monsieur de
Maine to some vigorous action, and charging Malezieux to assemble all
her friends that evening at the