第53章

Villeroihasspokenoflovetoyou？“

“Yes，indeed，madam，“repliedthepoorgirl，weepingbitterly。

“Andyoureturnhispassion。“

“Ibelieveso，madam。“

Thisconfessionmademesmile。

Icontinued——

“Thenyouarenotquitesureofthefact？“

“No，madam；forwhenIdonotseehimIforgetallaboutit；but

whenheisbeforeme，sohandsomeandsogenerous，sofullof

love，Itrytomakemyselfequallyfondofhim；butsomehowI

cannothelppreferringhiscourier，M。l’Eclair。“

Theselastwordscompletelydestroyedallattemptsatpreserving

mygravity，andIburstintothemostuncontrollablelaughter，

which，however，soongaveplacetoapainfulrecollectionofhow

soonthisyoungandartlesscreature，assimpleasshewasbeautiful，

waslikelytolosethisopen-heartednessinthehandsofherseducer。

“Sophie，“saidItoheratlast，“thisunfortunateaffairforbids

myretainingyouanylongerinmyservice；Iamcompelledto

sendyoufromme。

Itrustthisnobleloverofyourswillnever

forsakeyou；haveacareonlytoconcealfromhim，shouldyou

persistinencouraginghisaddresses，thathehasarivalinthe

personofhiscourier，l’Eclair。“

Sophiethrewherselfweepingatmyfeet。

Iraisedandencouraged

herbythekindestwordstopursuetherightpath，butIremained

steadyinmydeterminationofsendingherfromme。

Iwasnotmistaken。

TheducdeVilleroibecamethepossessorof

poorSophie，andpubliclyboastedofhavingherunderhisprotection。

Hedidnot，however，proceedtotheseextrememeasuresuntilhe

hadessayedeverypossiblemeansofeffectingareconciliation

withme，andheemployedmorethanahundredpersonsinthevain

attemptofinducingmetopardonhim。

Withthisviewthemarechale

deMirepoix，whosesuccourhehadimplored，observedtomethat

itwassometimesnecessarytofeigntooverlookaninsult；I

replied，thatdissimulationwasanartIknewnothingof，nordid

Iwishevertoacquireit。

“Really，mydearcountess，“criedshe，“youshouldnotliveat

court，youareabsolutelyunfitforit。“

“Itmaybeso，“repliedI；“butIwouldratherquitVersailles

altogetherthanbesurroundedbyfalseandperfidiousfriends。“

Alltheremonstrancesofthegood-naturedmarechalewerefruitless，

Icouldnotbringmyselftopardonamanwhohadsoopenly

outragedmyfriendship。

DirectlyIsawtheking，Irelatedthewholeaffairtohim。

“Itmustbeconfessed，“saidhe，“thatthedukehasbehavedvery

illtowardsyou，buthehascertainlyshownhistasteasfaras

regardsSophie。

Sheisasweetcreature。“

“Ah！

youareallalike，“criedI。

“Yougentlementhinkapretty

faceanexcuseforeveryfault；andheonlydeservesblamewho

canattachhimselfwherebeautyiswanting。“

“Becauseheisasimpletonforsodoing，“saidLouisXVwiththe

utmostgravity，givingmeatthesametimeanaffectionateembrace。

CHAPTERXXIV

TheprincedesDeuxPonts——PrinceMax——ThedauphinandMarie

Antoinette——ThecomtesseduBarryandBridgetRupert——Thecountess

andGenevieveMathon—