rds to the courtiers who surrounded her, who immediately
dispersed. This movement induced Madame to look toward the door, and at
that moment the captain of the guards announced the king. At this
moment, La Valliere, who had hitherto kept her eyes fixed upon the
gallery, suddenly cast them down as the king entered. His majesty was
dressed magnificently and in the most perfect taste; he was conversing
with Monsieur and the Duc de Roquelaure, Monsieur on his right and the
Duc de Roquelaure on his left. The king advanced, in the first place,
toward the queens, to whom he bowed with an air full of graceful
respect. He took his mother's hand and kissed it, addressed a few
compliments to Madame upon the beauty of her toilet, and then began to
make the round of the assembly. La Valliere was saluted in the same
manner as the others, but with neither more nor less attention. His
majesty then returned to his mother and his wife. When the courtiers
noticed that the king had only addressed some ordinary remark to the
young girl who had been so particularly noticed in the morning, they
immediately drew their own conclusion to account for this coldness of
manner; this conclusion being, that although the king may have taken a
sudden fancy to her, that fancy had already disappeared. One thing,
however, must be remarked, that close beside La Valliere, among the
number of the courtiers, M. Fouquet was to be seen; and his respectfully
attentive manner served to sustain the young girl in the midst of the
varied emotions which visibly agitated her.

M. Fouquet was just on the point, moreover, of speaking in a more
friendly manner with Mademoiselle de la Valliere, when M. de Colbert
approached, and after having bowed to Fouquet with a formality which the
rules of the most respectful politeness could require, he seemed to take
up a post beside La Valliere, for the purpose of entering into
conversation with her. Fouquet immediately quitted his place. These
proceedings were eagerly devoured by the eyes of Montalais and
Malicorne, who mutually exchanged their several observations on the
subject. De Guiche, standing within the embrasure of one of the
windows, saw no one but Madame. But as Madame, on her side, frequently
glanced at La Valliere, De Guiche's eyes following Madame's, were from
time to time cast upon the young girl. La Valliere instinctively felt
herself sinking beneath the weight of all the different looks, inspired,
some by interest,