of any other kind. His remarks, therefore, became
bitter, urgent, and openly aggressive in their nature. This was a fresh
cause of distress for the poor girl. From that very circumstance,
therefore, which she regarded as an injustice on her lover's part, she
drew sufficient courage to bear, not only her other troubles, but even
this one also.

The king next began to accuse her in direct terms. La Valliere did not
even attempt to defend herself; she endured all his accusations without
according any other reply than that of shaking her head; without making
any other remark than that which escapes every heart in deep distress,
by a prayerful appeal to Heaven for help. But this ejaculation, instead
of calming the king's displeasure, rather increased it. He, moreover,
saw himself seconded by Saint-Aignan, for Saint-Aignan, as we have
observed, having seen the storm increasing, and not knowing the extent
of the regard of which Louis XIV. was capable, felt, by anticipation,
all the collected wrath of the three princesses, and the near approach
of poor La Valliere's downfall; and he was not true knight enough to
resist the fear that he himself might possibly be dragged down in the
impending ruin. Saint-Aignan did not reply to the king's questions
except by short, dry remarks, pronounced half-aloud; and by abrupt
gestures, whose object was to make things worse, and bring about a
misunderstanding, the result of which would be to free him from the
annoyance of having to cross the courtyards in broad open day, in order
to follow his illustrious companion to La Valliere's apartments. In the
meantime the king's anger momentarily increased; he made two or three
steps toward the door, as if to leave the room, but then returned; the
young girl did not, however, raise her head, although the sound of his
footsteps might have warned her that her lover was leaving her. He drew
himself up, for a moment, before her, with his arms crossed.

"For the last time, mademoiselle," he said, "will you speak? Will you
assign a reason for this change, for this fickleness, for this caprice?"

"What can I say?" murmured La Valliere. "Do you not see, sire, that I am
completely overwhelmed at this moment; that I have no power of will, or
thought, or speech?"

"Is it so difficult, then, to speak the truth? You would have told me
the truth in fewer words than those in which you have just now expressed
yourself."

"But the truth about what, sire?"

"Ab