er eyes wide open.

"Why, the fact is, that since we have belonged to the court, my dear
Louise, we are very much changed."

"In what way?"

"It is very simple. Were you the second queen of France yonder, at
Blois?"

La Valliere hung down her head, and began to weep. Montalais looked at
her in an indefinable manner, and murmured, "Poor girl!" and then
adding, "Poor king!" she kissed Louise on the forehead, and returned to
her apartment, where Malicorne was waiting for her.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE PORTRAIT.

In that malady which is termed love the paroxysms succeed each other at
intervals, always more rapid from the moment the disease declares
itself. By-and-by, the paroxysms are less frequent, in proportion as the
curet approaches. This being laid down as a general axiom, and as the
heading of a particular chapter, we will now proceed with our recital.
The next day, the day fixed by the king for the first conversation in
Saint-Aignan's room, La Valliere, on opening one of the folds of the
screen, found upon the floor a letter in the king's handwriting. The
letter had been passed, through a slit in the floor, from the lower
apartment to her own. No indiscreet hand or curious gaze could have
brought or did bring this simple paper. This was one of Malicorne's
ideas. Having seen how very serviceable Saint-Aignan would become to the
king on account of his apartment, he did not wish that the courtier
should become still more indispensable as a messenger, and so he had, on
his own private account, reserved this last post for himself. La
Valliere most eagerly read the letter, which fixed two o'clock that same
afternoon for the rendezvous, and which indicated the way of raising the
trap-door which was constructed out of the flooring. "Make yourself look
as beautiful as possible," added the postscript of the letter, words
which astonished the young girl, but at the same time reassured her. The
hours passed away very slowly, but the time fixed, however, arrived at
last. As punctual as the priestess Hero, Louise lifted up the trap-door
at the last stroke of the hour of two, and found the king upon the top
steps, waiting for her with the greatest respect, in order to give her
his hand to descend. The delicacy and deference shown in this attention
affected her very powerfully. At the foot of the staircase the two
lovers found the comte, who, with a smile and a low reverence
distinguished by the best taste, expressed his