is also very, very sad. We are not very
cheerful when Monsieur Godet has been to see us. But I forget monsieur
is a Huguenot, and knows nothing of directors."

"Oh, but I do not trouble about such differences. I let the Sorbonne
and Geneva fight it out between them. Yet a man must stand by his
family, you know."

"Ah! if Monsieur could talk to Madame de Maintenon a little! She would
convert him."

"I would rather talk to Mademoiselle Nanon, but if--"

"Oh!" There was an exclamation, a whisk of dark skirts, and the
soubrette had disappeared down a side passage.

Along the broad, lighted corridor was gliding a very stately and
beautiful lady, tall, graceful, and exceedingly haughty. She was richly
clad in a bodice of gold-coloured camlet and a skirt of gray silk
trimmed with gold and silver lace. A handkerchief of priceless Genoa
point half hid and half revealed her beautiful throat, and was fastened
in front by a cluster of pearls, while a rope of the same, each one
worth a bourgeois' income, was coiled in and out through her luxuriant
hair. The lady was past her first youth, it is true, but the
magnificent curves of her queenly figure, the purity of her complexion,
the brightness of her deep-lashed blue eyes and the clear regularity of
her features enabled her still to claim to be the most handsome as well
as the most sharp-tongued woman in the court of France. So beautiful
was her bearing, the carriage of her dainty head upon her proud white
neck, and the sweep of her stately walk, that the young officer's fears
were overpowered in his admiration, and he found it hard, as he raised
his hand in salute, to retain the firm countenance which his duties
demanded.

"Ah, it is Captain de Catinat," said Madame de Montespan, with a smile
which was more embarrassing to him than any frown could have been.

"Your humble servant, marquise."

"I am fortunate in finding a friend here, for there has been some
ridiculous mistake this morning."

"I am concerned to hear it."

"It was about my brother, Monsieur de Vivonne. It is almost too
laughable to mention, but he was actually refused admission to the
_lever_."

"It was my misfortune to have to refuse him, madame."

"You, Captain de Catinat? And by what right?" She had drawn up her
superb figure, and her large blue eyes were blazing with indignant
astonishment.

"The king's order, madame."

"The king! Is it likely that the king would cast a public slig