s, and Patagonians, who seemed to issue from the ground for the
purpose of approaching her with their congratulations; and upon every
representative of these races the king bestowed a diamond, or some other
article of value. Then the deputies, in verses more or less amusing,
compared the king to the sun, Madame to Phoebe, the sun's sister, and
the queen and Monsieur were no more spoken of than if the king had
married Henrietta of England, and not Maria Theresa of Austria. The
happy pair, hand in hand, imperceptibly pressing each other's fingers,
drank in deep draughts the sweet beverage of adulation, by which the
attractions of youth, beauty, power and love are enhanced. Every one at
Fontainebleau was amazed at the extent of the influence which Madame had
so rapidly acquired over the king, and whispered among themselves that
Madame was, in point of fact, the true queen; and in effect, the king
himself proclaimed its truth by his every thought, word, and look. He
formed his wishes, he drew his inspirations from Madame's eyes, and his
delight was unbounded when Madame deigned to smile upon him. And was
Madame, on her side, intoxicated with the power she wielded, as she
beheld every one at her feet? This was a question she herself could
hardly answer; but what she did know was, that she could frame no wish,
and that she felt herself to be perfectly happy. The result of all these
changes, the source of which emanated from the royal will, was that
Monsieur, instead of being the second person in the kingdom, had, in
reality, become the third. And it was now far worse than in the time
when De Guiche's guitars were heard in Madame's apartments; for, then,
at least, Monsieur had the satisfaction of frightening those who annoyed
him. Since the departure, however, of the enemy, who had been driven
away by means of his alliance with the king, Monsieur had to submit to a
burden, heavier, but in a very different sense, to his former one. Every
evening Madame returned home quite exhausted. Horse-riding, bathing
in the Seine, spectacles, dinners under the leafy covert of the trees,
balls on the banks of the grand canal, concerts, etc., etc.; all this
would have been sufficient to have killed, not a slight and delicate
woman, but the strongest porter in the _chateau_. It is perfectly
true that, with regard to dancing, concerts, and promenades, and such
matters, a woman is far stronger than the most robust of porters. But,
however great a