low, but the moon, high
in the heavens, plots out the entire landscape with a wonderful
impressiveness, and the stars topping the forest trees to the rear and
the heights which rise on the distant horizon lend their quota of
romanticism, and, as if by their scintillations, mark the almost
indiscernible towers of the old Abbey of Saint Denis to the left.

"'Oh, what a lovely night,' said the queen to her companion. Again it is
the old chronicler who speaks. 'Can the world ever appear so calm and
peaceful elsewhere?'"

This Terrasse de Henri IV, so called, is one of the most splendid and
best-known terraces in Europe, and is noted for its extent as well as
for its marvellous point of view, the whole panorama Parisward being
spread out before one as if on a map, a view which extends from the
Chateau de Maisons on the left to the Aqueduct de Marly and the heights
of Louveciennes on the right, including the Bois de Vesinet, Mont
Valerian, Montmartre and the whole Parisian panorama as far as the
Coteaux de Montmorency.

This terrace, too, was the project and construction of Le Notre in 1672.
It is two and a half kilometres in length and thirty metres in width,
upheld by a stone retaining wall which is surmounted by a balustrade. It
extends from the Pavillon Henri IV to a gun battery well within the
confines of the forest. Entrance from the precincts of the palace is by
the great ornamental iron gateway known as the Grille Royale, from which
an alleyed row of lindens leads to the heart of the forest.

The record of another merry party at Saint Germain is that which
recounts that summer evening when the king and court scuttled about the
park enjoying themselves as only royalty can--when some one else pays
the bills. The terrace, the gravelled walks and the alleyed paths of the
forest all led to charming and discreet rendezvous.

[Illustration: _The Valley of the Seine, from the Terrace at Saint
Germain_]

So preoccupied was every one on this particular occasion that the
merry-makers had hardly a thought for their king, who, left to his own
devices, sought out four maids of honour gossiping in a bower, and,
taking the mischief-loving Lauzan into his confidence, pried upon them
in the ambush of the night. They were gossiping over the dancers at the
ball of the night before when one of them proclaimed her fancy for the
agility and grace of the king above all others. It was the first
expression of "La Valliere" since she had