of the ancients in ruralizing, but
reproaches Ninon for indulging in a passion for so long a period to
the detriment of her other friends and admirers. But Ninon was happy
in attaining the summit of her desire, which was to defeat Madame
Scarron, her rival in the affections of the Marquis, keeping the
latter by her side for three whole years as has already been said.

However delighted Ninon may have been with this arrangement, the
Marquis, himself, did not repose upon a bed of roses. The jealousy of
the "Birds" gave him no respite, he being obliged in honor to respond
to their demands for an explanation of his conduct in carrying off
their leader, generally insisting upon the so-called field of honor as
the most appropriate place for giving a satisfactory answer. They even
invaded his premises until they forced him to make them some
concessions in the way of permission to see the object of their
admiration, and to share in her society. The Marquis was proud of his
conquest, the very idea of a three years' tete a tete with the most
volatile heart in France being sufficient to justify him in boasting
of his prowess, but whenever he ventured to do so a champion on the
part of Ninon always stood ready to make him either eat his words or
fight to maintain them.

Madame Scarron, whom he so basely deserted for the superior charms of
her friend Ninon, often gave him a bad quarter of an hour. When she
became the mistress of the king and, as Madame de Maintenon, really
held the reins of power, visions of the Bastile thronged his brain. He
knew perfectly well that he had scorned the charms of Madame Scarron,
who believed them irresistible, and that he deserved whatever
punishment she might inflict upon him. She might have procured a
lettre de cachet, had him immured in a dungeon or his head removed
from his shoulders as easily as order a dinner, but she did nothing to
gratify a spirit of revenge, utterly ignoring his existence.

Added to these trifling circumstances, trifling in comparison with
what follows, was the furious jealousy of his wife, Madame la
Marquise. She was violently angry and did not conceal her hatred for
the woman who had stolen her husband's affections. The Marquise was a
trifle vulgar and common in her manner of manifesting her displeasure,
but the Marquis, a very polite and affable gentleman, did not pay the
slightest attention to his wife's daily recriminations, but continued
to amuse himself with the c