Louise de la Valliere. Dumas Alexandre
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de Guiche will not be able to keep his either.”
“That is probable.”
“Very well, then; I will take care of all that.”
“That is the very thing that is impossible,” said Malicorne.
“Why so?”
“Because you are not your own mistress; your room is as much La Valliere’s as yours; and there are certain persons who will think nothing of visiting and searching a maid of honor’s room; so that I am terribly afraid of the queen, who is as jealous as a Spaniard; of the queen-mother, who is as jealous as a couple of Spaniards; and, last of all, of Madame herself, who has jealousy enough for ten Spaniards.”
“You forgot some one else.”
“Who?”
“Monsieur.”
“I was only speaking of the women. Let us add them up, then: we will call Monsieur, No. 1.”
“De Guiche?”
“No. 2.”
“The Vicomte de Bragelonne?”
“No. 3.”
“And the king, the king?”
“No. 4. Of course the king, who not only will be more jealous, but more powerful than all the rest put together. Ah, my dear!”
“Well?”
“Into what a wasp’s nest you have thrust yourself!”
“And as yet not quite far enough, if you will follow me into it.”
“Most certainly I will follow you where you like. Yet – ”
“Well, yet – ”
“While we have time, I think it will be prudent to turn back.”
“But I, on the contrary, think the wisest course to take is to put ourselves at once at the head of all these intrigues.”
“You will never be able to do it.”
“With you, I could superintend ten of them. I am in my element, you must know. I was born to live at the court, as the salamander is made to live in the fire.”
“Your comparison does not reassure me in the slightest degree in the world, my dear Montalais. I have heard it said, and by learned men too, that, in the first place, there are no salamanders at all, and that, if there had been any, they would have been infallibly baked or roasted on leaving the fire.”
“Your learned men may be very wise as far as salamanders are concerned, but they would never tell you what I can tell you; namely, that Aure de Montalais is destined, before a month is over, to become the first diplomatist in the court of France.”
“Be it so, but on condition that I shall be the second.”
“Agreed; an offensive and defensive alliance, of course.”
“Only be very careful of any letters.”
“I will hand them to you as I receive them.”
“What shall we tell the king about Madame?”
“That Madame is still in love with his majesty.”
“What shall we tell Madame about the king?”
“That she would be exceedingly wrong not to humor him.”
“What shall we tell La Valliere about Madame?”
“Whatever we choose, for La Valliere is in our power.”
“How so?”
“Every way.”
“What do you mean?”
“In the first place, through the Vicomte de Bragelonne.”
“Explain yourself.”
“You do not forget, I hope, that Monsieur de Bragelonne has written many letters to Mademoiselle de la Valliere.”
“I forget nothing.”
“Well, then, it was I who received, and I who intercepted those letters.”
“And, consequently, it is you who have them still?”
“Yes.”
“Where, – here?”
“Oh, no; I have them safe at Blois, in the little room you know well enough.”
“That dear little room, – that darling little room, the ante-chamber of the palace I intend you to live in one of these days. But, I beg your pardon, you said that all those letters are in that little room?”
“Yes.”
“Did you not put them in a box?”
“Of course; in the same box where I put all the letters I received from you, and where I put mine also when your business or your amusements prevented you from coming to our rendezvous.”
“Ah, very good,” said Malicorne.
“Why are you satisfied?”
“Because I see there is a possibility of not having to run to Blois after the letters, for I have them here.”
“You have brought the box away?”
“It was very dear to me, because it belonged to you.”
“Be sure and take care of it, for it contains original documents that will be of priceless value by and by.”
“I am perfectly well aware of that indeed, and that is the very reason why I laugh as I do, and with all my heart, too.”
“And now, one last word.”
“Why last?”
“Do we need any one to assist us?”
“No one.”
“Valets or maid-servants?”
“Bad policy. You will give the letters, – you will receive them. Oh! we must have no pride in this affair, otherwise M. Malicorne and Mademoiselle Aure, not transacting their own affairs themselves, will have to make up their minds to see them done by others.”
“You are quite right; but what is going on yonder in M. de Guiche’s room?”
“Nothing; he is only opening his window.”
“Let us be gone.” And they both immediately disappeared, all the terms of the contract being agreed on.
The window just opened was, in fact, that of the Comte de Guiche. It was not alone with the hope of catching a glimpse of Madame through her curtains that he seated himself by the open window for his preoccupation of mind had at that time a different origin. He had just received, as we have already stated, the courier who had been dispatched to him by Bragelonne, the latter having written to De Guiche a letter which had made the deepest impression upon him, and which he had read over and over again. “Strange, strange!” he murmured. “How irresponsible are the means by which destiny hurries men onward to their fate!” Leaving the window in order to approach nearer to the light, he once more read the letter he had just received: —
“CALAIS.
“MY DEAR COUNT, – I found M. de Wardes at Calais; he has been seriously wounded in an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. De Wardes is, as you know, unquestionably brave, but full of malevolent and wicked feelings. He conversed with me about yourself, for whom, he says, he has a warm regard, also about Madame, whom he considers a beautiful and amiable woman. He has guessed your affection for a certain person. He also talked to me about the lady for whom I have so ardent a regard, and showed the greatest interest on my behalf in expressing a deep pity for me, accompanied, however, by dark hints which alarmed me at first, but which I at last looked upon as the result of his usual love of mystery. These are the facts: he had received news of the court; you will understand, however, that it was only through M. de Lorraine. The report goes, so says the news, that a change has taken place in the king’s affections. You know