finger to the letter which was still upon the table.
Raoul made a step to take it; Louise, more rapid, although
she had sprung forward with a sufficiently remarkable
physical hesitation, reached out her hand to stop him. Raoul
came in contact with that trembling hand, took it within his
own, and carried it so respectfully to his lips, that he
might be said to have deposited a sigh upon it rather than a
kiss.
In the meantime Mademoiselle de Montalais had taken the
letter, folded it carefully, as women do, in three folds,
and slipped it into her bosom.
“Don’t be afraid, Louise,” said she; “monsieur will no more
venture to take it hence than the defunct king Louis XIII.
ventured to take billets from the corsage of Mademoiselle de
Hautefort.”
Raoul blushed at seeing the smile of the two girls; and he
did not remark that the hand of Louise remained in his.
“There ” said Montalais, “you have pardoned me, Louise, for
having brought monsieur to you; and you, monsieur, bear me
no malice for having followed me to see mademoiselle. Now,
then, peace being made, let us chat like old friends.
Present me, Louise, to M. de Bragelonne.”
“Monsieur le Vicomte,” said Louise, with her quiet grace and
ingenuous smile, “I have the honour to present to you
Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais, maid of honor to her royal
highness Madame, and moreover my friend — my excellent
friend.”
Raoul bowed ceremoniously.
“And me, Louise,” said he — “will you not present me also
to mademoiselle?”
Page 19
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Oh, she knows you — she knows all!”
This unguarded expression made Montalais laugh and Raoul
sigh with happiness, for he interpreted it thus: “She knows
all our love.”
“The ceremonies being over, Monsieur le Vicomte,” said
Montalais, “take a chair, and tell us quickly the news you
bring flying thus.”
“Mademoiselle, it is no longer a secret; the king, on his
way to Poitiers, will stop at Blois, to visit his royal
highness.”
“The king here!” exclaimed Montalais, clapping her hands.
“What! are we going to see the court? Only think, Louise —
the real court from Paris! Oh, good heavens! But when will
this happen, monsieur?”
“Perhaps this evening, mademoiselle; at latest, tomorrow.”
Montalais lifted her shoulders in sign of vexation.
“No time to get ready! No time to prepare a single dress! We
are as far behind the fashions as the Poles. We shall look
like portraits of the time of Henry IV. Ah, monsieur! this
is sad news you bring us!”
“But, mesdemoiselles, you will be still beautiful!”
“That’s no news! Yes, we shall be always beautiful because
nature has made us passable; but we shall be ridiculous,
because the fashion will have forgotten us. Alas!
ridiculous! I shall be thought ridiculous — I!
“And by whom?” said Louise, innocently.
“By whom? You are a strange girl, my dear. Is that a
question to put to me? I mean everybody; I mean the
courtiers, the nobles; I mean the king.”
“Pardon me, my good friend, but as here every one is
accustomed to see us as we are —- ”
“Granted; but that is about to change, and we shall be
ridiculous, even for Blois; for close to us will be seen the
fashions from Paris, and they will perceive that we are in
the fashion of Blois! It is enough to make one despair!”
“Console yourself, mademoiselle.”
“Well, so let it be! After all, so much the worse for those
who do not find me to their taste!” said Montalais
philosophically.
“They would be very difficult to please,” replied Raoul,
faithful to his regular system of gallantry.
“Thank you, Monsieur le Vicomte. We were saying, then, that
the king is coming to Blois?”
“With all the court.”
“Mesdemoiselles de Mancini, will they be with them?”
Page 20
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“No, certainly not.”
“But as the king, it is said, cannot do without Mademoiselle
Mary?”
“Mademoiselle, the king must do without her. M. le Cardinal
will have it so. He has exiled his nieces to Brouage.”
“He! — the hypocrite!”
“Hush!” said Louise, pressing a finger on her friend’s rosy
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