Madame's marriage was celebrated in the chapel of thePalais-Royal, in the presence of a crowd of courtiers, whohad been most scrupulously selected. However,notwithstanding the marked favor which an invitationindicated, Raoul, faithful to his promise to Malicorne, whowas so anxious to witness the ceremony, obtained admissionfor him. After he had fulfilled this engagement, Raoulapproached De Guiche, who, as if in contrast with hismagnificent costume, exhibited a countenance so utterlydejected, that the Duke of Buckingham was the only onepresent who could contend with him as far as pallor anddiscomfiture were concerned.

"Take care, count," said Raoul, approaching his friend, andpreparing to support him at the moment the archbishopblessed the married couple. In fact, the Prince of Conde wasattentively scrutinizing these two images of desolation,standing like caryatides on either side of the nave of thechurch. The count, after that, kept a more careful watchover himself.

At the termination of the ceremony, the king and queenpassed onward towards the grand reception-room, where Madameand her suite were to be presented to them. It was remarkedthat the king, who had seemed more than surprised at hissister-in-law's appearance was most flattering in hiscompliments to her. Again, it was remarked that thequeen-mother, fixing a long and thoughtful gaze uponBuckingham, leaned towards Madame de Motteville as though toask her, "Do you not see how much he resembles his father?"and finally it was remarked that Monsieur watched everybody,and seemed quite discontented. After the reception of theprincess and ambassadors, Monsieur solicited the king'spermission to present to him as well as to Madame thepersons belonging to their new household.

"Are you aware, vicomte," inquired the Prince de Conde ofRaoul, "whether the household has been selected by a personof taste, and whether there are any faces worth looking at?"

"I have not the slightest idea, monseigneur," replied Raoul.

"You affect ignorance, surely."

"In what way, monseigneur?"

"You are a friend of De Guiche, who is one of the friends ofthe prince."

"That may be so, monseigneur; but the matter having nointerest whatever for me, I never questioned De Guiche onthe subject; and De Guiche on his part, never having beenquestioned, did not communicate any particulars to me."

"But Manicamp?"

"It is true I saw Manicamp at Havre, and during the journeyhere, but I was no more inquisitive with him than I had beentowards De Guiche. Besides, is it likely that Manicampshould know anything of such matters? for he is a person ofonly secondary importance."

"My dear vicomte, do you not know better than that?" saidthe prince; "why, it is these persons of secondaryimportance who, on such occasions, have all the influence;and the truth is, that nearly everything has been donethrough Manicamp's presentations to De Guiche, and throughDe Guiche to Monsieur."

"I assure you, monseigneur, I was ignorant of that," saidRaoul, "and what your highness does me the honor to impartis perfectly new to me."

"I will most readily believe you, although it seemsincredible; besides, we shall not have long to wait. See,the flying squadron is advancing, as good Queen Catherineused to say. Ah! ah! what pretty faces!"

A bevy of young girls at this moment entered the salon,conducted by Madame de Navailles, and to Manicamp's creditbe it said, if indeed he had taken that part in theirselection which the Prince de Conde assigned him, it was adisplay calculated to dazzle those who, like the prince,could appreciate every character and style of beauty. Ayoung, fair-complexioned girl, from twenty to one-and-twentyyears of age, and whose large blue eyes flashed, as sheopened them, in the most dazzling manner, walked at the headof the band and was the first presented.

"Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente," said Madame de Navaillesto Monsieur, who, as he saluted his wife, repeated"Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente."

"Ah! ah!" said the Prince de Conde to Raoul, "she ispresentable enough."

"Yes," said Raoul, "but has she not a somewhat haughtystyle?"

"Bah! we know these airs very well, vicomte; three monthshence she will be tame enough. But look, there, indeed, is apretty face."

"Yes," said Raoul, "and one I am acquainted with."

"Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais," said Madame de Navailles.The name and Christian name were carefully repeated byMonsieur.

"Great heavens!" exclaimed Raoul, fixing his bewildered gazeupon the entrance doorway.

"What's the matter?" inquired the prince; "was itMademoiselle Aure de Montalais who made you utter such a`Great heavens'?"

"No, monseigneur, no," replied Raoul, pale and trembling.

"Well, then, if it be not Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais, itis that pretty blonde who follows her. What beautiful eyes!She is rather thin, but has fascinations without number."

"Mademoiselle de la Baume le Blanc de la Valliere!" saidMadame de Navailles; and, as this name resounded through hiswhole being, a cloud seemed to rise from his breast to hiseyes, so that he neither saw nor heard anything more; andthe prince, finding him nothing more than a mere echo whichremained silent under his railleries, moved forward toinspect somewhat closer the beautiful girls whom his firstglance had already particularized.

"Louise here! Louise a maid of honor to Madame!" murmuredRaoul, and his eyes, which did not suffice to satisfy hisreason, wandered from Louise to Montalais. The latter hadalready emancipated herself from her assumed timidity, whichshe only needed for the presentation and for her reverences.

Mademoiselle de Montalais, from the corner of the room towhich she had retired, was looking with no slight confidenceat the different persons present; and, having discoveredRaoul, she amused herself with the profound astonishmentwhich her own and her friend's presence there caused theunhappy lover. Her waggish and malicious look, which Raoultried to avoid meeting, and which yet he sought inquiringlyfrom time to time, placed him on the rack. As for Louise,whether from natural timidity, or some other reason forwhich Raoul could not account, she kept her eyes constantlycast down; intimidated, dazzled, and with impededrespiration, she withdrew herself as much as possible aside,unaffected even by the nudges Montalais gave her with herelbow. The whole scene was a perfect enigma for Raoul, thekey to which he would have given anything to obtain. But noone was there who could assist him, not even Malicorne; who,a little uneasy at finding himself in the presence of somany persons of good birth, and not a little discouraged byMontalais's bantering glances, had described a circle, andby degrees succeeded in getting a few paces from the prince,behind the group of maids of honor, and nearly within reachof Mademoiselle Aure's voice, she being the planet aroundwhich he, as her attendant satellite, seemed constrained togravitate. As he recovered his self-possession, Raoulfancied he recognized voices on his right hand that werefamiliar to him, and he perceived De Wardes, De Guiche, andthe Chevalier de Lorraine, conversing together. It is truethey were talking in tones so low, that the sound of theirwords could hardly be heard in the vast apartment. To speakin that manner from any particular place without bendingdown, or turning round, or looking at the person with whomone may be engaged in conversation, is a talent that cannotbe immediately acquired by newcomers. Long study is neededfor such conversations, which, without a look, gesture, ormovement of the head, seem like the conversation of a groupof statues. In fact, in the king's and queen's grandassemblies, while their majesties were speaking, and whileevery one present seemed to be listening in the midst of themost profound silence, some of these noiseless conversationstook place, in which adulation was not the prevailingfeature. But Raoul was one among others exceedingly cleverin this art, so much a matter of etiquette, that from themovement of the lips he was often able to guess the sense ofthe words.

"Who is that Montalais?" inquired De Wardes, "and that LaValliere? What country-town have we had sent here?"

"Montalais?" said the chevalier, - "oh, I know her; she isa good sort of a girl, whom we shall find amusing enough. LaValliere is a charming girl, slightly lame."

"Ah! bah!" said De Wardes.

"Do not be absurd, De Wardes, there are some verycharacteristic and ingenious Latin axioms about lameladies."

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said De Guiche, looking at Raoulwith uneasiness, "be a little careful, I entreat you."

But the uneasiness of the count, in appearance at least, wasnot needed. Raoul had preserved the firmest and mostindifferent countenance, although he had not lost a wordthat passed. He seemed to keep an account of the insolenceand license of the two speakers in order to settle matterswith them at the earliest opportunity.

De Wardes seemed to guess what was passing in his mind, andcontinued:

"Who are these young ladies' lovers?"

"Montalais's lover?" said the chevalier.

"Yes, Montalais first."

"You, I, or De Guiche, - whoever likes, in fact."

"And the other?"

"Mademoiselle de la Valliere?"

"Yes."

"Take care, gentlemen," exclaimed De Guiche, anxious to puta stop to De Wardes's reply; "take care, Madame is listeningto us."

Raoul thrust his hand up to the wrist into his justaucorpsin great agitation. But the very malignity which he saw wasexcited against these poor girls made him take a seriousresolution. "Poor Louise," he thought, "has come here onlywith an honorable object in view and under honorableprotection; and I must learn what that object is which shehas in view, and who it is that protects her." And followingMalicorne's maneuver, he made his way toward the group ofthe maids of honor. The presentations were soon over. Theking, who had done nothing but look at and admire Madame,shortly afterwards left the reception-room, accompanied bythe two queens. The Chevalier de Lorraine resumed his placebeside Monsieur, and, as he accompanied him, insinuated afew drops of the venom he had collected during the lasthour, while looking at some of the faces in the court, andsuspecting that some of their hearts might be happy. A fewof the persons present followed the king as he quitted theapartment; but such of the courtiers as assumed anindependence of character, and professed a gallantry ofdisposition, began to approach the ladies of the court. Theprince paid his compliments to Mademoiselle deTonnay-Charente, Buckingham devoted himself to MadameChalais and Mademoiselle de Lafayette, whom Madame alreadydistinguished by her notice, and whom she held in highregard. As for the Comte de Guiche, who had abandonedMonsieur as soon as he could approach Madame alone, heconversed, with great animation, with Madame de Valentinois,and with Mesdemoiselles de Crequy and de Chatillon.

Amid these varied political and amorous interests, Malicornewas anxious to gain Montalais's attention; but the latterpreferred talking with Raoul, even if it were only to amuseherself with his innumerable questions and his astonishment.Raoul had gone direct to Mademoiselle de la Valliere, andhad saluted her with the profoundest respect, at whichLouise blushed, and could not say a word. Montalais,however, hurried to her assistance.

"Well, monsieur le vicomte, here we are, you see."

"I do, indeed, see you," said Raoul, smiling, "and it isexactly because you are here that I wish to ask for someexplanation."

Malicorne approached the group with his most fascinatingsmile.

"Go away, Malicorne; really, you are exceedinglyindiscreet." At this remark Malicorne bit his lips andretired a few steps, without making any reply. His smile,however, changed its expression, and from its formerfrankness, became mocking in its expression.

"You wished for an explanation, M. Raoul?" inquiredMontalais.

"It is surely worth one, I think; Mademoiselle de laValliere a maid of honor to Madame!"

"Why should not she be a maid of honor, as well as myself?"inquired Montalais.

"Pray accept my compliments, young ladies," said Raoul, whofancied he perceived they were not disposed to answer him ina direct manner.

"Your remark was not made in a very complimentary manner,vicomte."

"Mine?"

"Certainly; I appeal to Louise."

"M. de Bragelonne probably thinks the position is above mycondition," said Louise, hesitatingly.

"Assuredly not," replied Raoul, eagerly; "you know very wellthat such is not my feeling; were you called upon to occupya queen's throne, I should not be surprised; how muchgreater reason, then, such a position as this? The onlycircumstance that amazes me is that I should have learned itonly to-day, and that by the merest accident."

"That is true," replied Montalais, with her usual giddiness;"you know nothing about it, and there is no reason youshould. M. de Bragelonne had written several letters to you,but your mother was the only person who remained behind atBlois, and it was necessary to prevent these letters fallinginto her hands; I intercepted them, and returned them to M.Raoul, so that he believed you were still at Blois while youwere here in Paris, and had no idea whatever, indeed, howhigh you had risen in rank."

"Did you not inform M. Raoul, as I begged you to do?"

"Why should I? to give him an opportunity or making some ofhis severe remarks and moral reflections, and to undo whatwe had so much trouble in effecting? Certainly not."

"Am I so very severe, then?" said Raoul, inquiringly.

"Besides," said Montalais, "it is sufficient to say that itsuited me. I was about setting off for Paris - you wereaway; Louise was weeping her eyes out; interpret that as youplease; I begged a friend, a protector of mine, who hadobtained the appointment for me, to solicit one for Louise;the appointment arrived. Louise left in order to get hercostume prepared; as I had my own ready, I remained behind;I received your letters, and returned them to you, adding afew words, promising you a surprise. Your surprise is beforeyou, monsieur, and seems to be a fair one enough; you havenothing more to ask. Come, M. Malicorne, it is now time toleave these young people together: they have many things totalk about; give me your hand; I trust that you appreciatethe honor conferred upon you, M. Malicorne."

"Forgive me," said Raoul, arresting the giddy girl, andgiving to his voice an intonation, the gravity of whichcontrasted with that of Montalais; "forgive me, but may Iinquire the name of the protector you speak of; for ifprotection be extended towards you, Mademoiselle Montalais,- for which, indeed, so many reasons exist," added Raoul,bowing, "I do not see that the same reasons exist whyMademoiselle de la Valliere should be similarly cared for."

"But, M. Raoul," said Louise, innocently, "there is nodifference in the matter, and I do not see why I should nottell it you myself; it was M. Malicorne who obtained it forme."

Raoul remained for a moment almost stupefied, asking himselfif they were trifling with him; he then turned round tointerrogate Malicorne, but he had been hurried away byMontalais, and was already at some distance from them.Mademoiselle de la Valliere attempted to follow her friend,but Raoul, with gentle authority, detained her.

"Louise, one word, I beg."

"But, M. Raoul," said Louise, blushing, "we are alone. Everyone has left. They will become anxious, and will be lookingfor us."

"Fear nothing," said the young man, smiling, "we are neitherof us of sufficient importance for our absence to beremarked."

"But I have my duty to perform, M. Raoul."

"Do not be alarmed, I am acquainted with these usages of thecourt; you will not be on duty until to-morrow; a fewminutes are at your disposal, which will enable you to giveme the information I am about to have the honor to ask youfor."

"How serious you are, M. Raoul!" said Louise.

"Because the circumstances are serious. Are you listening?"

"I am listening; I would only repeat, monsieur, that we arequite alone."

"You are right," said Raoul, and, offering her his hand, heled the young girl into the gallery adjoining thereception-room, the windows of which looked out upon thecourtyard. Every one hurried towards the middle window,which had a balcony outside, from which all the details ofthe slow and formal preparations for departure could beseen. Raoul opened one of the side windows, and then, beingalone with Louise, said to her: "You know, Louise, that frommy childhood I have regarded you as my sister, as one whohas been the confidante of all my troubles, to whom I haveentrusted all my hopes."

"Yes, M. Raoul," she answered softly; "yes, M. Raoul, I knowthat."

"You used, on your side, to show the same friendship towardsme, and had the same confidence in me; why have you not, onthis occasion, been my friend - why have you shownsuspicion of me?"

Mademoiselle de la Valliere did not answer. "I fondlythought you loved me," said Raoul, whose voice became moreand more agitated; "I fondly thought you consented to allthe plans we had, together, laid down for our own happiness,at the time when we wandered up and down the walks ofCour-Cheverny, under the avenue of poplar trees leading toBlois. You do not answer me, Louise. Is it possible," heinquired, breathing with difficulty, "that you no longerlove me?"

"I did not say so," replied Louise, softly.

"Oh! tell me the truth, I implore you. All my hopes in lifeare centered in you. I chose you for your gentle and simpletastes. Do not suffer yourself to be dazzled, Louise, nowthat you are in the midst of a court where all that is puretoo soon becomes corrupt - where all that is young too soongrows old. Louise, close your ears, so as not to hear whatmay be said; shut your eyes, so as not to see the examplesbefore you; shut your lips, that you may not inhale thecorrupting influences about you. Without falsehood orsubterfuge, Louise, am I to believe what Mademoiselle deMontalais stated? Louise, did you come to Paris because Iwas no longer at Blois?"

La Valliere blushed and concealed her face in her hands.

"Yes, it was so, then!" exclaimed Raoul, delightedly; "thatwas, then, your reason for coming here. I love you as Inever yet loved you. Thanks, Louise, for this devotion; butmeasures must be taken to place you beyond all insult, toshield you from every lure. Louise, a maid of honor in thecourt of a young princess in these days of free manners andinconstant affections - -a maid of honor is placed as anobject of attack without having any means of defenceafforded her; this state of things cannot continue, you mustbe married in order to be respected."

"Married?"

"Yes, here is my hand, Louise; will you place yours withinit?"

"But your father?"

"My father leaves me perfectly free."

"Yet - - "

"I understand your scruples, Louise; I will consult myfather."

"Reflect, M. Raoul; wait."

"Wait! it is impossible. Reflect, Louise, when you areconcerned! it would be insulting, - give me your hand, dearLouise; I am my own master. My father will consent, I know;give me your hand, do not keep me waiting thus. One word inanswer, one word only; if not, I shall begin to think that,in order to change you forever, nothing more was needed thana single step in the palace, a single breath of favor, asmile from the queen, a look from the king."

Raoul had no sooner pronounced this latter word, than LaValliere became as pale as death, no doubt from fear atseeing the young man excite himself. With a movement asrapid as thought, she placed both her hands in those ofRaoul, and then fled without adding a syllable; disappearingwithout casting a look behind her. Raoul felt his wholeframe tremble at the contact of her hand; he received thecompact as a solemn bargain wrung by affection from herchild-like timidity.