Ten Years Later (60 page)
The king, his head bent forward, was listening to what Louise was saying. Hardly had the vibration of her voice reached his ear than he rose, radiant with delight, and passing across the whole assembly, from the place where he stood, to La Valliere, "You are mistaken, mademoiselle," he said, "you are a woman, and every woman has a right to wear jewels, which are a woman's appurtenance."
"Oh, sire!" said La Valliere, "your majesty will not absolutely believe in my modesty?"
"I believe you possess every virtue, mademoiselle; frankness as well as every other; I entreat you, therefore, to say frankly what you think of these bracelets?"
"That they are beautiful, sire, and cannot be offered to any other than a queen."
"I am delighted that such is your opinion, mademoiselle; the bracelets are yours, and the king begs your acceptance of them."
And as, with a movement almost resembling terror, La Valliere eagerly held out the casket to the king, the king gently pushed back her trembling hand.
A silence of astonishment, more profound than that of death, reigned in the assembly.
And yet, from the side where the queens were, no one had heard what he had said, nor understood what he had done. A charitable friend, however, took upon herself to spread the news; it was Tonnay–Charente, to whom Madame had made a sign to approach.
"Good heavens!" explained Tonnay–Charente, "how happy that La Valliere is! the king has just given her the bracelets."
Madame bit her lips to such a degree that the blood appeared upon the surface of the skin. The young queen looked first at La Valliere and then at Madame, and began to laugh. Anne of Austria rested her chin upon her beautiful white hand, and remained for a long time absorbed by a presentiment that disturbed her mind, and by a terrible pang which stung her heart. De Guiche, observing Madame turn pale, and guessing the cause of her change of color, abruptly quitted the assembly and disappeared. Malicorne was then able to approach Montalais very quietly, and under cover of the general din of conversation, said to her:
"Aure, your fortune and our future are standing at your elbow."
"Yes," was her reply, as she tenderly embraced La Valliere, whom, inwardly, she was tempted to strangle.
End of Ten Years Later. The next text in the series is Louise de la Valliere.
In the three–volume edition, Volume 1, entitled The Vicomte de Bragelonne, ends here.
In most other editions, the previous chapter and the next are usually combined into one chapter, entitled "D'Artagnan calls De Wardes to account."
Dumas is mistaken. The events in the following chapters occurred in 1661.
In the five–volume edition, Volume 2 ends here.
The verses in this chapter have been re–written to give the flavor of them rather than the meaning. A more literal translation would look like this:
Guiche is the furnisher
Of the maids of honor.
and—
He has stocked the birdcage;
Montalais and—
It would be more accurate, though, to say "baited" rather than "stocked" in the second couplet.
The Latin translates to "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
"Ad majorem Dei gloriam" was the motto of the Jesuits. It translates to "For the greater glory of God."
"In the presence of these men?"
"By this sign you shall conquer."
"It rained all night long; the games will be held tomorrow."
"Lord, I am not worthy."
