Louise de la Valliere

by Alexandre Dumas

  Chapter XXX. Madame.

  From the manner in which the king had dismissed the ambassadors, eventhe least clear-sighted persons belonging to the court imagined warwould ensue. The ambassadors themselves, but slightly acquainted withthe king's domestic disturbances, had interpreted as directed againstthemselves the celebrated sentence: "If I be not master of myself, I, atleast, will be so of those who insult me." Happily for the destinies ofFrance and Holland, Colbert had followed them out of the king's presencefor the purpose of explaining matters to them; but the two queens andMadame, who were perfectly aware of every particular that had takenplace in their several households, having heard the king's remark, sofull of dark meaning, retired to their own apartments in no little fearand chagrin. Madame, especially, felt that the royal anger might fallupon her, and, as she was brave and exceedingly proud, instead ofseeking support and encouragement from the queen-mother, she hadreturned to her own apartments, if not without some uneasiness, at leastwithout any intention of avoiding an encounter. Anne of Austria, fromtime to time at frequent intervals, sent messages to learn if the kinghad returned. The silence which the whole palace preserved upon thematter, and upon Louise's disappearance, was indicative of a long trainof misfortunes to all those who knew the haughty and irritable humor ofthe king. But Madame, unmoved in spite of all the flying rumors, shutherself up in her apartments, sent for Montalais, and, with a voice ascalm as she could possibly command, desired her to relate all she knewabout the event itself. At the moment that the eloquent Montalaiswas concluding, with all kinds of oratorical precautions, and wasrecommending, if not in actual language, at least in spirit, that sheshould show forbearance towards La Valliere, M. Malicorne made hisappearance to beg an audience of Madame, on behalf of the king.Montalais's worthy friend bore upon his countenance all the signs of thevery liveliest emotion. It was impossible to be mistaken; the interviewwhich the king requested would be one of the most interesting chaptersin the history of the hearts of kings and of men. Madame was disturbedby her brother-in-law's arrival; she did not expect it so soon, norhad she, indeed, expected any direct step on Louis's part. Besides,all women who wage war successfully by indirect means, are invariablyneither very skillful nor very strong when it becomes a question ofaccepting a pitched battle. Madame, however, was not one who ever drewback; she had the very opposite defect or qualification, in whicheverlight it may be considered; she took an exaggerated view of whatconstituted real courage; and therefore the king's message, of whichMalicorne had been the bearer, was regarded by her as the bugle-noteproclaiming the commencement of hostilities. She, therefore, boldlyaccepted the gage of battle. Five minutes afterwards the king ascendedthe staircase. His color was heightened from having ridden hard. Hisdusty and disordered clothes formed a singular contrast with the freshand perfectly arranged toilette of Madame, who, notwithstanding therouge on her cheeks, turned pale as Louis entered the room. Louislost no time in approaching the object of his visit; he sat down, andMontalais disappeared.

  "My dear sister," said the king, "you are aware that Mademoiselle de laValliere fled from her own room this morning, and that she has retiredto a cloister, overwhelmed by grief and despair." As he pronounced thesewords, the king's voice was singularly moved.

  "Your majesty is the first to inform me of it," replied Madame.

  "I should have thought that you might have learned it this morning,during the reception of the ambassadors," said the king.

  "From your emotion, sire, I imagined that something extraordinary hadhappened, but without knowing what."

  The king, with his usual frankness, went straight to the point. "Why didyou send Mademoiselle de la Valliere away?"

  "Because I had reason to be dissatisfied with her conduct," she replied,dryly.

  The king became crimson, and his eyes kindled with a fire which itrequired all Madame's courage to support. He mastered his anger,however, and continued: "A stronger reason than that is surelyrequisite, for one so good and kind as you are, to turn away anddishonor, not only the young girl herself, but every member of herfamily as well. You know that the whole city has its eyes fixed upon theconduct of the female portion of the court. To dismiss a maid of honoris to attribute a crime to her--at the very least a fault. What crime,what fault has Mademoiselle de la Valliere been guilty of?"

  "Since you constitute yourself the protector of Mademoiselle de laValliere," replied Madame, coldly, "I will give you those explanationswhich I should have a perfect right to withhold from every one."

  "Even from the king!" exclaimed Louis, as, with a sudden gesture, hecovered his head with his hat.

  "You have called me your sister," said Madame, "and I am in my ownapartments."

  "It matters not," said the youthful monarch, ashamed at having beenhurried away by his anger; "neither you, nor any one else in thiskingdom, can assert a right to withhold an explanation in my presence."

  "Since that is the way you regard it," said Madame, in a hoarse, angrytone of voice, "all that remains for me to do is bow submission to yourmajesty, and to be silent."

  "Not so. Let there be no equivocation between us."

  "The protection with which you surround Mademoiselle de la Valliere doesnot impose any respect."

  "No equivocation, I repeat; you are perfectly aware that, as the head ofthe nobility in France, I am accountable to all for the honor of everyfamily. You dismiss Mademoiselle de la Valliere, or whoever else itmay be--" Madame shrugged her shoulders. "Or whoever else it may be, Irepeat," continued the king; "and as, acting in that manner, you cast adishonorable reflection upon that person, I ask you for an explanation,in order that I may confirm or annul the sentence."

  "Annul my sentence!" exclaimed Madame, haughtily. "What! when I havedischarged one of my attendants, do you order me to take her backagain?" The king remained silent.

  "This would be a sheer abuse of power, sire; it would be indecorous andunseemly."

  "Madame!"

  "As a woman, I should revolt against an abuse so insulting to me; Ishould no longer be able to regard myself as a princess of your blood,a daughter of a monarch; I should be the meanest of creatures, morehumbled and disgraced than the servant I had sent away."

  The king rose from his seat with anger. "It cannot be a heart," hecried, "you have beating in your bosom; if you act in such a way withme, I may have reason to act with corresponding severity."

  It sometimes happens that in a battle a chance ball may reach itsmark. The observation which the king had made without any particularintention, struck Madame home, and staggered her for a moment; someday or other she might indeed have reason to dread reprisals. "At allevents, sire," she said, "explain what you require."

  "I ask, madame, what has Mademoiselle de la Valliere done to warrantyour conduct toward her?"

  "She is the most cunning fomenter of intrigues I know; she was theoccasion of two personal friends engaging in mortal combat; and hasmade people talk of her in such shameless terms that the whole court isindignant at the mere sound of her name."

  "She! she!" cried the king.

  "Under her soft and hypocritical manner," continued Madame, "she hides adisposition full of foul and dark conceit."

  "She!"

  "You may possibly be deceived, sire, but I know her right well; sheis capable of creating dispute and misunderstanding between the mostaffectionate relatives and the most intimate friends. You see that shehas already sown discord betwixt us two."

  "I do assure you--" said the king.

  "Sire, look well into the case as it stands; we were living on themost friendly understanding, and by the artfulness of her tales andcomplaints, she has set your majesty against me."

  "I swear to you," said the king, "that on no occasion has a bitterword ever passed her lips; I swear that, even in my wildest bursts ofpassion, she would not allow me to menace any one; and I swear, too,that you do not possess a more devoted and respectful friend than sheis."

  "Friend!" said Madame, with an expression of supreme dis
dain.

  "Take care, Madame!" said the king; "you forget that you now understandme, and that from this moment everything is equalized. Mademoiselle dela Valliere will be whatever I may choose her to become; and to-morrow,if I were determined to do so, I could seat her on a throne."

  "She was not born to a throne, at least, and whatever you may do canaffect the future alone, but cannot affect the past."

  "Madame, towards you I have shown every kind consideration, and everyeager desire to please you; do not remind me that I am master."

  "It is the second time, sire, that you have made that remark, and I havealready informed you I am ready to submit."

  "In that case, then, you will confer upon me the favor of receivingMademoiselle de la Valliere back again."

  "For what purpose, sire, since you have a throne to bestow upon her? Iam too insignificant to protect so exalted a personage."

  "Nay, a truce to this bitter and disdainful spirit. Grant me herforgiveness."

  "_Never!_"

  "You drive me, then, to open warfare in my own family."

  "I, too, have a family with whom I can find refuge."

  "Do you mean that as a threat, and could you forget yourself so far? Doyou believe that, if you push the affront to that extent, your familywould encourage you?"

  "I hope, sire, that you will not force me to take any step which wouldbe unworthy of my rank."

  "I hoped that you would remember our recent friendship, and that youwould treat me as a brother."

  Madame paused for a moment. "I do not disown you for a brother," shesaid, "in refusing your majesty an injustice."

  "An injustice!"

  "Oh, sire! if I informed others of La Valliere's conduct; if the queenknew--"

  "Come, come, Henrietta, let your heart speak; remember that, for howeverbrief a time, you once loved me; remember, too, that human hearts shouldbe as merciful as the heart of a sovereign Master. Do not be inflexiblewith others; forgive La Valliere."

  "I cannot; she has offended me."

  "But for my sake."

  "Sire, it is for your sake I would do anything in the world, exceptthat."

  "You will drive me to despair--you compel me to turn to the lastresource of weak people, and seek counsel of my angry and wrathfuldisposition."

  "I advise you to be reasonable."

  "Reasonable!--I can be so no longer."

  "Nay, sire! I pray you--"

  "For pity's sake, Henrietta; it is the first time I entreated any one,and I have no hope in any one but in you."

  "Oh, sire! you are weeping."

  "From rage, from humiliation. That I, the king, should have been obligedto descend to entreaty. I shall hate this moment during my whole life.You have made me suffer in one moment more distress and more degradationthan I could have anticipated in the greatest extremity in life." Andthe king rose and gave free vent to his tears, which, in fact, weretears of anger and shame.

  Madame was not touched exactly--for the best women, when their pride ishurt, are without pity; but she was afraid that the tears the king wasshedding might possibly carry away every soft and tender feeling in hisheart.

  "Give what commands you please, sire," she said; "and since you prefermy humiliation to your own--although mine is public and yours has beenwitnessed but by myself alone--speak, I will obey your majesty."

  "No, no, Henrietta!" exclaimed Louis, transported with gratitude, "youwill have yielded to a brother's wishes."

  "I no longer have any brother, since I obey."

  "All that I have would be too little in return."

  "How passionately you love, sire, when you do love!"

  Louis did not answer. He had seized upon Madame's hand and covered itwith kisses. "And so you will receive this poor girl back again, andwill forgive her; you will find how gentle and pure-hearted she is."

  "I will maintain her in my household."

  "No, you will give her your friendship, my sister."

  "I never liked her."

  "Well, for my sake, you will treat her kindly, will you not, Henrietta?"

  "I will treat her as your--_mistress_."

  The king rose suddenly to his feet. By this word, which had soinfelicitously escaped her, Madame had destroyed the whole merit of hersacrifice. The king felt freed from all obligations. Exasperated beyondmeasure, and bitterly offended, he replied:

  "I thank you, Madame; I shall never forget the service you have renderedme." And, saluting her with an affectation of ceremony, he took hisleave of her. As he passed before a glass, he saw that his eyes werered, and angrily stamped his foot on the ground. But it was too late,for Malicorne and D'Artagnan, who were standing at the door, had seenhis eyes.

  "The king has been crying," thought Malicorne. D'Artagnan approached theking with a respectful air, and said in a low tone of voice:

  "Sire, it would be better to return to your own apartments by the smallstaircase."

  "Why?"

  "Because the dust of the road has left its traces on your face," saidD'Artagnan. "By heavens!" he thought, "when the king has given way likea child, let those look to it who may make the lady weep for whom theking sheds tears."