Chapter XXXIX. Saint-Aignan Follows Malicorne's Advice.
The king most assiduously followed the progress which was made in LaValliere's portrait; and did so with a care and attention arising asmuch from a desire that it should resemble her as from the wish that thepainter should prolong the period of its completion as much as possible.It was amusing to observe him follow the artist's brush, awaiting thecompletion of a particular plan, or the result of a combination ofcolors, and suggesting various modifications to the painter, which thelatter consented to adopt with the most respectful docility. And again,when the artist, following Malicorne's advice, was a little late inarriving, and when Saint-Aignan had been obliged to be absent for sometime, it was interesting to observe, though no one witnessed them, thosemoments of silence full of deep expression, which united in one sightwo souls most disposed to understand each other, and who by no meansobjected to the quiet meditation they enjoyed together. The minutes flewrapidly by, as if on wings, and as the king drew closer to Louiseand bent his burning gaze upon her, a noise was suddenly heard in theante-room. It was the artist, who had just arrived; Saint-Aignan, too,had returned, full of apologies; and the king began to talk andLa Valliere to answer him very hurriedly, their eyes revealing toSaint-Aignan that they had enjoyed a century of happiness during hisabsence. In a word, Malicorne, philosopher that he was, though he knewit not, had learned how to inspire the king with an appetite in themidst of plenty, and with desire in the assurance of possession. LaValliere's fears of interruption had never been realized, and no oneimagined she was absent from her apartment two or three hours every day;she pretended that her health was very uncertain; those who went to herroom always knocked before entering, and Malicorne, the man of so manyingenious inventions, had constructed an acoustic piece of mechanism, bymeans of which La Valliere, when in Saint-Aignan's apartment, wasalways forewarned of any visits which were paid to the room she usuallyinhabited. In this manner, therefore, without leaving her room, andhaving no _confidante_, she was able to return to her apartment, thusremoving by her appearance, a little tardy perhaps, the suspicions ofthe most determined skeptics. Malicorne having asked Saint-Aignan thenext morning what news he had to report, the latter was obliged toconfess that the quarter of an hour's liberty had made the king in mostexcellent humor. "We must double the dose," replied Malicorne, "but byinsensible degrees; wait until they seem to wish it."
They were so desirous for it, however, that on the evening of the fourthday, at the moment when the painter was packing up his implements,during Saint-Aignan's continued absence, Saint-Aignan on his returnnoticed upon La Valliere's face a shade of disappointment and vexation,which she could not conceal. The king was less reserved, and exhibitedhis annoyance by a very significant shrug of the shoulders, at which LaValliere could not help blushing. "Very good!" thought Saint-Aignan tohimself; "M. Malicorne will be delighted this evening;" as he, in fact,was, when it was reported to him.
"It is very evident," he remarked to the comte, "that Mademoiselle de laValliere hoped that you would be at least ten minutes later."
"And the king that I should be half an hour later, dear MonsieurMalicorne."
"You would show but very indifferent devotion to the king," repliedthe latter, "if you were to refuse his majesty that half-hour'ssatisfaction."
"But the painter," objected Saint-Aignan.
"_I_ will take care of him," said Malicorne, "only I must study facesand circumstances a little better before I act; those are my magicalinventions and contrivances; and while sorcerers are enabled by means oftheir astrolabe to take the altitude of the sun, moon, and stars, Iam satisfied merely by looking into people's faces, in order to see iftheir eyes are encircled with dark lines, and if the mouth describes aconvex or concave arc."
And the cunning Malicorne had every opportunity of watching narrowlyand closely, for the very same evening the king accompanied the queento Madame's apartments, and made himself so remarked by his serious faceand his deep sigh, and looked at La Valliere with such a languishingexpression, that Malicorne said to Montalais during the evening:"To-morrow." And he went off to the painter's house in the street ofthe Jardins Saint-Paul to request him to postpone the next sitting fora couple of days. Saint-Aignan was not within, when La Valliere, whowas now quite familiar with the lower story, lifted up the trap-door anddescended. The king, as usual was waiting for her on the staircase,and held a bouquet in his hand; as soon as he saw her, he clasped hertenderly in his arms. La Valliere, much moved at the action, lookedaround the room, but as she saw the king was alone, she did not complainof it. They sat down, the king reclining near the cushions on whichLouise was seated, with his head supported by her knees, placed there asin an asylum whence no one could banish him; he gazed ardently upon her,and as if the moment had arrived when nothing could interpose betweentheir two hearts; she, too, gazed with similar passion upon him, andfrom her eyes, so softly pure, emanated a flame, whose rays firstkindled and then inflamed the heart of the king, who, trembling withhappiness as Louise's hand rested on his head, grew giddy from excessof joy, and momentarily awaited either the painter's or Saint-Aignan'sreturn to break the sweet illusion. But the door remained closed, andneither Saint-Aignan nor the painter appeared, nor did the hangings evenmove. A deep mysterious silence reigned in the room--a silence whichseemed to influence even the song-birds in their gilded prisons. Theking, completely overcome, turned round his head and buried his burninglips in La Valliere's hands, who, herself faint, with excess of emotion,pressed her trembling hands against her lover's lips. Louis threwhimself upon his knees, and as La Valliere did not move her head, theking's forehead being within reach of her lips, she furtively passedher lips across the perfumed locks which caressed her cheeks. The kingseized her in his arms, and, unable to resist the temptation, theyexchanged their first kiss, that burning kiss, which changes love intodelirium. Suddenly, a noise upon the upper floor was heard, which had,in fact, continued, though it had remained unnoticed, for some time; ithad at last aroused La Valliere's attention, though but slowly so. Asthe noise, however, continued, as it forced itself upon the attention,and recalled the poor girl from her dreams of happiness to the sadrealities of life, she rose in a state of utter bewilderment, thoughbeautiful in her disorder, saying:
"Some one is waiting for me above. Louis, Louis, do you not hear?"
"Well! and am I not waiting for you, also?" said the king, with infinitetenderness of tone. "Let others henceforth wait for you."
But she gently shook her head, as she replied: "Happiness hidden...power concealed... my pride should be as silent as my heart."
The noise was again resumed.
"I hear Montalais's voice," she said, and she hurried up the staircase;the king followed her, unable to let her leave his sight, and coveringher hand with his kisses. "Yes, yes," repeated La Valliere, who hadpassed half-way through the opening. "Yes, it is Montalais who iscalling me; something important must have happened."
"Go then, dearest love," said the king, "but return quickly."
"No, no, not to-day, sire! Adieu! adieu!" she said, as she stooped downonce more to embrace her lover--and escaped. Montalais was, in fact,waiting for her, very pale and agitated.
"Quick, quick! _he_ is coming," she said.
"Who--who is coming?"
"Raoul," murmured Montalais.
"It is I--I," said a joyous voice, upon the last steps of the grandstaircase.
La Valliere uttered a terrible shriek and threw herself back.
"I am here, dear Louise," said Raoul, running towards her. "I knew buttoo well that you had not ceased to love me."
La Valliere with a gesture, partly of extreme terror, and partly as ifinvoking a blessing, attempted to speak, but could not articulate oneword. "No, no!" she said, as she fell into Montalais's arms, murmuring,"Do not touch me, do not come near me."
Montalais made a sign to Raoul, who stood almost petrified at the door,and did not even attempt to advance another step into the room.Then, loo
king towards the side of the room where the screen was, sheexclaimed: "Imprudent girl, she has not even closed the trap-door."
And she advanced towards the corner of the room to close the screen, andalso, behind the screen, the trap-door. But suddenly the king, who hadheard Louise's exclamation, darted through the opening, and hurriedforward to her assistance. He threw himself on his knees before her, ashe overwhelmed Montalais with questions, who hardly knew where she was.At the moment, however, when the king threw himself on his knees, a cryof utter despair rang through the corridor, accompanied by the sound ofretreating footsteps. The king wished to see who had uttered the cry andwhose were the footsteps he had heard; and it was in vain that Montalaissought to retain him, for Louis, quitting his hold of La Valliere,hurried towards the door, too late, however, for Raoul was already at adistance, and the king only beheld a shadow that quickly vanished in thesilent corridor. [8]