Mademoiselle de la Valliere's Pocket-Handkerchief.
Madame was not bad-hearted - she was only hasty and impetuous. The king was
not imprudent - he was simply in love. Hardly had they entered into this compact,
which terminated in La Valliere's recall, when they both sought to make as much
as they could by their bargain. The king wished to see La Valliere every moment
of the day, while Madame, who was sensible of the king's annoyance ever since
he had so entreated her, would not relinquish her revenge on La Valliere without
a contest. She planted every conceivable difficulty in the king's path; he was, in
fact, obliged, in order to get a glimpse of La Valliere, to be exceedingly devoted
in his attentions to his sister-in-law, and this, indeed, was Madame's plan of
policy. As she had chosen some one to second her efforts, and as this person
was our old friend Montalais, the king found himself completely hemmed in every
time he paid Madame a visit; he was surrounded, and was never left a moment
alone. Madame displayed in her conversation a charm of manner and brilliancy
of wit which dazzled everybody. Montalais followed her, and soon rendered
herself perfectly insupportable to the king, which was, in fact, the very thing she
expected would happen. She then set Malicorne at the king, who found means of
informing his majesty that there was a young person belonging to the court who
was exceedingly miserable; and on the king inquiring who this person was,
Malicorne replied that it was Mademoiselle de Montalais. To this the king
answered that it was perfectly just that a person should be unhappy when she
rendered others so. Whereupon Malicorne explained how matters stood; for he
had received his directions from Montalais. The king began to open his eyes; he
remarked that, as soon as he made his appearance, Madame made hers too;
that she remained in the corridors until after he had left; that she accompanied
him back to his own apartments, fearing that he might speak in the ante-
chambers to one of her maids of honor. One evening she went further still. The
king was seated, surrounded by the ladies who were present, and holding in his
hand, concealed by his lace ruffle, a small note which he wished to slip into La
Valliere's hand. Madame guessed both his intention and the letter too. It was
difficult to prevent the king going wherever he pleased, and yet it was necessary
to prevent his going near La Valliere, or speaking to her, as by so doing he could
let the note fall into her lap behind her fan, or into her pocket-handkerchief. The
king, who was also on the watch, suspected that a snare was being laid for him.
He rose and pushed his chair, without affectation, near Mademoiselle de
Chatillon, with whom he began to talk in a light tone. They were amusing
themselves making rhymes; from Mademoiselle de Chatillon he went to
Montalais, and then to Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente. And thus, by this
skillful maneuver, he found himself seated opposite to La Valliere, whom he
completely concealed. Madame pretended to be greatly occupied, altering a
group of flowers that she was working in tapestry. The king showed the corner of
his letter to La Valliere, and the latter held out her handkerchief with a look that
signified, "Put the letter inside." Then, as the king had placed his own
