The king's face revealed a violent conflict between pride and love.

The political conversation had dispelled a good deal of the irritation which Louis had felt, and La Valliere's pale, worn features, in his imagination, spoke a very different language from that of the Dutch medals, or the Batavian pamphlets.

He sat for ten minutes debating within himself whether he should or should not return to La Valliere; but Colbert having with some urgency respectfully requested that the list might be furnished him, the king was ashamed to be thinking of mere matters of affection where important state affairs required his attention.

He therefore dictated: the queen-mother, the queen, Madame, Madame de Motteville, Madame de Chatillon, Madame de Navailles; and, for the men, M.le Prince, M.de Gramont, M.de Manicamp, M.de Saint-Aignan, and the officers on duty.
"The ministers ?" asked Colbert.
"As a matter of course, and the secretaries also." "Sire, I will leave at once in order to get everything prepared; the orders will be at the different residences to-morrow." "Say rather to-day," replied Louis mournfully, as the clock struck twelve.

It was the very hour when poor La Valliere was almost dying from anguish and bitter suffering.