I shall hate this moment during my whole life.
You have made me suffer in one moment more distress and more degradation than I could have anticipated in the greatest extremity in life." And the king rose and gave free vent to his tears, which, in fact, were tears of anger and shame.
Madame was not touched exactly--for the best women, when their pride is hurt, are without pity; but she was afraid that the tears the king was shedding might possibly carry away every soft and tender feeling in his heart.
"Give what commands you please, sire," she said; "and since you prefer my humiliation to your own--although mine is public and yours has been witnessed but by myself alone--speak, I will obey your majesty." "No, no, Henrietta!" exclaimed Louis, transported with gratitude, "you will 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 it with kisses.

"And so you will receive this poor girl back again, and will 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 so infelicitously escaped her, Madame had destroyed the whole merit of her sacrifice.

The king felt freed from all obligations.