Ah! sire, I know how very different are the epithets which certain Puritans of the court will not fail to apply to me when they learn of what I intend to do for your majesty." "Saint-Aignan, I am dying with impatience; I am in a perfect fever; I shall never be able to wait until to-morrow--to-morrow! why, to-morrow is an eternity!" "And yet, sire, I shall require you, if you please, to go out presently and divert your impatience by a good walk." "With you--agreed; we will talk about your projects, we will talk of her." "Nay, sire; I remain here." "Whom shall I go out with, then ?" "With the queen and all the ladies of the court." "Nothing shall induce me to do that, Saint-Aignan." "And yet, sire, you must." "_Must ?_--no, no--a thousand times no! I will never again expose myself to the horrible torture of being close to her, of seeing her, of touching her dress as I pass by her, and yet not be able to say a word to her.

No, I renounce a torture which you suppose will bring me happiness, but which consumes and eats away my very life; to see her in the presence of strangers, and not to tell her that I love her, when my whole being reveals my affection and betrays me to every one; no! I have sworn never to do it again, and I will keep my oath." "Yet, sire, pray listen to me for a moment." "I will listen to nothing, Saint-Aignan." "In that case, I will continue; it is most urgent, sire--pray understand me, it is of the greatest importance--that Madame and her maids of honor should be absent for two hours from the palace." "I cannot understand your meaning at all, Saint-Aignan." "It is hard for me to give my sovereign directions what to do; but under the circumstances I do give you directions, sire; and either a hunting or a promenade party must be got up." "But if I were to do what you wish, it would be a caprice, a mere whim.
In displaying such an impatient humor I show my whole court that I have no control over my own feelings.

Do not people already say that I am dreaming of the conquest of the world, but that I ought previously to begin by achieving a conquest over myself ?" "Those who say so, sire, are as insolent as they would like to be thought facetious; but whomever they may be, if your majesty prefers to listen to them, I have nothing further to say.

In such a case, that which we have fixed to take place to-morrow must be postponed indefinitely." "Nay, Saint-Aignan, I will go out this evening--I will go by torchlight to Saint-Germain: I will breakfast there to-morrow, and will return to Paris by three o'clock.

Will that do ?" "Admirably." "In that case I will set out this evening at eight o'clock." "Your majesty has fixed upon the exact minute." "And you positively will tell me nothing more ?" "It is because I have nothing more to tell you.