Morand," was my reply, "what are you thinking of? A
woman of my rank throw herself at any person's head?"
"No, certainly not; but you can send him a kind word, or some
affectionate token."
"I could not think of it; M. Lebel appeared to me a most agreeable
man, and I shall be at all times delighted to see him."
Morand asked nothing more than this, and there our conversation ended.
Two days elapsed without being marked by any event. Comte Jean
had spent them with much anxiety. He was absent, when, on the
third morning, Henriette came hastily into my room. "Madame," she
said, "the
of the king is in the drawing-room,
and inquires if you will receive him."
At this news I was surprised and vexed. M. Lebel took me unawares;
my toilette was not begun. I gave a hasty glance at my mirror, "Let
M. Lebel come in"; and M. Lebel, who was on the heels of my maid,
entered instantly. After having saluted me, he said,
"It is only you, Madame, whom one might thus surprise. Your
beauty needs no ornament, your charms are decoration sufficient."
I replied to this compliment with (of course) much modesty,
according to custom. We entered into conversation, and I found
that Lebel really thought me the sister-in-law of comte Jean; and
I remarked the involuntary respect that attended even his familiarity.
I left him in his error, which was material to my interests.
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