"
"Much more than you imagine, madame," I replied. "The king does
not care to involve himself in such engagements. He does not
like, moreover, that his sacred word should be doubted."
"Ah?" replied the cunning creature, "heaven forbid that I should
not blindly trust to the king's word, but his memory may fail, or
he, like other men, may forget."
"Madame," replied comte Jean, with the utmost gravity, "madame
is a lady as full of prudence as of kindness, but yet a little too
exacting. Madame wishes to have a promise signed for herself
and son: that is too much. Why does she not content herself in
dividing the difficulty, by satisfying herself with a verbal
promise for what concerns herself, and with a written engagement
for what relates to her son?"
"
," replied the countess, "I am anxious to
arrange all to our mutual satisfaction. But his majesty would not
surely refuse the entreaties of madame for what I ask."
"I will speak to him of it the first time I see him."
"Oh, you are a charming woman. You will obtain all from the
king, and make a sure friend--"
"Whose friendship is very difficult to acquire," said I, interrupting her.
The countess would have replied to this, when my first
, opening the two folding-doors of the
room, announced the king.
At this unexpected name my guest trembled, and in spite of the
thick rouge which covered her cheeks, I perceived she turned pale.
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