siveness of her arms and bust, she more resembled one whose soul had passed away than a living being; she seemed not to hear either the whisperings of her companions or the distant murmurs which arose from the neighborhood. She seemed to be communing within herself; and her beautiful, slender, and delicate hands trembled from time to time, as though from the contact of some invisible touch. She was so completely absorbed in her reverie that the king entered without her perceiving him. At a distance he gazed upon her lovely face, upon which the moon shed its pure silvery light.
"Good heavens!" he exclaimed, with a terror he could not control, "she is dead!"
"No, sire," said Montalais, in a low voice; "on the contrary, she is better. Are you not better, Louise?"
But Louise did not answer. "Louise," continued Montalais, "the king has deigned to express his uneasiness on your account."
"The king!" exclaimed Louise, starting up abruptly, as if a stream of fire had darted through her frame to her heart; "the king uneasy about me?"
"Yes," said Montalais.
"The king is here, then?" said La Valliere, not venturing to look round her.
"That voice! that voice!" whispered Louis eagerly to St. Aignan.
"Yes, it is so," replied St. Aignan; "your majesty is right; it is she who declared her love for the sun."
"Hush!" said the king. And then approaching La Valliere, he said, "You are not well. Mademoiselle de la Valliere? Just now, indeed, in the park, I saw that you had fainted. How were you attacked?"
"Sire," stammered out the poor child, pale and trembling, "I really do not know."
"You have been walking too much," said the king; "and fatigue, perhaps "
"No, sire," said Montalais eagerly, answering for her friend, "it could not be from fatigue, for we passed part of the evening seated beneath the royal oak."
"Under the royal oak?" returned the king, starting. "I was not deceived; it is as I thought." And he directed a look of intelligence at the comte.
"Yes," said St. Aignan, "under the royal oak, with Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente."
"How do you know that?" inquired Montalais.
