470 TEN YEARS LATER. distinguished honor for me; it is not, therefore, for myself that 1 fear the interpretations that may be made." "For whom, then?" "For yourself, sire." "For me?" said the king, smiling. "I do not under- stand you." "Has your majesty already forgotten what took place yesterday evening in her royal highness' apartments?" "Oh! forget that, I beg, or allow me to remember it for no other purpose than to thank you once more for your letter, and " "Sire," interrupted La Valliere, "the rain is falling, and your majesty's head is uncovered." "I entreat you not to think of anything but yourself." "Oh I I," said La Valliere, smiling, "I am a country girl, accustomed to roaming through the meadows of the Loire and the gardens of Blois, whatever the weather may be. And as for my clothes," she added, looking at her simple muslin dress, "your majesty sees they do not run much risk." "Indeed, I have already noticed, more than once, that you owed nearly everything to yourself, and nothing to your toilet. Your freedom from coquetry is one of your greatest charms in my eyes." "Sire, do not make me out better than I am, and say, merely, 'You cannot be a coquette.' " "Why so?" "Because," said La Valliere, smiling, "I am not rich." "You admit, then," said the king quickly, "that you have a love for beautiful things." "Sire, I only regard those things as beautiful which are within my reach. Everything which is too highly placed for me " "You are indifferent to?" "Is foreign to me, as being prohibited." "And I," said the king, "do not find that you are at my court on the footing you should be. The services of your family have not been sufficiently brought under my notice. The advancement of your family has been cruelly neglected by my uncle." "On the contrary, sire. His royal highness, the Dnke of Orleans, had always been exceedingly kind toward Mon- sieur de St. Remy, my father-in-law. The services rendered were humble, and, properly speaking, our services have been adequately recognized. It is not every one who is
