“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.”