“Yes, I do love the king,” hoarsely murmured the young girl, “and I have paid dearly enough for pronouncing those words. And now, Montalais, tell me—what can you do either for me, or against me, in my position?”
“You must speak more clearly still.”
“What am I to say, then?”
“And so you have nothing very particular to tell me?”
“No!” said Louise, in astonishment.
“Very good; and so all you have to ask me is my advice respecting M. Raoul?”
“Nothing else.”
“It is a very delicate subject,” replied Montalais.
“No, it is nothing of the kind. Ought I to marry him in order to keep the promise I made, or ought I continue to listen to the king?”
“You have really placed me in a very difficult position,” said Montalais, smiling; “you ask me if you ought to marry Raoul, whose friend I am, and whom I shall mortally offend in giving my opinion against him; and then, you ask me if you should cease to listen to the king, whose subject I am, and whom I should offend if I were to advise you in a particular way. Ah, Louise, you seem to hold a difficult position at a very cheap rate.”