"Which one?"
"Mademoiselle de Valois."
"Aglaé! how so?"
"Do you not know that there exists a kind of sorcerer, who has the power of appearing before her day or night, no one knows how?"
"Richelieu? it is true!" cried the Duchesse de Berry; "but—"
"But what, madame?"
"He will not, perhaps—"
"I will beg him so that he will take pity on me," said Bathilde; "besides, you will speak a word for me, will you not? He will not dare to refuse what your highness asks."
"We will do better than that," said the duchess. "Riom, call Madame de Mouchy, beg her to take mademoiselle herself to the duke. Madame de Mouchy is my first lady-in-waiting," said the duchess, turning to Bathilde, "and it is supposed that the Duc de Richelieu owes her some gratitude. You see, I could not choose you a better introductress."
"Oh, thanks, madame," cried Bathilde, kissing the duchess's hands, "you are right, and all hope is not yet lost. And you say that the Duc de Richelieu has a means of entering the Palais Royal?"