"Sire," said the old groom in a peevish tone, "the gentleman told me that he would manage the affair himself . . ."
"And by Heaven, he does manage it" . . . said the king with astonishment;—"see there, marshal! on my word . . . he has bewitched her! . . . See how he approaches her, and she does not budge. . . . He caresses her, and the beast does not answer him with a bite, or a kick. . . . What do you say to that, St. Clair?"
"Sire, I say . . . I say . . . I say that I don't understand it at all. . . . Ordinarily she can only be mounted by the aid of the nose-twister, she is so skittish and wild." . . .
"Now see him in the saddle . . . faith! . . . he is wonderful . . . full of grace and agility. . . . What do you say to it Richelieu? What do you say, St. Clair?" said the king, whose whole face was radiant with pleasure at seeing the prowess of his young protégé.
"Faith! I should say to the king that the boy, young as he is, is an accomplished horseman,—but he must possess some charm to have quieted the villainous kicker," . . . replied the marshal.
"One cannot say, Sire, that the posture of the gentleman is absolutely bad," said old St. Clair. "He sits firm; his body and limbs are well poised, and he seems to have a hand at once light and steady". . .
"And what the devil do you want more?" said the king; "but let us see . . . will she pass before the marble statue which so frightened her before? . . . No . . . no . . . she refuses—what bounds! Ah! poor boy!" . . .
"He seems screwed to her back. She'll have to give in," cried the marshal; "and with his little figure. He must be strong as Hercules."
"Monseigneur well knows that there is no great skill in keeping one's seat while a horse rears . . . the science is in foreseeing and preventing the rearing," rejoined St. Clair.
"Even in that case you ought to be satisfied. Look! look, see how she passes the statue . . . as easy, as comfortably as an old hack. Well done! is he a sorcerer?" cried Louis XV., looking with astonishment at the marshal and St. Clair, not less surprised than himself.