"I have not before had the chance, my lord," returned Claude, bowing. "However, my tale is not so wonderful. When I went upon my little journey the King was so gracious as to express the hope that I would return to Versailles when I should be able to present to him madame my wife. Well—in the English Americas I was so happy as—to have engaged the affections of a charming daughter of their excellent aristocracy there. We were married nearly three months ago in a private chapel by the Father Aimé St. Quentin; and so, madame being pleased to return with me to Court, we set sail shortly after the wedding, and—behold me!"
"Bravo—bravo! You have been making history! Madame, of course, is not yet presented?"
"Scarcely, Chevalier, since her Majesty is barely returned."
"Are you stopping in Paris?"
"We have Rohan's former apartment in the Rue d'Anjou here."
"Aha! Madame possibly brought a worthy dot—is it not so?"
If the question displeased Claude, he did not show it. Shrugging and smiling with some significance, he moved towards a card-table, and instantly the estimate of Mme. de Mailly's prestige went up a hundred thousand livres. The room was now all attention to Claude. He ordered cognac, and his example was followed by a dozen others. De Gêvres and d'Epernon ceased their play. Even Richelieu seemed for a moment to be on the point of leaving the interests of Mlle. Nicolet, but eventually he continued his amusement, only stopping occasionally to glance around at the group of new sycophants, biding his own time.
"Of course, you have seen la Châteauroux, Claude?" questioned Rohan, a little intimately.
De Mailly stared at him. "Of course, as you say, I have seen her."
"D'Agenois' reign will be short, then," muttered Coigny to Maurepas.