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The Vicomte De Bragelonne 479 at Prostate Health
girl!" and then
adding, "Poor king!" she kissed Louise on the forehead, and returned to
her apartment, where Malicorne was waiting for her.
CHAPTER XLIII.
THE PORTRAIT.
In that malady which is termed love the paroxysms succeed each other at
intervals, always more rapid from the moment the disease declares
itself. By-and-by, the paroxysms are less frequent, in proportion as the
curet approaches. This being laid down as a general axiom, and as the
heading of a particular chapter, we will now proceed with our recital.
The next day, the day fixed by the king for the first conversation in
Saint-Aignans room, La Valliere, on opening one of the folds of the
screen, found upon the floor a letter in the kings handwriting. The
letter had been passed, through a slit in the floor, from the lower
apartment to her own. No indiscreet hand or curious gaze could have
brought or did bring this simple paper. This was one of Malicornes
ideas. Having seen how very serviceable Saint-Aignan would become to the
king on account of his apartment, he did not wish that the courtier
should become still more indispensable as a messenger, and so he had, on
his own private account, reserved this last post for himself. La
Valliere most eagerly read the letter, which fixed two oclock that same
afternoon for the rendezvous, and which indicated the way of raising the
trap-door which was constructed out of the flooring. "Make yourself look
as beautiful as possible," added the postscript of the letter, words
which astonished the young girl, but at the same time reassured her. The
hours passed away very slowly, but the time fixed, however, arrived at
last. As punctual as the priestess Hero, Louise lifted up the trap-door
at the last stroke of the hour of two, and found the king upon the top
steps, waiting for her with the greatest respect, in order to give her
his hand to descend. The delicacy and deference shown in this attention
affected her very powerfully. At the foot of the staircase the two
lovers found the comte, who, with a smile and a low reverence
distinguished by the best taste, expressed his thanks to La Valliere for
the honor she conferred upon him. Then, turning toward the king, he
said:
"Sire, our man is here." La Valliere looked at the king with some
uneasiness.
"Mademoiselle," said the king, "if I have begged you to do me the honor
of coming down here, it was from an interested motive. I have procured a
most admirable portrait-painter, who is celebrated for the fidelity of
his likenesses, and I wish you to be kind enough to authorize him to
paint yours. Besides, if you positively wish it, the portrait shall
remain in your own possession." La Valliere blushed.
"You see," said the king to her, "we shall not be three as you wished,
but four instead. And, so long as we are not alone, there can be as many
present as you please." La Valliere gently pressed her royal lovers
hand.
"Shall we pass into the next room, sire?" said Saint-Aignan, opening the
door to let his guests precede him. The king walked behind La Valliere,
and fixed his eyes lingeringly and passionately upon her neck as white
as snow, upon which her long fair ringlets fell in heavy masses. La
Valliere was dressed in a thick silk robe of pearl gray color, with a
tinge of rose, with jet ornaments, which displayed to greater effect the
dazzling purity of her skin, holding in her slender and transparent
hands a bouquet of heartsease, Bengal roses, and clematis, surrounded
with leaves of the tenderest green, above which uprose, like a tiny
goblet shedding perfumes, a Haarlem tulip of gray and violet tints, of a
pure and beautiful species, which had cost the gardener five years toil
of combinations and the king five thousand francs. Louis had placed this
bouquet in La Vallieres hand as he saluted her. In the room, the door
of which Saint-Aignan had just opened, a young man was standing, dressed
in a loose velvet coat, with beautiful black eyes and long brown hair.
It was the painter; his canvas was quite ready, and his palette prepared
for use. He bowed to La Valliere with that grave curiosity of an artist
who is studying his model, saluted the king discreetly, as if he did not
recognize him, and as he would, consequently, have saluted any other
gentleman. Then, leading Mademoiselle de la Valliere to the seat which
he had arranged for her, he begged her to
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