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But I should very much like to see the king before I die; I have to speak to him of things which concern his person and the welfare of his state, and which I feel sure none of you would dare to tell him of." "I will go and inform his Majesty, . . ." rejoined Damville; and he went out with Villars and Teligny, leaving Marshal de Cosse in the room.
"Take care!" laughed Roger good-humouredly, "and don't let that madcap get you into mischief. I shouldn't be surprised if he tries to get his information from Cossé himself." "I would," declared Felix merrily, "if he gave me half a chance; but we must really go; the Admiral" and he drew himself up with an air of assumed importance "depends upon us."
Then, deliberately putting the money in her pocket, she exclaimed, "You must own that comte Jean is a great rogue." I had occasionally some unaccountable whims and caprices. Among other follies I took it into my head to become jealous of the duchesse de Cosse, under the idea that the duke would return to her, and that I should no longer possess his affections.
Ere madame de Mirepoix had left me and she remained till a late hour, the ducs d'Aiguillon and de Cosse arrived, who, although less experienced in their knowledge of the king's character, were yet fully of her opinion respecting my last visit to him. Scarcely had these visitors withdrawn, than I was apprized that the chancellor of France desired to see me.
As yet, it was but little in the power of any person to predict the coming blow. "The king is ill," said each of us as we met. "The king is ill," was the morning salutation of the ducs de Richelieu, de Noailles, de Duras, and de Cosse. The prince de Soubise had followed the example of madame de Flaracourt, and had quitted Trianon; it seemed as though the hour for defection were already arrived.
We supped together without form or ceremony, the party consisting of mesdames d'Aiguillon, de Forcalquier, and myself, mademoiselle du Barry, and the vicomtesse Adolphe, the prince de Soubise and the duc de Cosse. But the meal passed off in sorrowful silence; each of us seemed to abstain from conversation as though the slightest remark might come fraught with some painful allusion.
"We can already perceive the brightest rays of Aurora reflected in the sparkling eyes around us," exclaimed M. de Cosse. "A truce with your gallantry, gentlemen," replied madame de Mirepoix, "at my age I can only believe myself capable of reflecting the last rays of the setting sun."
Up to the moment of my quitting Ruel madame de Mirepoix gave me no token of recollection: I heard that herself and the prince de Beauvau were reconciled, and for her sake I rejoiced at it. No person came near us the whole of the day with the exception of M. de Cosse, and I sat in hourly expectation of some order from court.
Luc, in a dressing-gown, was roaring through a tube the words which he had found so dreadful, and beside him, leaning on his shoulder, was a lady in white, who every now and then took the tube from him, and called through something herself, while stifled bursts of laughter accompanied each sentence of Chicot's, who continued to answer in a doleful tone. "Jeanne de Cosse in St. Luc's room!
Our poor fellows" he spoke of the English remnant "have suffered severely. Where is Felix?" "We are on our way to look for him; I fear he has fallen." Roger turned and went with us. "I saw him with the flag," he remarked. "'Twas a gallant deed. It helped us to win the battle. By my word, Cossé must have lost frightfully; the field just here looks carpeted with the dead."
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