What poison did this discourse of the Queen-Dauphin carry in it for
Madam de Cleves? How could she but know herself to be the person whose
name was not known, and how could she help being filled with tenderness
and gratitude, when she learned, by a way not in the least liable to
suspicion, that the Duke, who had already touched her heart, concealed
his passion from the whole world, and neglected for her sake the hopes
of a Crown? It is impossible to express what she felt, or to describe
the tumult that was raised in her soul. Had the Queen-Dauphin observed
her closely, she might easily have discerned, that what she had been
saying was not indifferent to her; but as she had not the least
suspicion of the truth, she continued her discourse without minding
her: "Monsieur d'Anville," added she, "from whom, as I just told you,
I had all this, believes I know more of it than himself, and he has so
great an opinion of my beauty, that he is satisfied I am the only
person capable of creating so great a change in the Duke of Nemours."
These last words of the Queen-Dauphin gave Madam de Cleves a sort of
uneasiness very different from that which she had a few minutes before.
"I can easily come into Monsieur d'Anville's opinion," answered she;
"and 'tis very probable, Madam, that nothing less than a Princess of
your merit could make him despise the Queen of England." "I would own
it to you, if I knew it," replied the Queen-Dauphin, "and I should know
it, if it were true; such passions as these never escape the sight of
those who occasion them; they are the first to discern them; the Duke
of Nemours has never showed me anything but slight complaisances; and
yet I find so great a difference betwixt his present and former
behaviour to me, that I can assure you, I am not the cause of the
indifference he expresses for the Crown of England.
"But I forget myself in your company," added the Queen-Dauphin, "and
don't remember that I am to wait upon Madame: you know the peace is as
good as concluded, but perhaps you don't know that the King of Spain
has refused to sign it, but on condition of marrying this Princess,
instead of the Prince Don Carlos, his son: the King was with great
difficulty brought to allow it, but at last he has consented, and is
gone to carry the news to Madame; I believe she will be inconsolable.
To marry a man of the King of Spain's age and temper can never be
pleasing, especially to her who has all the gaiety which the bloom of
youth joined with beauty inspires, and was in expectation of marrying a
young Prince for whom she has an inclination without having seen him.
I do not know whether the King will find in her all the obedience he
desires; he has charged me to see her, because he knows she loves me,
and believes I shall be able to influence her. From thence I shall
make a visit of a very different nature, to congratulate the King's
sister. All things are ready for her marriage with the Prince of
Savoy, who is expected in a few days. Never was a woman of her age so
entirely pleased to be married; the Court will be more numerous and
splendid than ever, and notwithstanding your grief, you must come among
us, in order to make strangers see that we are furnished with no mean
beauties."