"
"Madame," replied comte Jean, with the utmost gravity, "madame
is a lady as full of prudence as of kindness, but yet a little too
exacting. Madame wishes to have a promise signed for herself
and son: that is too much. Why does she not content herself in
dividing the difficulty, by satisfying herself with a verbal
promise for what concerns herself, and with a written engagement
for what relates to her son?"
"
," replied the countess, "I am anxious to
arrange all to our mutual satisfaction. But his majesty would not
surely refuse the entreaties of madame for what I ask."
"I will speak to him of it the first time I see him."
"Oh, you are a charming woman. You will obtain all from the
king, and make a sure friend--"
"Whose friendship is very difficult to acquire," said I, interrupting her.
The countess would have replied to this, when my first
, opening the two folding-doors of the
room, announced the king.
At this unexpected name my guest trembled, and in spite of the
thick rouge which covered her cheeks, I perceived she turned pale.
She then saw the scene we had prepared for her: she wished herself
a hundred leagues off: but she could do nothing, but remain where
she was. I took her by the hand, all trembling as she was, and
presented her to the king, saying,
"Sire, I now do for this lady, in my own drawing-room, what she
will have the kindness to do for me at the state-chamber.
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