high? The mother of two princes and three princesses!' If
you call that relaxation, Louise, all I ask is to be
punished every day; particularly when my punishment is to
remain with you and write such interesting letters as we
write!"

"Montalais! Montalais! there are duties to be performed."

"You talk of them very much at your ease, dear child! --
you, who are left quite free amidst this tedious court. You
are the only person that reaps the advantages of them
without incurring the trouble, -- you, who are really more
one of Madame's maids of honor than I am, because Madame
makes her affection for your father-in-law glance off upon
you; so that you enter this dull house as the birds fly into
yonder court, inhaling the air, pecking the flowers, picking
up the grain, without having the least service to perform,
or the least annoyance to undergo. And you talk to me of
duties to be performed! In sooth, my pretty idler, what are
your own proper duties, unless to write to the handsome
Raoul? And even that you don't do; so that it looks to me as
if you likewise were rather negligent of your duties!"

Louise assumed a serious air, leant her chin upon her hand,
and, in a tone full of candid remonstrance, "And do you
reproach me with my good fortune?" said she. "Can you have
the heart to do it? You have a future; you belong to the
court; the king, if he should marry, will require Monsieur
to be near his person; you will see splendid fetes; you will
see the king, who they say is so handsome, so agreeable!"