talent over dindes truffees.

But princes are thus constituted. The gods, too, were just
like this in Olympus. Diana and Venus, no doubt, abused the
beautiful Alcmena and poor Io, when they condescended, for
distraction's sake, to speak, amidst nectar and ambrosia, of
mortal beauties, at the table of Jupiter.

Fortunately, Louise was so bent in her reverential salute,
that she did not catch either Madame's words or the king's
smile. In fact, if the poor child, who had so much good
taste as alone to have chosen to dress herself in white
amidst all her companions -- if that dove's heart, so easily
accessible to painful emotions, had been touched by the
cruel words of Madame, or the egotistical cold smile of the
king, it would have annihilated her.

And Montalais herself, the girl of ingenious ideas, would
not have attempted to recall her to life; for ridicule kills
beauty even.

But fortunately, as we have said, Louise, whose ears were
buzzing, and her eyes veiled by timidity, -- Louise saw
nothing and heard nothing; and the king, who had still his
attention directed to the conversation of the cardinal and
his uncle, hastened to return to them.

He came up just at the moment Mazarin terminated by saying:
"Mary, as well as her sisters, has just set off for Brouage.
I make them follow the opposite bank of the Loire to that