"'But the vicomte has not been absent from Versailles, for the
past month. He has been at my morning levee, and on all other
occasions at my breakfasts and dinners. He has walked with me in
the gardens, and been always present at the evening receptions.'

"'That is so, Sire,' I said. 'My daughter, happily, saw him but
once; namely, on the morning after she was captured. He then told
her, frankly, that she would remain a prisoner until she consented
to marry him, however long the time might be. He said he would
return in a month, and hoped by that time to find that, seeing the
hopelessness of her position, she would be more inclined to accept
his suit.

"'It was on the eve of his coming again that my daughter, in her
desperation, made the attempt to escape. She was foiled in her
effort, but this, nevertheless, brought about her rescue, for her
cries, as her guards dragged her into the house, attracted the
attention of Monsieur Kennedy, who forthwith, as I have told you,
stormed the house, killed her guards, and brought her home to me.'

"The king then sent for de Tulle, and spoke to him with great
sternness. The latter did not attempt to deny my accusation, but
endeavoured to excuse himself, on the ground of the passion that
he had conceived for my daughter. Certainly, from the king's tone,
I thought that he would at least have sent him to the Bastille;
but, to my great disappointment, he wound up his reproof by
saying:

"'I can, of course, make some allowances for your passion for so