everybody, that his affections were in no way changed. A remark
which only she understood.

Both he and the Duc d'Anjou left Champigny with regret. For a
long time they went along in silence; but at last it occurred to
the Duc d'Anjou that the reflections which occupied his thoughts
might be echoed in the mind of the Duc de Guise, and he asked him
brusquely if he was thinking about the beauties of Madame de
Montpensier. This blunt question combined with what he had
already observed of the Prince's behaviour made the Duc realise
that he had a rival from whom it was essential that his own love
for the Princess should be concealed. In order to allay all
suspicion he answered with a laugh that the Prince himself had
seemed so preoccupied with the thoughts which he was accused of
having that he had deemed it inadvisable to interrupt him; the
beauty of Madame de Montpensier was, he said, nothing new to him,
he had been used to discounting its effect since the days when
she was destined to be his sister-in-law, but he saw that not
everyone was so little dazzled. The Duc d'Anjou admitted that he
had never seen anyone to compare with this young Princess and
that he was well aware that the vision might be dangerous if he
was exposed to it too often. He tried to get the Duc de Guise to
confess that he felt the same, but the Duc would admit to
nothing.

On their return to Loches they often recalled with pleasure the
events which had led to their meeting with the Princess de
Montpensier, a subject which did not give rise to the same
pleasure at Champigny. The Prince de Montpensier was dissatisfied
with all that had happened without being able to say precisely