The Vicomte De Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas père
page 78 of 827 (09%)
page 78 of 827 (09%)
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"Parties will not be wanting, monsieur le cardinal," replied Monsieur, with a _bonhomie_ worthy of one tradesman congratulating another. "I hope not, monseigneur, and with reason, as God has been pleased to give them grace, intelligence, and beauty." During this conversation, Louis XIV., conducted by Madame, accomplished, as we have described, the circle of presentations. "Mademoiselle Auricule," said the princess, presenting to his majesty a fat, fair girl of two-and-twenty, who at a village _fete_ might have been taken for a peasant in Sunday finery, - "the daughter of my music- mistress." The king smiled. Madame had never been able to extract four correct notes from either viol or harpsichord. "Mademoiselle Aure de Montalais," continued Madame; "a young lady of rank, and my good attendant." This time it was not the king that smiled; it was the young lady presented, because, for the first time in her life, she heard, given to her by Madame, who generally showed no tendency to spoil her, such an honorable qualification. Our old acquaintance Montalais, therefore, made his majesty a profound courtesy, the more respectful from the necessity she was under of concealing certain contractions of her laughing lips, which the king might not have attributed to their real cause. |
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