Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-17

assembled outside the door. The speak CT, who was NJ. Bontems. head yalet-de- chambre, gave sign to the officer of the guard and led him into the window alcove from which he had lately come.
 Good morning, Captain de Catinat. Who commands at the main guardl"
 Major de BNssac."
 "And you will be here" . "For four hours I attend the king" X 'very good. He gave me some in- struction for the officer of the guard. He bade me to say that M. de Vivonne was not to be admitted to the grand lever. You are to tell him so."
 T shall do so."
 Then, should note come from her you understand me, the new one"-
 Mime. de Maintenon:'
 Precisely. But it is more discreet not to mention names. Should she send note, you will take it and deliver it quietly when the king gives you an opportunity"
 Tt shall be done.'
 But if the other should come, as is possible enough-the other, you under stand me, the former
 Mime. de Montespan."
 "Ah, that soldierly tongue of yours, captain! Should she come, say, you will gently bar her way, with courteous words, you understand. but on no ac- count is she to be permitted to enter the royal room."
 Very good, Bontems."
 And now we have but three min utes." He strode through the rapidly increasing group of people in the cor ridor with an air of proud humility, as befitted man who, if he was a valet, was at least the king of valets by be- ing the valet of the king. Close by the door stood line of footmen resplen- dent in their powdered wigs. red plush coats and silver shoulder knots. He turned the handle once more and slip ped into the darkened room.
 It was large, square apartment, with two high windows upon the fur ther side, curtained across with price less velvet hangings. In one corner a narrow couch with rug thrown across 1t showed where the faithful Bontems had spent the night.
 In the very center of the chamber there stood large four post bed, with curtains of Gobelin tapestry looped back from the pillow. A square of pol ished rails surrounded it, leaving a space some five feet in width all round between the inclosure and the bedside
 As Bontems passed noiselessly across the room. his feet sinking into the mosslike carpet, there was the heavy, close smell of sleep in the air, and he could hear the long, thin breathing of the sleeper. He passed through the opening in the rails and stood, watch in hand, waiting for the exact instant when the iron routine of the court de- handed that the monarch should be reused. Beneath him, from under the costly green coverlct of oriental silk, half buried in the fluffy valenciennes lace which edged the pillow, there pro truded a round black bristle of close cropped hair, with the profile of cury- ing nose and petulant lip outlined against the white background. The valet snapped his watch and bent over the sleeper.
 "I have the honor to inform your majesty that 1t is half past s. said he.
 "Ahw The king slowly opened his large dark brown eyes. made the sign of the cross and kissed little dark reliquary which he drew from under his nightdress. Then he sat up in bed.
 Did you give my orders to the off, cer of the guard, Bontems" he asked.
 "Yes, sire"
 "Who is on duty"
 Major de Brissac at the main guard and Captain de Catinat in the cor ridor."
 De Catinat. An, the young man who stopped my horse at Fontainebleau. I him. You may give the sig nal. Bontems."
 The chief valet walked swiftly across to the door and threw it open. In rushed the officer of the ovens and the four red coated. white wigged foot men, ready handed, silent footed, each Intent upon his own duties. The one seized upon Bontems' rug and couch and in an instant had whipped them uff into an antechamber. another had carried away the silver taper stand, while third drew back the great cur tains of stamped velvet and let food of light into the apartment.
 They were hardly gone before more august group entered the bedchamber. Two walked together in front. the one q youth little over twenty years of age. middle sized. incllning to stoutness. with a slow, pompous bearing. . well turned leg and a face which was come ly enough in a masklike fashion, but which was devoid of any shadow of expression except perhaps of an occa- sional lurking gleam of mischievous hunor. His companion was a man of forty. swarthy. dignified and solemn. As the pair faced the king there was sufiicient resemblance between the three faces to show that they were of one blood and to enable a stranger to guess that the older was monsieur. the younger brother of the king. while the other was Louis the Dauphin. his only legitimate child.
 Behind the kings son and the kings brother there entered little group of notables and of officials whom duty had called to this daily ceremony. There