Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-20

shall also soe tho fIrmness of the klng As to your insults today. I forgive thcn
 freely. if that will make you moro han py in your retirement. But time hal come when 1t Is necessary to review our past life and to prepare for tha which Is to come"
 "Ah, sire, you pain me. You are no yet in the prime of your years. and 70, speak as If old age were upon you. IT . score of years from now 1t may bt time for folks to say that age has mad' . change in your life"
 The king winced. "Who say sol" he cried angrily.
 "Oh, sire. 1t slipped from mo un awares. Think no more of it. Nobody says so. Nobody"
 "You are hiding something from me Who Ia it who says this?,
 "Oh. sire, 1t was but foolish court gossip. all unworthy of your attention To me, sire. you are as pleasing and as gracious as when you first won the heart of Mile. Tonnay- -Charente" The king smiled as he looked at the beautiful woman before him. ''In very truth" said he. T can say that there has been no such great changes in Mile. Tonnay- Charente ei ther. But still it is best that we should part, Francoise."
 You have but to name the place. sire-Petit Bourg, Chargny or my own convent of St. Joseph in the Faubourg St. Germain. What matter where the flower withers when once the sun has forever turned from it? At least the past is my own, and shall live in the remembrance of the days when none had como between us and when your sweet love was all my own. Be happy, sire, be happy, and think no more of what I said about the foolish gossip of the court. Your life lies in the fu- ture. Mine is in the past. Adleu, dear sire, adieur' She threw forward her arms, her eyes dimmed over, and she would have fallen had Louis not sprung forward and caught her in his arms. Her beautiful head dropped upon hls shoulder, her breath was warm upon his cheek, and the subtle scent of her hair was in his nostrils. Her broad white throat was thrown back, her eyes almost closed, her lips just parted enough to show the line of pearly teeth. her beautiful face not three inches from his own. And then sud denly the cyelids quivered, and the great blue eyes looked up at him lov- ingly, appealingly, half deprecating, half challenging. her whole soul in a glance. Did he move? Or was 1t she Who could tell? But their lips had met in long kiss and then in another, and plans and resolutions were stream ing away from Louis like autumn leaves in the west wind.
 'Then I am not to go! You would not have the heart to send me away, would youY
 ''No, no; but you must not annoy me, Francoise."
 ''I had rather die than cause you an instant of grief. Oh. sire, have seen 50 little of you lately! And l love you SO! It has maddened me And then that dreadful woman"-
 'Who. then?'
 "Oh, I must not speak against her. I will be civil for your sake even to her. the widow of old Scarron."
 "Yes, yes. you must be civil. I can not have any unpleasantness."
 But you will stay with me. sire?'' Her supple arms coiled themselves round his neck. Then she held him for an instant at arms length to feast her eyes upon his face, and then drew him once more toward her. You will not leave me, dear sire. It is SO long since you have been here."
 T will stay," said he.
 And that carriage, dear sire, at tho east doorT'
 T have been very harsh with you. Francoise. You will forgive me. Have you paper and pencil. that may coun- termand the order?"
 They are here. sire, upon the side table. l have also a note which. if I may leave you for an instant I will write in the anteroom."
 She swept out with triumph in her eyes. It had been terrible fight, but all the greater the credit of her vic tory. She took little pink slip of paper from an inlaid desk and dashed off few words upon it. They were, "Should Mime. de Maintenon have any message for his majesty he will be for the next few hours in the room of Mme. de Montespan." This she ad- dressed to her rival. and 1t was sent on the spot, together with the kings order. by the hands of page.