LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 269 his sight, and covering her hand with his kisses. "Yes, yes," repeated La Valliere, who had passed halfway through the opening. "Yes, it is Montalais who is calling me; something important must have happened."
- 'Go, then, dearest love," said the king, "but return
quickly." "No, no, not to-day, sire. Adieu, adieu!" she said, as she stooped down once more to embrace her lover, and then escaped. Montalais was, in fact, waiting for her, very pale and agitated. "Quick, quick! he is coming," she said. "Who — who is coming?" "Kaoul," murmured Montalais. "It is I — I," said a joyous voice, upon the last steps of the grand staircase. La Valliere uttered a terrible shriek and threw herself back. "I am here, dear Louise," said Eaoul, running toward her. "I knew but too well that you had not ceased to love me." La Valliere with a gesture, partly of extreme terror, and partly as if invoking a curse, attempted to speak, but could not articulate one word. "No, no!" she said, as she fell into Montalais' arms, murmuring, "Do not touch me, do not come near me." Montalais made a sign to Eaoul, who stood almost petri- fied at the door, and did not even attempt to advance an- other step into the room. Then, looking toward the side of the room where the screen was, she exclaimed: "Imprudent girl! she has not even closed the trapdoor!" And she advanced toward the corner of the room to close the screen, and also, behind the screen, the trapdoor. But suddenly the king, who had heard Louise's exclamation, darted through the opening, and hurried forward to her assistance. He tlirew himself on his knees before her, as he overwhelmed Montalais with questions, who hardly knew where she was. At the moment, however, the king threw himself on his knees, a cry of utter despair rang through the corridor, accompanied by the sound of retreating foot- steps. The king wished to see who had uttered the cry, and whose were the footsteps he had heard; and it was in vain that Montalais sought to retain him, for Louis, quitting his hold of La Valliere, hurried toward the door, too late, however, for Eaoul was already at a distance, and the king saw only a kind of sliadow turning the angle of the corridor.
