LOUISE DE LA VALLIERE. 81 tinued until one of the two had been touched home. De Guiche, therefore, resumed all the self-possession he could command. "There is not the slightest question in the world of ma- dame in this matter, my dear De Wardes," said De Guiche, "but simply of what you were talking about just now.'* "What was I saying?" "That you had concealed certain things from Bragelonne.'* "Certain things which you know as well as I do/' replied De Wardes. "No, upon my honor." "Nonsense." "If you tell me what it is, I shall know, but not other- wise, I swear." "What! I, who have just arrived from a distance of sixty leagues, and you who have not stirred from this place, who have witnessed with your own eyes that which rumor in- formed me at Calais! Do you now tell me seriously that you do not know what it is about? Oh! comte, this is hardly charitable of you." "As you like it, De Wardes; but I again repeat, I know nothing." "You are very discreet; well, perhaps it is very prudent of you." "And so you will not tell me anything, will not tell me any more than you told Bragelonue?" "You are pretending to be deaf, I see. I am convinced that madame could not possibly have more command over herself than you have over yourself." "Double hypocrite," murmured De Guiche to himself,
- you are again returning to the old subject."
"Very well, then," continued De Wardes, "since we find it so difficult to understand each other about La Valliere and Bragelonue, let us speak about your own affairs." "Nay," said De Guiche, "I have no affairs of my own to talk about. You have not said anything about me, I sup- pose, to Bragelonue which you cannot repeat to myself?" "No; but understand me, De Guiche, that however much I may be ignorant of certain matters, I am quite as con- versant with others. If, for instance, we were conversing about certain intimacies of the Duke of Buckingham at Paris, as I did during my journey with the duke, I could tell you a great many interesting circumstances. Would you like me to mention them?" De Guiche passed his hand across his forehead, which was
