University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Grand Saloon in the Palace of Versailles; in the back ground the suite of Apartments is seen in perspective —the Queen seated to the left of the stage; some of the Ladies of the blood royal seated also, but on stools—many Ladies standing round.
Several Ladies enter, one by one salute the Queen, and pass on to the front of the stage—the Queen half rises to each, and appears to address them in passing, but in dumb show.
FIRST LADY.
How graciously the Queen receives the Guiches!

SECOND LADY.
See, fair La Tremouille's again in favour!

THIRD LADY.
Hush! Lo, the star that rarely gilds the nights
Of the court-heaven—the beautiful La Vallière!

Enter the Duchess de la Vallière—salutes the Queen, who half turns her back upon her in silence.
FIRST LADY.
Saw you the Queen's marked rudeness?

SECOND LADY.
Tush! the Queen
Is but a cypher! 'tis the King alone
Whose smile makes up the sum of royal favour.

THIRD LADY.
You're right; and while that smile is still La Vallière's,
She is the real Queen. How say you, Ladies?
Shall we not pay our court to her?

(The Ladies crowd round the Duchess, and appear to render her the most reverential homage, which she receives with humility and embarrassment.)
DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE
(aside.)
These smiles
Cannot efface that injured woman's frown.
Oh, how the heart that wrong'd avenges her!

Enter Lauzun, Marquis de Montespan, and several Courtiers, who, after saluting the Queen, surround the Duchess de la Vallière with still greater homage.
FIRST COURTIER.
(Approaching the Duchess de la Vallière.)
Madam, your goodness is to France a proverb!
If I might dare request, this slight memorial
You would convey to our most gracious Master?
The rank of colonel in the royal guard
Is just now vacant. True, I have not served;
But I do trust my valour is well known:
I've killed three noted swordsmen in a duel!—
And, for the rest, a word from you were more
Than all the laurels Holland gave to others.

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
My Lord, forgive me! I might ill deserve
The friendship of a monarch, if, forgetting
That honours are the attributes of merit;—
And they who sell the service of the public
For the false coin, soft smiles and honeyed words,
Forge in the antechambers of a palace,
Defraud a people to degrade a king!
If you have merits, let them plead for you;
Nor ask in whispers what you claim from justice.

MADAME DE MONTESPAN
(to first Courtier, as the Duchess de la Vallière turns away.)
Give me the paper. Hush! the King shall see it.

Music.
Enter the King, Grammont, and other Courtiers. He pauses by the Queen, and accosts her respectfully in dumb show.
GRAMMONT
(aside.)
With what a stately and sublime decorum
His Majesty throws grandeur o'er his foibles!
He not disguises vice; but makes vice kingly—
Most gorgeous of all sensualists!

LAUZUN.
How different
His royal rival in the chase of pleasure,
The spendthrift, sauntering, Second Charles of England!

GRAMMONT.
Ay, Jove to Comus!

LAUZUN.
Silence! Jove approaches!

(The Queen rises, the crowd breaks up into groups; the King passes slowly from each till he joins the Duchess de la Vallière; the Courtiers retire.)
LOUIS.
Why, this is well. I thank you.

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
And forgive me?

LOUIS.
Forgive you! You mistake me; wounded feeling
Is not displeasure. Let this pass, Louise.
Your lovely friend has a most heavenly smile!

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
And a warm heart. In truth, my Liege, I'm glad
You see her with my eyes.

LOUIS.
You have no friend
Whose face it glads me more to look upon.
(Aside, and gazing on Montespan.)
(What thrilling eyes!)— (Aloud.)
My thanks are due to her,
For, with the oil of her mellifluous voice,
Smoothing the waves the passing breeze had ruffled.

(Joins Madame de Montespan, and leads her through the crowd to the back of the stage.)
LAUZUN
(to Marquis de Montespan.)
Ar'n't you enraptured, Marquis?

MONTESPAN.
Hum!

LAUZUN.
The King
Is very condescending to your lady!

MONTESPAN.
Oh, mighty condescending! How he eyes her!

LAUZUN.
'Tis all for love of you.

MONTESPAN.
I shall despair
If the King mean me shame!

LAUZUN.
He means you honour.
O what a great man you will be, dear Marquis.
Do not forget your friends!

MONTESPAN.
Why, as you say,
'Tis very flattering—and, on second thoughts,
I clearly see I ought to be enraptured!

(Lauzun leaves Montespan, who mingles with the crowd, and should keep out of sight for the rest of the scene, and joins the Duchess de la Vallière.)
LAUZUN.
Your Grace resolves no more to be content
Eclipsing others. You eclipse yourself.

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
I thought you were a friend, and not a flatterer.

LAUZUN.
Friendship would lose its dearest privilege
If friendship were forbidden to admire!
Why, ev'n the King admires your Grace's friend,—
Told me to-day she was the loveliest lady
The court could boast. Nay, see how, while they speak,
He gazes on her. How his breathing fans
The locks that shade the roses of her cheek!

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
Ha! Nay, he still, my heart.

LAUZUN.
It is but friendship;
But it looks wondrous warm!

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
He cannot mean it!
And yet—and yet—he lingers on her hand—
He whispers!

LAUZUN.
How the gossips gaze and smile!
There'll be much scandal.

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
Lauzun!—what!—thou thinks't not?
No, no, thou canst not think—

LAUZUN.
That courts know treachery,
That women are ambitious, or men false;
I will not think it. Pshaw!

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
My brain swims round!
Louis, of late, hath been so changed. How fair
She looks to-night!—and, oh, she has not fallen!
He comes—he nears us—he has left her. Fie!
My foolish fancies wronged him!

LAUZUN.
The spell works.

MADAME DE MONTESPAN.
(As the King quits her, to first Courtier, giving him back the paper.)
My Lord, your suit is granted.

FIRST COURTIER.
Blessings, Madam!

(The other Courtiers come round him.)
SECOND COURTIER.
Her influence must be great. I know three dukes
Most pressing for the post.

THIRD COURTIER.
A rising sun,
Worthier of worship than that cold La Vallière.
The King as well, methinks, might have no mistress,
As one by whom no courtier grew the richer.

(The Courtiers group round Madame de Montespan.)
LOUIS.
My Lords, you do remember the bright lists
Which, in the place termed thenceforth ‘The Carrousel,’
We some time held?—a knightly tournament,
That brought us back the age of the first Francis!

LAUZUN.
Of all your glorious festivals, the greatest!
Who but remembers?

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE
(aside.)
Then he wore my colours.
How kind to bring back to my yearning heart
That golden spring-time of our early loves!

LOUIS.
Next week we will revive the heroic pageant.
Proud plumes shall wave, and levelled spears be shivered;
Ourself will take the lists, and do defy
The chivalry of our renowned France,
In honour of that lady of our court
For whom we wear the colours, and the motto
Which suits her best—‘Most bright where all are brilliant!’

GRAMMONT.
Oh, a most kingly notion!

LOUIS.
Ere we part,
Let each knight choose his colours and his lady.
Ourself have set the example.

(The Courtiers mingle with the Ladies, &c.; many Ladies give their colours.)
DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE
(timidly.)
Oh, my Louis!
I read thy heart; thou hast chosen this device
To learn thy poor La Vallière to be proud.
Nay, turn not from my blessings. Once before
You wore my colours, though I gave them not.
To-night I give them!—Louis loves me still!

(Takes one of the knots from her breast, and presents it.)
LOUIS.
Lady, the noblest hearts in France would beat
More high beneath your badge. Alas! my service
Is vowed already here.
(Turning to Madame de Montespan, and placing a knot of her colours over his order of the Saint Esprit.)
These are my colours!

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
How! How!

(The King converses apart with Madame de Montespan.)
LAUZUN
(to the Duchess de la Vallière.)
Be calm, your Grace; a thousand eyes
Are on you. Give the envious crowd no triumph.
Ah! had my fortune won so soft a heart
I would have—

DUCHESS DE LA VALLIÈRE.
Peace!—Away! Betrayed—Undone!