the princess de montpensier-第3章

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would　have　difficulty　in　escaping　from　this　meeting　without
falling　once　more　under　her　spell。

They　arrived　shortly　at　the　bank　where　they　found　the　Princess's
horses　and　her　attendants　who　had　been　waiting　for　her。　The　two
noblemen　helped　her　onto　her　horse　where　she　sat　with　the
greatest　elegance。　During　their　journey　back　to　Champigny　they
talked　agreeably　about　a　number　of　subjects　and　her　companions
were　no　less　charmed　by　her　conversation　than　they　had　been　by
her　beauty。　They　offered　her　a　number　of　compliments　to　which　she
replied　with　becoming　modesty；　but　a　little　more　coolly　to　those
from　M。de　Guise；　for　she　wished　to　maintain　a　distance　which
would　prevent　him　from　founding　any　expectations　on　the　feelings
she　had　once　had　towards　him。

When　they　arrived　at　the　outer　courtyard　of　Champigny　they
encountered　the　Prince　de　Montpensier；　who　had　just　returned　from
the　hunt。　He　was　greatly　astonished　to　see　two　men　in　the　company
of　his　wife；　and　he　was　even　more　astonished　when；　on　coming
closer；　he　saw　that　these　were　the　Duc　d'Anjou　and　the　Duc　de
Guise。　The　hatred　which　he　bore　for　the　latter；　combined　with　his
naturally　jealous　disposition　made　him　find　the　sight　of　these
two　Princes　with　his　wife；　without　knowing　how　they　came　to　be
there　or　why　they　had　come　to　his　house；　so　disagreeable　that　he
was　unable　to　conceal　his　annoyance。　He；　however；　adroitly　put
this　down　to　a　fear　that　he　could　not　receive　so　mighty　a　Prince
as　the　King's　brother　in　a　style　befitting　his　rank。　The　Comte　de
Chabannes　was　even　more　upset　at　seeing　the　Duc　de　Guise　and
Madame　de　Montpensier　together　than　was　her　husband；　it　seemed　to
him　a　most　evil　chance　which　had　brought　the　two　of　them　together
again；　an　augury　which　foretold　disturbing　sequels　to　follow　this
new　beginning。

In　the　evening　Madame　de　Montpensier　acted　as　hostess　with　the
same　grace　with　which　she　did　everything。　In　fact　she　pleased　her
guests　a　little　too　much。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　who　was　very　handsome
and　very　much　a　ladies　man；　could　not　see　a　prize　so　much　worth
winning　without　wishing　ardently　to　make　it　his　own。　He　had　a
touch　of　the　same　sickness　as　the　Duc　de　Guise；　and　continuing　to
invent　important　reasons；　he　stayed　for　two　days　at　Champigny；
without　being　obliged　to　do　so　by　anything　but　the　charms　of
Madame　de　Montpensier；　for　her　husband　did　not　make　any
noticeable　effort　to　detain　him。　The　Duc　de　Guise　did　not　leave
without　making　it　clear　to　Madame　de　Montpensier　that　he　felt
towards　her　as　he　had　done　in　the　past。　As　nobody　knew　of　this
former　relationship　he　said　to　her　several　times；　in　front　of
everybody；　that　his　affections　were　in　no　way　changed。　A　remark
which　only　she　understood。

Both　he　and　the　Duc　d'Anjou　left　Champigny　with　regret。　For　a
long　time　they　went　along　in　silence；　but　at　last　it　occurred　to
the　Duc　d'Anjou　that　the　reflections　which　occupied　his　thoughts
might　be　echoed　in　the　mind　of　the　Duc　de　Guise；　and　he　asked　him
brusquely　if　he　was　thinking　about　the　beauties　of　Madame　de
Montpensier。　This　blunt　question　combined　with　what　he　had
already　observed　of　the　Prince's　behaviour　made　the　Duc　realise
that　he　had　a　rival　from　whom　it　was　essential　that　his　own　love
for　the　Princess　should　be　concealed。　In　order　to　allay　all
suspicion　he　answered　with　a　laugh　that　the　Prince　himself　had
seemed　so　preoccupied　with　the　thoughts　which　he　was　accused　of
having　that　he　had　deemed　it　inadvisable　to　interrupt　him；　the
beauty　of　Madame　de　Montpensier　was；　he　said；　nothing　new　to　him；
he　had　been　used　to　discounting　its　effect　since　the　days　when
she　was　destined　to　be　his　sister…in…law；　but　he　saw　that　not
everyone　was　so　little　dazzled。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　admitted　that　he
had　never　seen　anyone　to　compare　with　this　young　Princess　and
that　he　was　well　aware　that　the　vision　might　be　dangerous　if　he
was　exposed　to　it　too　often。　He　tried　to　get　the　Duc　de　Guise　to
confess　that　he　felt　the　same；　but　the　Duc　would　admit　to
nothing。

On　their　return　to　Loches　they　often　recalled　with　pleasure　the
events　which　had　led　to　their　meeting　with　the　Princess　de
Montpensier；　a　subject　which　did　not　give　rise　to　the　same
pleasure　at　Champigny。　The　Prince　de　Montpensier　was　dissatisfied
with　all　that　had　happened　without　being　able　to　say　precisely
why。　He　found　fault　with　his　wife　for　being　in　the　boat。　He
considered　that　she　had　welcomed　the　Princes　too　readily；　and
what　displeased　him　most　was　that　he　had　noticed　the　attention
paid　to　her　by　the　Duc　de　Guise。　This　had　provoked　in　him　a
furious　bout　of　jealousy　in　which　he　recalled　the　anger　displayed
by　the　Duc　at　the　prospect　of　his　marriage；　which　caused　him　to
suspect　that　even　at　that　time　the　Duc　was　in　love　with　his　wife。
The　Comte　de　Chabannes　as　usual　made　every　effort　to　act　as
peacemaker；　hoping　in　this　way　to　show　the　Princess　that　his
devotion　to　her　was　sincere　and　disinterested。　He　could　not
resist　asking　her　what　effect　the　sight　of　the　Duc　de　Guise　had
produced。　She　replied　that　she　had　been　somewhat　upset　and
embarrassed　at　the　memory　of　the　feelings　she　had　once　displayed
to　him；　she　found　him　more　handsome　than　he　had　been　then　and　it
had　seemed　to　her　that　he　wished　to　persuade　her　that　he　still
loved　her；　but　she　assured　the　Comte　that　nothing　would　shake　her
determination　not　to　become　involved　in　any　intrigue。　The　Comte
was　happy　to　hear　of　this　resolve；　but　he　was　far　from　being　sure
about　the　Duc　de　Guise。　He　earnestly　warned　the　Princess　of　the
danger　of　a　return　to　the　previous　situation　should　she　have　any
change　of　heart；　though　when　he　spoke　of　his　devotion　she　adopted
her　invariable　attitude　of　looking　on　him　as　her　closest　friend
but　in　no　way　a　possible　suitor。

The　armies　were　once　more　called　up；　all　the　Princes　returned　to
their　posts　and　the　Prince　de　Montpensier　decided　that　his　wife
should　come　with　him　to　Paris　so　as　to　be　further　from　the　area
where　it　was　expected　that　fighting　would　take　place。　The
Huguenots　besieged　Poitiers。　The　Duc　de　Guise　went　there　to
organise　the　defence　and；　while　there；　enhanced　his　reputation　by
his　conduct。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　suffered　from　some　illness；　and　left
the　army　either　on　account　of　the　severity　of　this　or　because　he
wanted　to　return　to　the　comfort　and　security　of　Paris；　where　the
presence　of　the　Princess　de　Montpensier　was　not　the　least　of　the
attractions。　The　command　of　the　army　was　taken　over　by　the　Prince
de　Montpensier；　and　shortly　after　this；　a　peace　having　been
arranged；　the　Court　assembled　in　Paris。　Here　the　beauty　of　the
Princess　eclipsed　that　of　all　her　rivals。　She　charmed　everyone　by
her　looks　and　personality。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　did　not　abandon　the
sentiments　she　had　inspired　in　him　at　Champigny；　he　took　great
care　to　make　her　aware　of　this　by　all　sorts　of　delicate
considerations；　being　careful　at　the　same　time　not　to　make　his
attentions　too　obvious　for　fear　of　arousing　the　jealousy　of　her
husband。　The　Duc　de　Guise　was　now　fervently　in　love　with　her；　but
wishing；　for　a　variety　of　reasons；　to　keep　this　secret；　he
resolved　to　tell　her　so　privately　and　avoid　any　preliminaries
which；　as　always；　would　give　rise　to　talk　and　exposure。　One　day
when　he　was　in　the　Queen's　apartments　where　there　were　very　few
people；　the　Queen　having　left　to　discuss　affairs　of　state　with
Cardinal　de　Lorraine；　the　Princess　de　Montpensier　arrived。　He
decided　to　take　this　opportunity　to　speak　to　her；　and　going　up　to
her　he　said；　〃Although　it　may　surprise　and　displease　you；　I　want
you　to　know　that　I　have　always　felt　for　you　that　emotion　which
you　once　knew　so　well；　and　that　its　power　has　been　so　greatly
increased　by　seeing　you　again　that　neither　your　disapproval；　the
hatred　of　your　husband；　nor　the　rivalry　of　the　first　Prince　in
the　kingdom　can　in　the　least　diminish　it。　It　would　perhaps　have
been　more　tactful　to　have　let　you　become　aware　of　this　by　my
behaviour　rather　than　by　my　words；　but　my　behaviour　would　have
been　evident　to　others　as　well　as　to　yourself　and　I　wanted　you
alone　to　know　of　my　love　for　you。〃

The　Princess　was　so　surprised　and　thrown　into　confusion　by　this
speech　that　she　could　not　think　of　an　answer；　then；　just　w