the princess de montpensier-第5章

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to　such　threats；　but　he　was　unable　to　reply　because　at　that
moment　the　King　called　both　of　them　to　his　side。　He　did　not
forget；　however；　and　tried　all　his　life　to　exact　revenge。

From　that　evening　the　Duc　d'Anjou　endeavoured　an　all　sorts　of
ways　to　turn　the　King　against　the　Duc　de　Guise。　He　persuaded　the
King　that　Madame　would　never　agree　to　her　proposed　marriage　to
the　King　of　Navarre　as　long　as　the　Duc　de　Guise　was　allowed　to
have　any　contact　with　her；　and　that　it　was　unacceptable　that　a
subject；　for　his　own　vain　purposes；　should　place　an　obstacle　in
the　way　of　what　could　bring　peace　to　France。　The　King　already
disliked　the　Duc　de　Guise　and　this　speech　inflamed　his　dislike　so
much　that　the　next　day　when　the　Duc　presented　himself　to　join　the
ball　at　the　Queen's　apartments；　he　stood　in　the　doorway　and　asked
him　brusquely　where　he　was　going。　The　Duc；　without　showing　any
surprise　answered　that　he　had　come　to　offer　his　most　humble
services；　to　which　the　King　replied　that　he　had　no　need　of　any
services　which　the　Duc　might　provide；　and　turned　away　without　any
other　acknowledgement。　The　Duc　was　not　deterred　from　entering　the
room；　his　feelings　incensed　both　against　the　King　and　the　Duc
d'Anjou。　His　natural　pride　led　him；　as　an　act　of　defiance；　to　pay
more　attention　to　Madame　than　usual；　and　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had
told　him　prevented　him　from　looking　in　the　direction　of　the
Princess　de　Montpensier。

The　Duc　d'Anjou　watched　both　of　them　with　close　attention。　The
Princess's　expression；　in　spite　of　herself；　showed　some　chagrin
when　the　Duc　de　Guise　spoke　with　Madame。　The　Duc　d'Anjou　who
realised　from　what　she　had　said　to　him；　when　she　mistook　him　for
the　Duc　de　Guise；　that　she　was　jealous；　hoped　to　cause　trouble。
He　drew　close　to　her　and　said；　〃It　is　in　your　interest　and　not　in
mine　that　I　must　tell　you　that　the　Duc　de　Guise　does　not　deserve
the　choice　you　have　made　of　him　in　preference　to　me；　a　choice
which　you　cannot　deny　and　of　which　I　am　well　aware；　he　is
deceiving　you　madame；　and　betraying　you　for　my　sister　as　he
betrayed　her　for　you。　He　is　a　man　moved　only　by　ambition；　but
since　he　has　the　good　fortune　to　please　you；　that　is　enough；　I
shall　not　attempt　to　stand　in　the　way　of　a　felicity　which　without
doubt　I　merit　more　than　he。　It　would　be　undignified　for　me　to
persist　in　trying　to　gain　the　heart　which　is　already　possessed　by
another。　It　is　bad　enough　to　have　attracted　only　your
indifference　and　I　would　not　like　to　have　this　replaced　by
dislike　by　wearying　you　with　endless　protestations　of　unwelcome
devotion。〃

The　Duc　d'Anjou　who　was　genuinely　touched　by　love　and　sadness；
was　hardly　able　to　complete　this　speech；　and　although　he　had
begun　in　a　spirit　of　spite　and　vengeance；　he　was　so　overcome　when
he　thought　of　the　Princess's　beauty　and　of　what　he　was　losing　by
giving　up　all　hope　of　being　her　lover。　that　without　waiting　for
her　reply　he　left　the　ball；　saying　that　he　felt　unwell；　and　went
home　to　nurse　his　grief。

The　Princess　de　Montpensier　stayed　there；　upset　and　worried　as
one　might　imagine。　To　see　her　reputation　and　her　secret　in　the
hands　of　a　suitor　whom　she　had　rejected　and　to　learn　from　him
that　she　was　being　deceived　by　her　lover　were　not　things　which
would　put　her　in　the　right　frame　of　mind　for　a　place　dedicated　to
enjoyment；　she　had；　however；　to　remain　where　she　was　and　later　go
to　supper　in　the　company　of　the　Duchess　de　Montpensier；　her
mother…in…law。

The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　followed　them　to　his　sister's　house；　was
dying　to　tell　her　what　the　Duc　d'Anjou　had　said　the　day　before；
but　to　his　astonishment　when　he　did　have　the　opportunity　to　speak
to　her；　he　was　overwhelmed　by　reproaches　which　were　tumbled　out
in　such　angry　profusion　that　all　he　could　gather　was　that　he　was
accused　of　infidelity　and　treachery。　Dismayed　at　finding　himself
in　this　unhappy　situation　when　he　had　hoped　for　consolation；　and
being　so　much　in　love　with　the　Princess　that　he　could　not　bear　to
be　unsure　if　he　was　loved　in　return；　he　took　a　sudden　decision。
〃I　shall　lay　your　doubts　at　rest；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　going　to　do
what　all　the　royal　power　could　not　make　me　do。　It　will　cost　me　my
fortune　but　that　is　of　little　account　if　it　makes　you　happy。〃

He　went　straight　from　his　sister's　house　to　that　of　his　uncle；
the　cardinal。　He　convinced　him　that　having　fallen　into　the　King's
disfavour；　it　was　essential　that　it　should　be　made　quite　clear
that　he　would　not　marry　Madame；　so　he　asked　for　his　marriage　to
be　arranged　with　the　Princess　de　Portien；　a　matter　which　had
previously　been　discussed。　The　news　of　this　was　soon　all　over
Paris　and　　gave　rise　to　much　surprise。　The　princess　de
Montpensier　was　both　happy　and　sad。　Glad　to　see　the　power　she　had
over　the　Duc；　and　sorry　that　she　had　caused　him　to　abandon
something　so　advantageous　as　marriage　to　Madame。　The　Duc　who
hoped　that　love　would　compensate　him　for　his　material　loss；
pressed　the　Princess　to　give　him　a　private　audience　so　that　he
could　clear　up　the　unjust　accusations　which　she　had　made。　He
obtained　this　when　she　found　herself　at　his　sister's　house　at　a
time　when　his　sister　was　not　there　and　she　was　able　to　speak　to
him　alone。　The　Duc　took　the　opportunity　to　throw　himself　at　her
feet　and　describe　all　that　he　had　suffered　because　of　her
suspicions；　and　though　the　Princess　was　unable　to　forget　what　the
Duc　d'Anjou　had　said　to　her；　the　behaviour　of　the　Duc　de　Guise
did　much　to　reassure　her。　She　told　him　exactly　why　she　believed
he　had　betrayed　her　which　was　because　the　Duc　d'Anjou　knew　what
he　could　only　have　learned　from　him。　The　Duc　did　not　how　to
defend　himself　and　was　as　puzzled　as　she　to　guess　what　could　have
given　away　their　secret：　at　last；　while　the　Princess　was
remonstrating　with　him　for　giving　up　the　idea　of　the　advantageous
marriage　with　Madame　and　rushing　into　that　with　the　Princess　de
Portien；　she　said　to　him　that　he　could　have　been　certain　that　she
would　not　be　jealous　since　on　the　day　of　the　ball　she　herself　had
told　him　to　have　eyes　only　for　Madame。　The　Duc　said　that　she
might　have　intended　to　do　so　but　that　she　certainly　had　not。　She
maintained　that　she　had；　and　in　the　end　they　reached　the　correct
conclusion　that　she　herself；　deceived　by　the　resemblance　of　the
costumes；　had　told　the　Duc　d'Anjou　what　she　accused　the　Duc　de
Guise　of　telling　him。　The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　almost　entirely
returned　to　favour；　did　so　completely　as　a　result　of　this
conversation。　The　Princess　could　not　refuse　her　heart　to　a　man
who　had　possessed　it　in　the　past　and　had　just　made　such　a
sacrifice　to　please　her。　She　consented　to　accept　his　declaration
and　permitted　him　to　believe　that　she　was　not　unmoved　by　his
passion。　The　arrival　of　the　Duchess；　her　mother…in…law；　put　an
end　to　this　tete…a…tete；　and　prevented　the　Duc　from　demonstrating
his　transports　of　joy。

Some　time　later；　the　Court　having　gone　to　Blois；　the　marriage
between　the　King　of　Navarre　and　Madame　was　celebrated。　The　Duc　de
Guise　who　wanted　nothing　more　than　the　love　of　the　Princess　de
Montpensier；　enjoyed　a　ceremony　which　in　other　circumstances
would　have　overwhelmed　him　with　disappointment。

The　Duc　was　not　able　to　conceal　his　love　so　well　that　the　Prince
de　Montpensier　did　not　suspect　that　something　was　going　on；　and
being　consumed　by　jealousy　he　ordered　his　wife　to　go　to
Champigny。　This　order　was　a　great　shock　to　her；　but　she　had　to
obey：　she　found　a　way　to　say　goodbye　to　the　Duc　de　Guise
privately　but　she　found　herself　in　great　difficulty　when　it　came
to　a　means　of　providing　a　method　whereby　he　could　write　to　her。
After　much　thought　she　decided　to　make　use　of　the　Comte　de
Chabannes；　whom　she　always　looked　on　as　a　friend　without
considering　that　he　was　in　love　with　her。　The　Duc　de　Guise；　who
knew　of　the　close　friendship　between　the　Comte　and　the　Prince　de
Montpensier；　was　at　first　amazed　at　her　choice　of　the　Comte　as　a
go…between；　but　she　assured　him　of　the　Comte's　fidelity　with　such
conviction　that　he　was　eventually　satisfied。　He　parted　from　her
with　all　the　unhappiness　which　such　a　separation　can　cause。

The　Comte　de　Chabannes；　who　had　been　ill　in　Paris　while　the
Princess　was　at　Blois；　learning　that　she　was　going　to　Champign