"God forbid, madame, that I should forget the distance which separates
me from your Highness, and the respect I owe to your illustrious
family! Your Highness will continue to be mistress in your own house,
and I will be the first of your servants."
Thereupon the young gentleman withdrew, without embarrassment, without
servility or arrogance, leaving the dowager a prey to anger, which was
the more intense in that she found it impossible to vent it upon one so
discreet and respectful as the messenger.
The result was that Mazarin was the theme that evening of a
conversation which would have struck the minister down if curses had
the power to kill from a distance, like projectiles.
The gentleman found in the antechamber the servant who announced him.
"Now, monsieur," said the latter, "Madame la Princesse de Condé, with
whom you have requested an audience on the queen's behalf, consents to
receive you; be pleased to follow me."
The officer understood that this form of speech served to spare the
pride of the princess, and seemed as grateful for the honor bestowed
upon him as if it were not made compulsory by the terms of his
commission. He followed the valet through divers apartments until they
reached the door of the princess's bedroom.
There the valet turned about.
"Madame la Princesse," he said, "retired upon returning from the hunt,
and as she is greatly fatigued she will receive you in bed. Whom shall
I announce to her Highness?"
"Announce Monsieur le Baron de Canolles on behalf of her Majesty the
queen regent," was the reply.
At this name, which the pseudo-princess heard from her bed, she uttered
a smothered exclamation, which, had it been overheard, would sadly have
compromised her identity, and hastily pulled her hair over her eyes
with the right hand, while with the left she pulled the rich coverlid
of her bed well over her face.
"Admit the gentleman," she said, in a disguised voice.
The officer stepped inside the door.