The
appearance of Modeste in her sublime beauty, and dressed as well as
Diane de Maufrigneuse herself, had fired the train of gunpowder which
reflection had been laying in Eleonore's mind.
All the women had gone to the windows to see the new wonder get out of
the royal carriage, attended by her three suitors.
"Do not let us seem so curious," Madame de Chaulieu had said, cut to
the heart by Diane's exclamation,--"She is divine! where in the world
does she come from?"--and with that the bevy flew back to their seats,
resuming their composure, though Eleonore's heart was full of hungry
vipers all clamorous for a meal.
Mademoiselle d'Herouville said in a low voice and with much meaning to
the Duchesse de Verneuil, "Eleonore receives her Melchior very
ungraciously."
"The Duchesse de Maufrigneuse thinks there is a coolness between
them," said Laure de Verneuil, with simplicity.
Charming phrase! so often used in the world of society,--how the north
wind blows through it.
"Why so?" asked Modeste of the pretty young girl who had lately left
the Sacre-Coeur.
"The great poet," said the pious duchess--making a sign to her
daughter to be silent--"left Madame de Chaulieu without a letter for
more than two weeks after he went to Havre, having told her that he
went there for his health--"
Modeste made a hasty movement, which caught the attention of Laure,
Helene, and Mademoiselle d'Herouville.
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