This time he had to speak: the chevalier had had time to regain a little courage.

‘Alas, madame,’ he said sadly. ‘It is a great honour you do me; but unfortunately I cannot take advantage of it.’

‘Why so?’

‘I have not the honour of being in the king’s household.’

‘Then how did you come here?’

‘By chance. I met on the way a page who had fallen on the ground and who asked me—’

‘What? Fallen on the ground?’ repeated the marquise, bursting out laughing. She appeared to be so happy at this moment, that gaiety came to hand without effort.

‘Yes, madame, he fell from his horse at the gate. I happened to be there, fortunately, to help him to get up, and, as his suit was much spoiled, he begged me to undertake his message.’

‘And by what chance did you happen to be there?’

‘Madame, the fact is that I have a petition to present to his majesty.’

‘His majesty lives at Versailles.’

‘Yes, but you live here.’

‘Indeed! So that the fact is that you want to charge me with a message.’

‘Madame, I beg you to believe—’

‘Don’t be afraid, you are not the first. But what is your reason for addressing yourself to me? I am only a woman, like any one else.’

As she said these words with a mocking air, the marquise cast a triumphant look in the letter she had just read.

‘Madame,’ said the chevalier, ‘I have always heard that men exercise power and that women—’

‘Dispose of it, eh? Well, sir, there is a queen of France.’

‘I know it, madame, and that is what caused me to happen to be here this morning.’

The marquise was more than accustomed to compliments like these, although they were only paid her in an undertone; but in the present circumstances, this one seemed to please her in a very singular way.

‘And relying on what faith,’ she said, ‘on what assurance, did you think that you could get entrance here? for you didn’t count, I suppose, on a horse falling on the road.’

‘Madame, I believed—I hoped—’

‘What did you hope?’

‘I hoped that chance would bring about—’

‘Always chance! Chance is a friend of yours, as far as I can see; but I warn you, that if you have no others, it is a gloomy recommendation.’