“you,” which we have marked by three notes of exclamation in order to render it as expressive as possible, — there was, we repeat, in this “you” a complete poem; it recalled to La Valliere her old recollections of Blois, and her new recollections of Fontainebleau; it said to her, “You, who might be happy with Raoul; you, who might be powerful with Louis;you about to become a nun!”

“Yes, monsieur,” she said, “I am going to devote myself to the service of Heaven; and to renounce the world entirely.”

“But are you not mistaken with regard to your vocation, — are you not mistaken in supposing it to be the will of Heaven?”

“No, since Heaven has been pleased to throw you in my way.