It was Madame, agitated, irritated and threatening.
But what was that to her?
"Mademoiselle," said the princess, standing before La Valliere, "this is very fine, I admit, to kneel, and pray, and make a pretense of being religious; but however submissive you may be in your addresses to Heaven, it is desirable that you should pay some little attention to the wishes of those who reign and rule here below." La Valliere raised her head painfully in token of respect.
"Not long since," continued Madame, "a certain recommendation was addressed to you, I believe." La Valliere's fixed and wild gaze showed how entire her forgetfulness or her ignorance was.
"The queen recommended you," continued Madame, "to conduct yourself in such a manner that no one could be justified in spreading any reports about you." La Valliere darted an inquiring look toward her.
"I will not," continued Madame, "allow my household, which is that of the first princess of the blood, to set an evil example to the court; you would be the cause of such an example.

I beg you to understand, therefore, in the absence of any witness of your shame, for I do not wish to humiliate you, that you are from this moment at perfect liberty to leave, and that you can return to your mother at Blois." La Valliere could not sink lower, nor could she suffer more than she had already suffered.

Her countenance did not even change, but she remained with her hands crossed over her knees like the figure of the Magdalen.
"Did you hear me ?" said Madame.
A shiver, which passed through her whole frame, was La Valliere's only reply; and as the victim gave no other sign of life, Madame left the room.

And then, her very respiration suspended, and her blood almost congealed, as it were, in her veins, La Valliere by degrees felt that the pulsations of her wrists, her neck, and temples began to throb more and more heavily.

These pulsations, as they gradually increased, soon changed into a species of brain fever, and in her temporary delirium she saw the figures of her friends contending with her enemies, floating before her vision.