Anne of Austria, a keen observer, like all women, and imperious, like every queen, was sensible of Madame's power, and acquiesced in it immediately, a circumstance which induced the young queen to raise the siege and retire to her apartments.

The king hardly paid any attention to her departure, notwithstanding the pretended symptoms of indisposition by which it was accompanied.

Encouraged by the rules of etiquette, which he had begun to introduce at the court as an element of every relation of life, Louis XIV.

did not disturb himself; he offered his hand to Madame without looking at Monsieur his brother, and led the young princess to the door of her apartments.

It was remarked, that at the threshold of the door, his majesty, freed from every restraint, or not equal to the situation, sighed very deeply.
The ladies present--nothing escapes a woman's glance--Mademoiselle Montalais, for instance--did not fail to say to each other, "the king sighed," and "Madame sighed too." This had been indeed the case.