Poor woman, so simple-minded! she laughed at them, as we did.
Where is she now ?" "Ah, Montalais,--laughter-loving Montalais!" cried La Valliere; "you see you are sighing again; the woods inspire you, and you are almost reasonable this evening." "You ought not, either of you," said Athenais, "to regret the court at Blois so much, unless you do not feel happy with us.

A court is a place where men and women resort to talk of matters which mothers, guardians, and especially confessors, severely denounce." "Oh, Athenais!" said Louise, blushing.
"Athenais is frank to-night," said Montalais; "let us avail ourselves of it." "Yes, let us take advantage of it, for this evening I could divulge the softest secrets of my heart." "Ah, if M.Montespan were here!" said Montalais.
"Do you think that I care for M.de Montespan ?" murmured the beautiful young girl.
"He is handsome, I believe ?" "Yes.

And that is no small advantage in my eyes." "There now, you see--" "I will go further, and say, that of all the men whom one sees here, he is the handsomest, and the most--" "What was that ?" said La Valliere, starting suddenly from the mossy bank.
"A deer hurrying by, perhaps." "I am only afraid of men," said Athenais.
"When they do not resemble M.de Montespan." "A truce to raillery.

M.de Montespan is attentive to me, but that does not commit me in any way.

Is not M.de Guiche here, he who is so devoted to Madame ?" "Poor fellow!" said La Valliere.
"Why to be pitied?
Madame is sufficiently beautiful, and of high enough rank, I suppose." La Valliere shook her head sorrowfully, saying, "When one loves, it is neither beauty nor rank;--when one loves it should be the heart, or the eyes only, of him, or of her whom one loves." Montalais began to laugh loudly.