And now you will tell me, perhaps, that my love will despise me; I defy him to do so, unless he be the vilest of men, and my heart assures me that it is not such a man I would choose.

A look from me will repay him for the sacrifices he makes, or will inspire him with the virtues which he would never think he possessed." "But, Louise," exclaimed Montalais, "you tell us this, and do not carry it into practice." "What do you mean ?" "You are adored by Raoul de Bragelonne, who worships you on both knees.
The poor fellow is made the victim of your virtue, just as he would be-- nay, more than he would be, even--of my coquetry, or Athenais's pride." "All this is simply a different shade of coquetry," said Athenais; "and Louise, I perceive, is a coquette without knowing it." "Oh!" said La Valliere.
"Yes, you may call it instinct, if you please, keenest sensibility, exquisite refinement of feeling, perpetual play of restrained outbreaks of affection, which end in smoke.

It is very artful too, and very effective.

I should even, now that I reflect upon it, have preferred this system of tactics to my own pride, for waging war on members of the other sex, because it offers the advantage sometimes of thoroughly convincing them; but, at the present moment, without utterly condemning myself, I declare it to be superior to the non-complex coquetry of Montalais." And the two young girls began to laugh.
La Valliere alone preserved silence, and quietly shook her head.

Then, a moment after, she added, "If you were to tell me, in the presence of a man, but a fourth part of what you have just said, or even if I were assured that you think it, I should die of shame and grief where I am now." "Very well; die, poor tender little darling," replied Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente; "for if there are no men here, there are at least two women, your own friends, who declare you to be attained and convicted of being a coquette from instinct; in other words, the most dangerous kind of coquette the world possesses." "Oh! mesdemoiselles," replied La Valliere, blushing, and almost ready to weep.