"But why do you not keep them for yourself?" inquired Saint-Aignan, suspiciously. "Because the king would never do me the honor of paying me a visit openly, while he would readily go and see any one of those gentlemen." "What! the king would go and see any one of those gentlemen?" "Go! most certainly would he, ten times instead of once. Is it possible you can ask me if the king would go to an apartment which would bring him nearer to Mademoiselle de la Valliere?" "Yes, indeed, admirably near her, with a whole floor between them." Malicorne unfolded the piece of paper, which had been wrapped round the bobbin. "Monsieur le Comte," he said, "have the goodness to observe that the flooring of Mademoiselle de la Valliere's room is merely a wooden flooring." "Well?" "Well! all you would have to do would be to get hold of a journeyman carpenter, lock him up in your apartments, without letting him know where you have taken him to; and let him make a hole in your ceiling, and consequently in the flooring of Mademoiselle de la Valliere's room." "Good heavens!" exclaimed Saint-Aignan, as if dazzled. "What is the matter?" said Malicorne. "Nothing, except that you have hit upon a singularly bold idea, monsieur." "It will seem a very trifling one to the king, I assure you." "Lovers never think of the risk they run." "What danger do you apprehend, Monsieur le Comte?" "Why, effecting such an opening as that will make a terrible noise; it will be heard over the whole palace." "Oh! Monsieur le Comte, I am quite sure that the carpenter I shall select will not make the slightest noise in the world. He will saw an opening six feet square, with a saw covered with tow, and no one, not even those immediately adjoining, will know that he is at work." "My dear Monsieur Malicorne, you astound, you positively bewilder me." "To continue," replied Malicorne, quietly, "in the room, the ceiling of which you have cut through, you will put up a staircase, which will either allow Mademoiselle de la Valliere to descend into your room, or the king to ascend into Mademoiselle de la Valliere's room." "But the staircase will be seen." "No; for in your room it will be hidden by a partition, over which you will throw a tapestry similar to that which covers the rest of the apartment: and in Mademoiselle de la Valliere's room it will not be seen, for the trap-door, which will be a part of the flooring itself, will be made to open under the bed." "Of course," said Saint-Aignan, whose eyes began to sparkle with delight. "And now, Monsieur le Comte, there is no occasion to make you admit that the king will frequently come to the room where such a staircase is constructed. I think that M. Dangeau particularly will be struck by my idea, and I shall now go and explain it to him." "But, my dear Monsieur Malicorne, you forget that you spoke to me about it the first, and that I have, consequently, the right of priority." "Do you wish for the preference?"