it would have been happy for her had she never had a second. But her
profound love for the Chevalier de Gersay overcame any scruples that
might have arisen in her mind against again yielding to the maternal
instinct, and another son came to her, one who was destined to meet a
most horrible fate and cause her the most exquisite mental torture.

This de Gersay, who was famous for the temerity of his passion for the
queen, Anne of Austria, a fact he announced from the housetops of
Paris in his delirium, was as happy as a king over the boy that came
to him so unexpectedly, and lavished upon him the most extravagant
affection. He took him to his heart and trained him up in all the
accomplishments taught those of the highest rank and most noble blood.
The boy grew up and received the name of Chevalier de Villiers,
becoming a credit to his father.

His mother was beyond sixty years of age when de Villiers began to
enter society, and her beauty was still remarkable according to the
chronicles of the times and the allusions made to it in the current
literature. She was as attractive in her appearance, and as lovable as
at twenty years of age, few, even among the younger habitués of her
drawing-rooms being able to resist the charms of her person. Her house
was thronged with the élite of French society, young men of noble
families being designedly sent into her society to acquire taste,
grace, and polish which they were unable to acquire elsewhere. Ninon
possessed a singular genius for inspiring men with high and noble
sentiments, and her schooling in the art of etiquette was marvelous in
its details and perfection. Her power was practically a repetition of
the history of the Empress Theodora, whose happy admirers and
intimates could be distinguished from all others by their exquisite
politeness, culture, finish and social polish. It was the same in