One day, while she was at bath, I found myself sleepy after
dinner, and lay down upon a sofa; two of her ladies, who were
then in my chamber, came and sat down, one at my head, and the
other at my feet, with fans in their hands to moderate the heat,
and to hinder the flies from troubling me in my sleep. They
thought I was fast, and spoke very low; but I only shut my eyes,
and heard every word they said.
One of them says to the other, Is not the queen much in the wrong
not to love such an amiable prince as this? Ay, certainly,
replies the other; for my part I do not understand it, and I know
not how she goes out every night, and leaves him alone: is it
possible that he does not perceive it? Alas! says the first, how
would you have him to perceive it? She mixes every evening in his
drink the juice of a certain herb, which makes him sleep so sound
all night, that she has time to go where she pleases, and as day
begins to appear, the comes and lies down by him again, and wakes
him by the smell of something she puts under his nose.
You may guess, my lord, how much I was surprised at this
discourse, and with what sentiments it inspired me; yet, whatever
emotions it made within me, I had command enough over myself to
dissemble it, and feigned myself to awake, without having heard
one word of it.
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