De Guiche

Also known as: Comte de Guiche / Guiche / M. de Guiche / Monsieur de Guiche / de Guiche / the comte · Family: French court · Role: count · First appears: Chapter 10

In chapter 10, De Guiche’s courtship of Madame becomes mutual when she confesses her love and seals it with a kiss: “I do indeed love you to that extent, Madame.” He is also Raoul’s friend and promises to guard the heart entrusted to him, keeping Raoul’s letter instead of burning it. At court, he is a friend of Monsieur, while Duke of Buckingham is only an acquaintance; he also defends Mademoiselle de la Vallière against De Wardes’s insinuations and recalls overcoming his vanity to obtain his return from exile.

In chapters 12–13, De Guiche’s opposition to De Wardes leads to a secret horseback duel, after De Wardes discovers his relationship with Madame. De Wardes kills De Guiche’s horse and wounds him in the hand and chest, but De Guiche is found alive and is carried by his friend Manicamp to a doctor in Fontainebleau. Manicamp lies about a wild-boar attack to protect him from Louis XIV’s penalty for dueling, while Valot later confirms that the wounds came from a pistol bullet. The duel is subsequently described as being fought over Mademoiselle de la Vallière, though Madame learns that it was fought on her account; she sends attendants to inquire after him and visits him while he recovers.

By chapters 19–21, Louis XIV is concerned for De Guiche’s recovery and asks Manicamp to keep him from beginning another quarrel. De Guiche remains connected to Mademoiselle de la Vallière as Raoul’s appointed guardian, and Madame continues to express concern over his wound. By chapter 34, Saint-Aignan has obtained De Guiche’s rooms; by chapter 50, De Guiche has been brought to Paris and is beginning to recover. He warns Raoul about the danger surrounding Mademoiselle de la Vallière and confirms that she has walked with Louis XIV, though later Raoul treats him with coolness.