The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-25

fiery glance at the Cordovan curtain
that hid the door, was so natural to her
characte' tnat found myself leaning to
the latter supposition. Still in grave
doubt what part Bass ompierre was to
play, looked for his coming as anx-
iOusly as anyone. And probably the
King shared this feeling; bu he affected
Indifference, and continued to sit over
the fire with an air of mingled scorn and
peevishness.
At length Bassompierre entered, and
seeing the King, advanced with an open
brow that persuaded me, at least, Of bis
innocence. Attacked on the instant,
however, by the Queen and taken BE-
surprise. as it were, between two fires 80
though the King kept silence, and merely
shrugged his shoulders his countenance
fell. He was at that time one Of the
handsomest gallants about the Court, 81
years old, and the darling of women,
but at this his aplomb failed him, and
with it my heart sank also.
ANSWER, sir answerln' the Queen
cried. "And without snberfugel Who
was it, sir, whom you saw come from
the forest this mOrniDg?"
MADAME 2"
"In one word"
eff your Majesty will"
~ will permit you to answer, a." he
Queen exclaimed.
II saw his Majesty RETURN" he fall
tered and NJ de Sully."
Before them before them -
~ may have been mistaken"
'Pooh, man !" the Queen cried with
biting contempt "You have told it to
half-a dozen. Discretion comes &. little
late"
"Well, if you will, madame, :" he said,
striving to assert himself, but cutting a
poor figure. 81 fancied that / saw Mad
anne de Condo -"
Come out of the wood ten minutes
before the King r.
at may have been twenty" ne NUT
tered.
But the Queen cared no more for him.
She turned, looking superb in her wrath,
to the King. Now, sir!' she said. "Am
to bear thisl'
Sweet the King said, governing his
temper in way that surprised me,
,"hear reason, and you shall have it in a
word. How near was BAssompieTre to
the lady he sawpf
81 was not within so PAGES OF heri"
the favorite cried eagerly.
"But others saw hertz the Queen re-
Joined sharply. MADAME Paleotti,
who was with the gentleman, saw her
also, and knew her."
''At a distance of fifty pacesp' the
King said drily 81 don't attach much
weight to that " And then, rising, with
slight yawn. Madame" he CON
tinued, with an air of command which
he knew so we'll how to assume, fog
the present, I am tired If madame dc
Condo is here, it will not be difficnlt to
get further evidence of her p2eseace. If
she is at Brussels, that fact, too, you
can ascertain Do the one or tho other,
as you please; but, for to day, I beg
that you will excuse me"
''And that the Queen cried shrilly-
''that is to be-"
"An, Madame" the King said
sternly. Moreover, let me have no
prating outside this room. Grand
Master, | will trouble you"
And with these words, uttered in a
voice and with an air that silenced even
the angry woman before us, he signed to
me to follow him and went from the
room; the first glance of his eye stilling
the crowded ante-chamber, as if the
shadow of death passed with him.
followed him to bis closet; but, until he
reached it, had no inkling of what was
in his thoughts. Then he turned to me.
"Where is she2" he said sharply
stared at him moment "Pardon,
sire!" / said. ''Do you think that it was
Madame de Conde2"
"Why not9"