Evening star., 1896-03-07

"That man found It,, he exclaimed.
alcng lest the villains had some disappoiut-
ment yet in store for me- lest the closet be
found empty. But a whine, growing into
a howl, greeted us on the threshold. and
the closet door being forced in a trice, the
dog vas among us.
Monseigneur clapped his hands and swore
freely. "Dieu benisse!' he cried. 1T is the
dog sure enough! Here, Flore! Flore!'
Then. as the dog jumped on us and lick
ed his hand, he turned to me. Lucky for
you, rascal"' he cried, in good humor.
There shall be fifty crowns in your pock-
ct. and your desk again.
I gaSped But the reward, monseig-
neur:" / stammered.
He bent his black brows Reward! You
villain!' he Numbered. rs it not enough
that 1 spare you the gallows? Reward?
For what do l pay yol wages, do you
think, except to do my work? And you
ask reward besides? Go and hang yourself.
Or rather" ne continued, grimly, stir at
your peril. Look TO him, Bonnvent, he is
rogue in grain: and bring him with me
to the ante-chamber. Her majesty may de-
sire to ask him questions. and if he answer
them, well! He shall still have the fifty
crowns / promised him. If not-I shall
know how to deal with him.
At that, and the reversal Of all my
hopes, I fell into my old rage again. and
even his servants looked oddly at me- until
a sharp wCrd recalled them to their duty;
ceremony, and the less for that which they
had before shown me. While the bishop.
carrying the dog in his arms, mounted his
coach and went by the Rue st. Martin and
st. Antoine, they hurried me by short cuts
and byways to the Palais Royal, which we
reached as his running footmen came in
sight. The approach to the gate was block
ed by great crowd of people, and for
moment was fond enough to imagine that
they had to do with my affair-and /
shrank back. But the steward with a
thrust of his knee against my hip, which
showed me that he had not forgiven my
blow, urged me forward. and from what
passed around me as We pushed through
the press, 1 gathered that score of cap
tured colors had arrived within the hour
from Flanders, and were being presented
to the queen.
The courtyard confirmed this, for in the
open part of 1T and much pressed on by
the curious, who thronged the arcades We
found troop of horse, plumed and mud
stained, fresh from the Flanders road The
officers who bore the trophies We overlook
on the stairs near the door of the ante
chamber. Burning with rage, as 1 was
and strung to the last pitch Of excitement
l yet remember that thought 1t an odd
time to push in with a dog; but monseig-
neur old not seem to see this. Whether
he took certain pleasure in belttling the
war party, to whom he was opposed. or
merely knew his ground we'll, he went on
thrusting the militaires aside with little
ceremony. and as every one was as quick
to give place to him as he was to advance,
In a moment We were in the ante-chamber
Mon seigneur, with his chaplain and pages
at his shoulder, making in his stately way
for the farther door, met NJ de Chateau
neuf, and paused to speak. When he es-
capped from him dozen clients whose OBJ
sequious bows rendered evasion impossible
still delayed him, and 1 had grown cold
and hot again, end he was still on his
progress when the inner door opened, half
a dozen voices cried: 1.-The uueenr' and an
NJ Sad he
room and ranked the company on either
side-not without some struggling and once
fierce oath and twice a smothered outcry
PART V.
OF the bevy of ladies in attendance only
half dozen entered, for a few PAGES with
in the doorway the queen stood still to re-
ceive my patron, who advanced to meet
her. 1t seemed to me that she was not
pleased to see him, and certainly her voice
rang loud and peevishly as she cried:
What, my lord, Are you here? | came to
receive the trophies from Rocrny, ard did
rot expect to S,e you at this hour
Il bring My own excuse. madame" he
answered, unabashed. Have / your mai
esty's leave to present it?' he continued
with smirk and low bow.
Il came to receive the coiurs," she retort-
ed, still fr0wning.
Il bring your majesty something equally
to your liking" he replied.
for her proud. handsome Hapsburg face
cleared wonderfully and she clapped her
hands together with a gesture of pleasure
almost childish. .What?" she exclaimed
Have you"
Yes, madame" he said, smiling gall
lantly. "Bonnivet!'
But Bonnivet had watched his moment
and before the name fell clear of his mas
ter's- lips was beside him, and with bent
knee laid the dog tenderly at her majesty's
feet. She uttered a cry of joy and stopped
to caress it, her fair ringlets falling and
hiding her face On that I did not see
exactly what happened, for her ladies flock
ed round her with cries that echoed hers
the courtiers pressed round them, and
ali that reached me. where 1 stood by the
door, took the form of excited cries of
''Flore! Flore! Oh, the darling" and the
like. few old men who stood nearest the
wall and farthest from the queen raised
their eyebrows and the officers standing
with the colors by the door wore fallen
faces, but nine-tenths of the crowd seemed
to be fairly carried away by the queens
delight and congratulated one another as
If ten Rocrcys had been won.
Suddenly, while / hung in suspense. ex-
pecting each moment to be called for
ward, l heard a little stir at NV elbow
and, looking to the side, saw the knot on
the threshold break inward to give place,
while several voices WHISPERED: "Mazarin y,
AS l looked he came in, and pausing 10
speak to the foremost of the officers gave
Inc the opportunity-which 1 had never en-
Joyeu DeIofe-o1 viewing him near at hand:
and in moment ii flashed upon me
though now he wore his cardinals robes
and then had been very simply dressed
that ii was he whose back had SEEN and
whose dazzling rirg had blinded me in
the garden!
Her majesty, it seemed to me. did not
look unkindly upon him. But the bishop
was go full of his success and uplifted
by the presence of his friends that he
could not contain himself. "Ha, the car
dinal!' he cried; and, before the queen
could speak: Il hope your eminence has
been as Jealous in her majesty's service
as have been"
"As Jealous. assuredly," the cardinal
answered, meekly. "As effective? Alas! il
is rot given 20 all to vie with your lord
ship in affairs
But tilis-though 1 detected no smack
of irony in the tone-did not seem to please
the queen. ''The bishop has done me a
great service. He has recovered my dog >"
she slid tartly.
He is happy man. and the happy
must look to be envied." the cardinal an
swered gaily. Your majesty's dog"
Your eminence never liked Flore!'' the
queen exclaimed.
You never made a greater mistake
madamer' the cardinal answered with un-
usual emphasis. "Flore-but the dog is not
hor 7 3ulr