New-York tribune., 1907-01-27

tome, her ever loyal and enrnuzta..,. -.
was ono Of them. and vx, NJ IA, -r-~
that she began to write shs rnemnf-. ~Nt-.
Satnte-Beuye has Eaid. aze IN eporA -
language by reason OF which an ez,ttur.n.
ance VIII attach TO her name. Fur rtn.s
years she remained at Usson. free enouyt -.
not caring TO leave her rock. and troubled -
by lack Of money. the unsettled. conditso- ~
the country making IT difficult to cousc. 81 "
revenues from her estates When her ~.
was crowned at Chartres another curiou, -
Of this marriage began In the establisbr,aus %
the most cordial relationship at a siata,.I
Margot congratulated him heartily and hsr. -
her energies for peace IN Auvergne. ana -
responded most arniably TO his reuuegt
divorce which should make possible for hin,
second marriage and an heir for the monarrbv
he. on his side. was equally amiable. confr,,I--
her in the possession OF her estates pavfns -
debts. and preserving TO her the title Of croaa
and Duchesse de Yalois- For nearly five va,rr
after the divorce she remained at Usson. core
spending In the most arectionate manner vvt,.
Henri and having only an occasional tifr
gardfng money matter. AT last, IN 1905 wher
Henri had been for five years the husband 40
Marie de Medicf and two children were pIavt,
about the royal nursery, MargOt was pern1jttad
to return to Paris. They had not met for twentv
years. and the beautiful dark-haired voun,
woman had bacome stout lady In a toverins
iaxen wig. But her magnificent eyes" MA
know. "stin sparkled with all their oId-time vi
vacity." She brought peace and amity with
her. Now that they were no longer husband
and wife" says our author. Henri and Mar
guerite were the best Of friends, and the King
who had always entertained a very high opinion
Of the Princess's intelligence. would seem 10
ters. Marie de Medici. too. finding that she had
nothing TO fear from the woman she had sun
planted. yielded to the charm Of Marguerte,s
society. and Heroard relates. IN his Journal,
that one morning he saw the ex-Queen on her
knees beside her successors bed. on which sat
Henri IV with the Dauphin. who was PLAYING
with a little dog
Mr.. Noel WiIliams's book is a fascinating one
it would indeed be hard to be duh In discussin.
the extraordinary story OF the Valois and their
period He has not attempted any unreasonable
tightening of its blacker portions. and does. On
the whole. mete out even-handed justice to his
beautiful heroine.
If the unknown artist who drew the portrait
here reproduced may be believed. the last Of the
valois was merely moderately gOOd-looking.
But many writer's OF her time have given Us to
understand that she was a girl Of marvellous
IOveliness-
She had "a lovely fair face that resembIed IN,
heavens in their sweetest and calrnest serenity 3,
nObly formed as 20 cause one % declare that
Mother Nature, that very perfect WOrk-WOElan.
had put all her rareSt and subtlest into the
ness. beautiful blue eyes shaded by long Iaslas
which ShOne with an unconscious desire to please,
and that native cOQuetry which rendered ner later
SO redOubtablc and superb figure. "Of a port
and majesty more like 20 goddess Of heaven
than princess OF earth Her hair, which vas
were considered TO harmOniZe best with her
pleXiOn. she often concealed Il beneath coTUre
or pale-cOlored curls-
Let US end with this dithyramb by Brantons
who saw his elect Princess in the state process
sion at BIois on Palm Sunday. 1872: she
seemed more beautiful still. by bearing every
where in her hand a palm branch,
queens OF all time have been wont to do. with
royal majesty. with q grace half proud. hals
sweet and in manner little common and SO diG-
ferent from all the rest that whOsoever had never
seen her and known her would have said: Here
Is princess who is above the run OF al others
IN the worldr And We cOurtiers went about de-
claring with one voice boldly: @Thts beautiful
princess does weu to bear q palm IN her hand
since she bears it away from an others IN tn.
world. and surpasses them an Ia beauty in
grace. and In every perfection"
TO Ky