The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-09-25
. PART III.
HAPTE II-(Continued).,

"Ah," said Madame du Barry when
she had finished reading, can 1t be
that De Sartines-
De Maupeou cut her short with a
grimace. In the mirror opposite to
him he had seen a curtain pushed
aside and the form of a gentleman dis
closing itself at the doorway. 1t was
the king, who had entered unan-
nounced.
Good day, Madame. Good day,
Monsieur de Maupeou. Well, what is
this I hear about Monsieur de Sar-
tines?"
"Oh, your Majesty" replied the
comtesse, ut is % what we hear about
Monsieur de Sartines that troubles me
but rather what we do not hear. He
was to have called upon me to-day
with reference to matters like this
she handed the verses to the King
"but he has not arrived. He is too
busy, no doubt, with the arrest of
pickpockets and other high affairs of
state no trouble about matters like
these" Vs. ..l
The king Yead the verses carefully
through, for he was very often min
ute In affairs of that sort, and with
every line his irritation deepened. 1t
was not so much the thing itself that
angered him as the whole situation.
The Choiseuls, the Duchess de Gra-
mont, the thousand and one bitter en-
emies of The Du Barry all were CON
spring to make his bed of roses a bed
Of thorns; the. ballad moHgers were
helping as far az they could.
He flung the tting IN the floor with
so much ii temper that the favorite
forgot her anger and began TO
laugh. ..E 'f ..a
Fortunately, dear France. II we have
not a De S~artines to make these gen-
AZ fInrVnav + On f. fhafa nNxyn "xxypr1r me-. h va
a De Maupeou." She handed the king
the order of inquiry which De Maupeou
had brought her, and De Maupeou, who
knew the king better than she did,
cursed inWarCly as he watched him
reading 1t, knowing that in his present
temper his majesty was impracticable.
What he feared happened.
Having read the paper, Louis hand
ed it back to De Maupeou.
1--WE will see, monsieur, we Will
see. But at present it seems to ME
there is nothing to be done. 1t is. the
me who pay for these things being
written rather than the men who
write them that we should give our
attention tor a ~ r.
but, your majesty" said De aMau-
peou, 1T is not against the versifiers
that this paper Is directed, though in
deedSit includes them in its net. but a
serious conspiracy against the welfare
of the state" taJ'E +"
His majesty imagined, from finding
Dc Maupeou and Madame du Barry
together, that this serious on
spiracy to which he vice
chancellor alluded had to do with the
tormentors of the ~fayorite. De Maui
peou would strike them, no doubt, and
they would strike back. He did not
mind De Maupeou striking them, but
he objected to their striking back,
and all the fuss and fury OF q prose-
cutfon ably defended. He loved peace,
s40t for it's sake. but for his
sake. 44#Ne ny g.
"Well, we will see. Come to me to-
morrow and we will talk the matter
over. I am ennuye." He approached
the macaw and examined it with se=
rLous attention, while De yMaupeou,
furious, with all his plans paralyzed,
IL not shattered, prepared to go. But
Madame du Barry held him with q
glance. |s@
have "a little dinner party today and
a little surprise for my guests In the
form Of a certain pie"
"Ah, the piei" said the king, laughr
ing and turning from the bird. Yes,
I remember now the pie"
"Well, your Majesty, since Monsieur
de Maupeou Is here and 0ince Mon
sieur de Maupeou is the representa-
tive of the law, I would ask him to
be present at the Inauguration OF my
pie, since Monsieur de Sartines, the
representative of order, Is absent"
Tho king glanced at the severe and
serious face Of Monsieur de Maupeou
and burst out laughing.
INA fai!n cried he. an excellent
idea. Ny dear De Maupeou, You must
dine with us today
"Yourl wish III my command, sire,
replied De Maupeon. vaguely uneasy