mina, she is to lead off their quadrille, and take charge
of it. Which she did, with her accustomed fire and elasticity;--and was
circling there, on the light fantastic toe, time six in the evening,
when Grumkow, whom she had been dunning for his bargain about Friedrich
the day before, came up:--

"I liked dancing," says she, "and was taking advantage of my chances.
Grumkow came up, and interrupted me in the middle of a minuet: 'EH, MON
DIEU MADAME!' said Grumkow, 'you seem to have got bit by the tarantula!
Don't you see those strangers who have just come in?' I stopt short; and
looking all round, I noticed at last a young man dressed in gray, whom
I did not know. 'Go, then, embrace the Priuce-Royal; there he is before
you!' said Grumkow. All the blood in my body went topsy-turvy for joy.
'O Heaven, my Brother?' cried I: 'But I don't see him; where is he? In
God's name, let me see him!' Grumkow led me to the young man in gray.
Coming near, I recognized him, though with difficulty: he had grown
amazingly stouter (PRODIGIEUSEMENT ENGRAISSE), shortened about the neck;
his face too had much changed, and was no longer so beautiful as it had
been. I sprang upon him with open arms (SAUTAI AU COU); I was in such a
state, I could speak nothing but broken exclamations: I wept, I laughed,
like one gone delirious. In my life I have never felt so lively a joy.

"The first sane step was to throw myself at the feet of the King: King
said, 'Are you content with me? You see I have kept my word!' I took
my Brother by the hand; and entreated the King to restore him his
friendship. This scene was so touching, it drew tears from the eyes of
everybody. I then approached the Queen. She was obliged to embrace me,
the King being close opposite; but I remarked that her joy was only
affected."--Why then, O Princess? Guess, if you can, the female humors
of her Majesty!--

"I turned to my Brother again; I gave him a thousand caresses, and said
the tenderest things to him: to all which he remained cold as ice, and
answered only in monosyllables. I presented the Prince (my Husband);
to whom he did not say one word. I was astonished at this fashion of
procedure! But I laid the blame of it on the King, who was observing
us, and who I judged might be intimidating my Brother. But even his
countenance surprised me: he wore a proud air, and seemed to look down
on everybody."

A much-changed Crown-Prince. What can be the meaning of it? Neither King
nor