remarked that, like the king, she looked dull and even weary.

At the moment she entered, the curtain of a small gallery which to
that time had been closed, was drawn, and the pale face of the cardinal
appeared, he being dressed as a Spanish cavalier. His eyes were fixed
upon those of the queen, and a smile of terrible joy passed over his
lips; the queen did not wear her diamond studs.

The queen remained for a short time to receive the compliments of the
city dignitaries and to reply to the salutations of the ladies. All
at once the king appeared with the cardinal at one of the doors of the
hall. The cardinal was speaking to him in a low voice, and the king was
very pale.

The king made his way through the crowd without a mask, and the ribbons
of his doublet scarcely tied. He went straight to the queen, and in an
altered voice said, "Why, madame, have you not thought proper to
wear your diamond studs, when you know it would give me so much
gratification?"

The queen cast a glance around her, and saw the cardinal behind, with a
diabolical smile on his countenance.

"Sire," replied the queen, with a faltering voice, "because, in the
midst of such a crowd as this, I feared some accident might happen to
them."

"And you were wrong, madame. If I made you that present it was that you
might adorn yourself therewith. I tell you that you were wrong."

The voice of the king was tremulous with anger. Everybody looked and
listened with astonishment, comprehending nothing of what passed.

"Sire," said the queen, "I can send for them to the Louvre, where they
are, and thus your Majesty's wishes will be complied with."

"Do so, madame, do so, and that at once; for within an hour the ballet
will commence."

The queen bent in token of submission, and followed the ladies who
were to conduct her to her room. On his part the king returned to his
apartment.

There was a moment of trouble and confusion in the assembly. Everybody
had remarked that something had passed between the king and queen; but
both of them had spoken so low that everybody, out of respect, withdrew
several steps, so that nobody had heard anything. The violins began to
sound with all their might, but nobody listened to them.

The king came out first from his room. He was in a most elegant hunting
costume; and Monsieur and the other nobles were dressed like him.
This was the costume that best became the king. So dressed, he really
appeared the first gentle