ugal faith into fashion, which was an allusion some of the ladies
could not stand at all, and caused Count Saxe to laugh in spite of
himself. But on the whole, the affair passed off with the greatest
brilliance.

The next thing was the great supper in the hall. Although this was
Beauvais's affair, I was not without responsibility. I had devised a
new and splendid form of candlestick for these royal suppers. These
candlesticks consisted of a hundred Uhlans, the handsomest men in the
battalion, in uniforms of silk and velvet, holding their lances
upright, and from the lance-head blazed a flame of perfumed wax. Then
there were those damnable little pages. It was their duty to hand the
wine at supper and to attend the more distinguished guests; but they
were certain to play some pranks if I were not on hand to stop them.
So I always remained through the supper.

The king's table was set as always, on a dais raised a couple of
inches from the floor, under a royal canopy of crimson velvet with
golden _fleur-de-lis_. To this table he invited Francezka, besides
Madame Villars, Count Saxe, the Duc de Richelieu and one or two
others, but he did not ask Monsieur Voltaire. I heard a subdued murmur
of speculation as to whether he would be asked or not, and I never yet
saw Monsieur Voltaire discomfited that it did not give the assemblage
a wicked delight. Madame du Chatelet was already beginning to fume and
scowl. It was said that sometimes she and Monsieur Voltaire quarreled
to the point of throwing dishes at each other across the table, but
they were always ready enough to quarrel with the world on each
other's account.

Francezka, escorted by the Duc de Richelieu, walked the length of the
great hall, herself a picture of grace and dignity. On her way she
passed Monsieur Voltaire. He stood on one leg, like a stork, his eyes
blazing with rage, chagrin, hope and expectancy. He had not yet been
invited to the king's table, although Francezka had, and this man, who
was capable of writing _Nanine_, and _The Tattler_, was in acute
misery because he had not been asked to take a seat at a certain
table! I saw compassion for him in Francezka's face, and thought she
might contrive to help Monsieur Voltaire. She curtsied low to the
king, ascended the dais at his invitation, and then I heard her say,
as if to herself:

"I must leave room for Monsieur Voltaire," and at the same time
flashed from under her long lashes a look so full of mean