ing, so
droll, and saying at the same time, "I pray your Majesty will excuse
my awkward country ways."

The king burst out laughing and told Count Saxe to fetch Monsieur
Voltaire, which he did. I never saw a creature so pleased as Monsieur
Voltaire was at this. I am sure Moliere did not show the same childish
delight when Louis le Grand divided with him the celebrated wing of
chicken.

Supper over, the king led the way to the ballroom, where, from a great
orchestra of twenty-four violins, an ocean of music rose and fell like
the waves of the sea. Count Saxe walked the _minuet de la cour_ with
Francezka. It seemed as if this night was to be her apotheosis, for
everything seemed designed to show her off and to give her the first
place. Monsieur Voltaire did not dance, but overwhelmingly grateful
for the ruse by which Francezka had got him to the king's table, could
not be too assiduous to her or praise her wit too highly. From that
hour she was queen at Chambord. It was after midnight that the ball
began. I remained only an hour or two, and then went to my rest, but
not in my chamber next Count Saxe's for once. I had not had much sleep
for several nights, so I betook myself to the stables, where, upon a
pile of oats designed for the morning's feed, I wrapped myself in my
cloak and fell into a deep slumber.

CHAPTER XXIX

AS HAVING NO PAST

I awakened, as always, at five o'clock, and on inquiring of the grooms
and stablemen, found that the music at the castle had just ceased. The
ball was barely over in time for the stag hunt, which was to take
place at sunrise. It was as yet pitchy dark, but the scene of
commotion almost equaled the ball, for there were one thousand horses
to be fed. However, I rather liked that sort of commotion; the
cheerful stamping and champing, as the horses, a hundred at the time,
were led out of their stalls into the sharp December air, with the
stars still shining in the blue-black vault of heaven; the tussle at
the great watering troughs, into which fifty men and boys pumped
continually; the fresh smell of the hay, at which the horses sniffed
joyfully; the steady combing and dressing of the creatures--all going
on with a kind of orderly confusion.

The hunters were attended to first--something over a hundred of
them--and when the chief huntsman winded his silver horn, at the first
paling of the stars and flushing of the sky, and the fierce, sharp
yelping of the dogs in leash was