he occurrences of the evening.

The order of the honey-bee had been founded by Madame de Maine, apropos
of the Italian motto which she had adopted at her marriage: "Little
insects inflict large stings."

This order had, like others, its decorations, its officers, and its
grand-master. The decoration was a medal, representing on one side a
hive, and on the other the queen-bee: it was hung by a lemon-colored
ribbon, and was worn by every knight whenever he came to Sceaux. The
officers were Malezieux, St. Aulaire, the Abbe Chaulieu, and St. Genest.
Madame de Maine was grand-master.

It was composed of thirty-nine members, and could not exceed this
number. The death of Monsieur de Nevers had left a vacancy which was to
be filled by the nomination of the Prince de Cellamare. The fact was,
that Madame de Maine had thought it safer to cover this political
meeting with a frivolous pretext, feeling sure that a fete in the
gardens at Sceaux would appear less suspicious in the eyes of Dubois and
Messire Voyer d'Argenson than an assembly at the Arsenal. Thus, as will
be seen, nothing had been forgotten to give its old splendor to the
order of the honey-bee.

At four o'clock precisely, the time fixed for the ceremony, the doors of
the room opened, and they perceived, in a salon hung with crimson satin,
spangled with silver bees, the beautiful fairy Ludovic seated on a
throne raised on three steps. She made a gesture with her golden wand,
and all her court, passing into the salon, arranged themselves in a half
circle round her throne, on the steps of which the dignitaries of the
order placed themselves.

After the initiation of the Prince de Cellamare as a knight of the
honey-bee, a second door was opened, displaying a room brilliantly
lighted, where a splendid supper was laid. The new knight of the order
offered his hand to the fairy, and conducted her to the supper-room
followed by the assistants.

The entertainment was worthy of the occasion, and the flow of wit which
so peculiarly characterized the epoch was well sustained. As the hour
began to draw late, the Duchesse de Maine rose and announced that
having received an excellent telescope from the author of "The Worlds,"
she invited her company to study astronomy in the garden.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE QUEEN OF THE GREENLANDERS.

As might have been expected, new surprises awaited the guests in the
garden. These gardens, designed by Le Notre for Colbert, and sold by