her conversation with hearty oaths, with all the volubility
of an old guardsman. She flung about her legs in the most astonishing
manner, throwing them over the arms of her chair, and placing herself
in attitudes quite unprecedented in Parisian circles.

Soon after this, this Amazonian princess returned by a circuitous
route to her Northern home. Before taking leave of her, it may be well
to remark that subsequently Christina made a second visit to France
uninvited--not only uninvited, but very unwelcome. She took possession
of the palace of Fontainebleau with her attendants, where with cold
courtesy she was tolerated. In a freak of passion, she accused her
grand equerry, M. Monaldeschi, of high treason, and actually put him
to death. So high-handed an outrage, even in those days of feudal
barbarism, excited throughout France a universal feeling of disgust
and indignation. The sentiment was so strong and general that the king
deemed it necessary to send her a letter through his minister,
Mazarin, expressive of his extreme displeasure.

Christina, much exasperated, sent a reply containing the following
expressions:

"MR. MAZARIN,--Those who acquainted you with the details regarding
Monaldeschi, my equerry, were very ill informed. Your proceeding ought
not, however, to astonish me, silly as it is. But I should never have
believed that either you or your haughty young master would have dared
to exhibit the least resentment toward me. Learn all of you, valets
and masters, little and great, that it was my pleasure to act as I
did; that I need not, and I will not account for my actions to any one
in the world, and particularly to bullies of your description. I wish
you to know, and to say to all who will hear it, that Christina cares
very little about your court, and still less about yourself; and that,
in order to revenge my wrongs, I do not require to have recourse to
your formidable power. Believe me, therefore, Jules,[F] you had better
conduct yourself in a manner to deserve my favor, which you can not
study too much to secure. God preserve you from ever risking the least
indiscreet remark upon my person. Although at the end of the earth, I
shall be informed of your plots. I have friends and courtiers in my
service who are as clever and far-sighted as yours, although they are
not so well paid.

"CHRISTINA."

[Footnote F: Jules, the Christian name of Mazarin.]

Soon after this her Swedish majesty