cting
emotions of joyousness and fear, she entered the brilliant saloon of
Anne of Austria, crowded with those below her in rank, but above her
in prosperity and all worldly aggrandizement, she was received
coldly, with no marks of sympathy or attention. As the music summoned
the dancers to the floor, the king, neglecting his young and royal
cousin, advanced, according to his custom, to the Duchess of
Mercoeur, to lead her out. The queen, shocked at so gross a breach
of etiquette, and even of kindly feeling, rose from her seat, and,
advancing, withdrew the hand of the duchess from her son, and said to
him, in a low voice, "You should dance first with the English
princess." The boy-king sulkily replied, "I am not fond of little
girls." Both Henrietta and her daughter overheard this uncourteous and
cruel remark.

Henrietta, the mother, hastened to the queen, and entreated her not to
attempt to constrain the wishes of his majesty. It was an exceedingly
awkward position for all the parties. The spirit of Anne of Austria
was aroused. Resuming her maternal authority, she declared that if her
niece, the Princess of England, were to remain a spectator at the
ball, her son should do the same. Thus constrained, Louis very
ungraciously led out Henrietta upon the floor. The young princess,
tender in years, sensitive through sorrow, wounded and heart-crushed,
danced with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Upon the departure of the guests, the mother and the son had their
first serious quarrel. Anne rebuked Louis severely for his shameful
conduct. The king rebelled. Haughtily facing his mother, he said, "I
have long enough been guided by your leading-strings. I shall submit
to it no longer." It was a final declaration of independence. Though
there were tears shed on both sides, and the queen made strenuous
efforts at conciliation, she felt, and justly felt, that the control
of her son had passed from her forever. It was a crisis in the life of
the king. From that hour he seemed disposed on all occasions to assert
his manhood.

A remarkable indication of this soon occurred. It was customary, when
the king, through his ministers, issued any decrees, that they should
be registered by the Parliament, to give them full authority. Some
very oppressive decrees had been issued to raise funds for the court.
It was deemed very important that they should be registered. The king
in person attended Parliament, that the influence of his presenc