This was so like her that it did not astonish me, and I baffled
her malice by leaning against the wall. "This is no ordinary
honour--from M. de Rosny!" she said, flouting me with her eyes.
"I come on no ordinary mission, madame," I said as gravely as I
could.
"Mercy!" she exclaimed in a mocking tone. "I should have put on
new ribbons, I suppose!"
"From the King, madame," I continued, not allowing myself to he
moved, "to inquire how you obtained possession of his cipher."
She laughed loudly. "Good, simple King," she said, "to ask what
he knows already!"
"He does not know, madame," I answered severely.
"What?" she cried, in affected surprise. "When he gave it to me
himself!"
"He did not, madame."
"He did, sir!" she retorted, firing up. "Or if he did not,
prove it--prove it! And, by the way," she continued, lowering
her voice again, and reverting to her former tone of spiteful
badinage, "how is the dear queen? I heard that she was
indisposed yesterday, and kept the King in attendance all day.
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