"
"Together?"
"I had the honour, Madame."
"You do not seem to have agreed very well?" she said, smiling.
"Madame," I answered bluntly, "his Majesty has no more faithful
servant; but we do not always agree."
She raised her hand, and, with a slight gesture, bade her ladies
stand back, while her face lost its expression of good-temper,
and grew sharp and dark. "Was it about the Conde?" she said, in
a low, grating voice. "No, madame," I answered; "it was about
certain provisions. The King's ear had been grossly abused, and
his Majesty led to believe--"
"Faugh!" she cried, with a wave of contempt, "that is an old
story! I am sick of it. Is she still at Brussels?"
"Still, madame."
"Then see that she stops there!" her Majesty retorted, with a
meaning look.
And with that she dismissed me, and went into the chateau. I
proposed to rejoin the King; but, to my chagrin, I found, when I
reached the closet, that he had already sent for Varennes, and
was shut up with him. I went back to my rooms therefore, and,
after changing my hunting suit and transacting some necessary
business, sat down to dinner with Nicholas, the King's secretary,
a man fond of the table, whom I often entertained.
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