"Doubtless she was afraid that your Majesty
would think her careless," she answered.
"I did not ask you!" the Queen rejoined.
She spoke harshly and suspiciously, looking from the ring to the
trembling girl. The silence was such that the chatter of the
pages in the anteroom could be heard. Still Mademoiselle stood
dumb and confounded.
"Well, what is the mystery?" the Queen said, looking round with
a little wonder. "What is the matter? It IS the ring. Why do
you not own it?"
"Perhaps mademoiselle is wondering where are the other things she
left with it!" Bassompierre said in a silky tone. "The things
she left at Parlot the verderer's, when she dropped the ring.
But she may free her mind; I have them here."
"What do you mean?" the Queen said. "What things, monsieur?
What has the girl been doing?"
"Only what many have done before her," Bassompierre answered,
bowing to his unfortunate victim, who seemed to be paralysed by
terror: "masquerading in other people's clothes. I propose,
madame, that, for punishment, you order her to dress in them,
that we may see what her taste is.
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