feet　your　most　faithful　servant；　your　most　devoted　slave。　Receive
  from　me　the　oath　of　my　eternal　devotion　and　love。　You　have　honored
  me　with　your　confidence；　you　have　called　me　your　friend。　But　my　soul
  and　my　heart　glow　for　another　name。　Speak　the　word；　Marie
  Antoinette；　the　word〃
  The　queen　drew　back；　and　the　paleness　of　death　spread　over　her
  cheeks。　She　had　at　the　outset　listened　with　amazement；　then　with
  horror　and　indignation；　to　the　insolent　words　of　the　baron；　and
  gradually　her　gentle　features　assumed　a　fierce　and　disdainful
  expression。
  〃My　lord；〃　she　said；　with　the　noble　dignity　of　a　queen；　〃I　told　you
  before　that　God　is　above　us；　and　hears　our　words。　You　have　spoken；
  wantonly；　and　God　has　heard　you。　To　Him　I　leave　the　punishment　of
  your　wantonness。　Stand　up；　my　lord！　the　king　shall　know　nothing　of
  an　insult　which　would　have　brought　you　into　ignominy　with　him
  forever。　But　if　you　ever；　by　a　glance　or　a　gesture；　recall　this　both
  wanton　and　ridiculous　scene；　the　king　shall　hear　all　from　me！〃
  And　while　the　queen　pointed；　with　a　proud　and　dignified　gesture；　to
  the　place　which　was　their　goal；　she　said；　with　commanding　tone：
  〃Go　before；　my　lord；　I　will　follow　you　alone。〃　The　Baron　de
  Besenval；　the　experienced　courtier；　the　practised　man　of　the　world；
  was　undergoing　what　was　new　to　him；　he　felt　himself　perplexed；
  ashamed；　and　no　longer　master　of　his　words。　He　had　risen　from　his
  knees；　and；　after　making　a　stiff　obeisance　to　the　queen；　he　turned
  and　went　with　a　swift　step　and　crestfallen　look　along　the　path　which
  the　queen　had　indicated。
  Marie　Antoinette　followed　him　with　her　eyes　so　long　as　he　remained
  in　sight；　then　looked　with　a　long；　sad　glance　around　her。
  〃And　so　I　am　alone　again；〃　she　whispered；　〃and　poorer　by　one
  illusion　more。　Ah；　and　is　it　then　true　that　there　is　no　friendship
  for　me；　must　every　friend　be　an　envier　or　else　a　lover？　Even　this
  man；　whom　I　honored　with　my　confidence；　toward　whom　I　cherished　the
  feeling　of　a　pupil　toward　a　teacher；　even　this　man　has　dared　to
  insult　me！　Ah；　must　my　heart　encounter　a　new　wonder　every　day；　and
  must　my　happiness　be　purchased　with　so　many　pains？〃
  And　with　a　deep　cry　of　pain　the　queen　drew　her　hands　to　her　face；
  and　wept　bitterly。　All　around　was　still。　Only　here　and　there　were
  heard　the　songs　of　the　birds　in　the　bushes；　light　and　dreamy；　while
  the　trees；　swayed　by　the　wind；　gently　whispered；　as　if　they　wanted
  to　quiet　the　grief　of　the　queen；　and　dry　up　those　tears　which　fell
  upon　the　flowers。
  All　at　once；　after　a　short　pause；　the　queen　let　her　hands　fall
  again；　and　raised　her　head　with　proud　and　defiant　energy。
  〃Away　with　tears！〃　she　said。　〃What　would　my　friends　say　were　they　to
  see　me？　What　buzzing　and　whispering　would　there　be；　were　they　to　see
  that　the　gentle　queen；　the　always　happy　and　careless　Marie
  Antoinette；　had　shed　tears？　Oh；　my　God！〃　she　cried；　raising　her
  large　eyes　to　heaven；　〃I　have　today　paid　interest　enough　for　my
  happiness；　preserve　for　me　at　least　the　capital；　and　I　will
  cheerfully　pay　the　world　the　highest　rates；　such　as　only　a　miserly
  usurer　can　desire。〃
  And　with　a　proud　spirit；　and　a　lofty　carriage；　the　queen　strode
  forward　along　the　path。　The　bushes　began　to　let　the　light　through；
  and　the　queen　emerged　from　the　English　garden　into　the　small　plain；
  in　whose　midst　Marie　Antoinette　had　erected　her　Arcadia；　her　dream
  of　paradise。　The　queen　stood　still；　and　with　a　countenance　which
  quickly　kindled　with　joy；　and　with　eyes　which　beamed　with　pleasure；
  looked　at　the　lovely　view　which　had　been　called　into　being　by　the
  skill　of　her　architect；　Hubert　Robert。
  And　the　queen　might　well　rejoice　in　this　creation；　this　poetic　idyl；
  which　arose　out　of　the　splendor　of　palaces　like　a　violet　in　the
  sand；　and　among　the　variegated　tropical　flowers　which　adorn　the
  table　of　a　king。　Closely　adjoining　each　other　were　little　houses
  like　those　in　which　peasants　live；　the　peasant　women　being　the　proud
  ladies　of　the　royal　court。　A　little　brook　babbled　behind　the　houses；
  and　turned　with　its　foaming　torrent　the　white　wheel　of　the　mill
  which　was　at　the　extremity　of　the　village。　Near　the　mill；　farther
  on；　stood　entirely　alone　a　little　peasant's　house；　especially
  tasteful　and　elegant。　It　was　surrounded　by　flower　beds；　vineyards；
  and　laurel　paths。　The　roof　was　covered　with　straw；　the　little　panes
  were　held　by　leads　to　the　sashes。　It　was　the　home　of　Marie
  Antoinette。　The　queen　herself　made　the　drawings；　and　wrought　out　the
  plan。　It　was　her　choice　that　it　should　be　small；　simple；　and　modest；
  that　it　should　have　not　the　slightest　appearance　of　newness；　and
  that　rents　and　fissures　should　be　represented　on　the　wall　by
  artificial　contrivances；　so　as　to　give　the　house　an　old　look；　and　an
  appearance　of　having　been　injured。　She　had　little　thought　how
  speedily　time　could　demolish　the　simple　pastimes　of　a　queen。　Close
  by　stood　a　still　smaller　house；　known　as　the　milk　room。　It　was　close
  to　the　brook。　And　when　Marie　Antoinette；　with　her　peasant　women；　had
  milked　the　cows；　they　bore　the　milk　through　the　village　in　white
  buckets；　with　silver　handles；　to　the　milk　room；　where　it　was　poured
  out　into　pretty；　white　pans　standing　on　tables　of　white　marble。　On
  the　other　side　of　the　road　was　the　house　of　the　chief　magistrate　of
  the　village；　and　close　by　lived　the　schoolmaster。
  Marie　Antoinette　had　had　a　care　for　everything。　There　were　bins　to
  preserve　the　new　crops　in；　and　before　the　hay　scaffoldings　were
  ladders　leading　up　to　the　fragrant　hay。　〃Ah；　the　world　is
  beautiful；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　surveying　her　creation　with　a
  cheerful　look。　〃I　will　enjoy　the　pleasant　hours；　and　be　happy　here。〃
  She　walked　rapidly　forward；　casting　friendly　glances　up　to　the
  houses　to　see　whether　the　peasants　had　not　hid　them…selves　within；
  and　were　waiting　for　her。　But　all　was　still；　and　not　one　of　the
  inhabitants　peeped　out　from　a　single　window。　All　at　once　the
  stillness　was　broken　by　a　loud　clattering　sound。　The　white　wheel　of
  the　mill　began　to　turn；　and　at　the　door　appeared　the　corpulent　form
  of　the　miller　in　his　white　garments；　with　his　smiling；　meal　powdered
  face；　and　with　the　white　cap　upon　his　head。
  The　queen　uttered　an　exclamation　of　delight；　and　ran　with　quick
  steps　toward　the　mill。　But　before　she　could　reach　it；　the　door　of
  the　official's　house　opposite　opened；　and　the　mayor；　in　his　black
  costume；　and　with　the　broad　white　ribbon　around　his　neck；　the
  Spanish　cane；　with　a　gold　knob；　in　his　hand；　and　wearing　his　black；
  three…cornered　hat；　issued　from　the　dwelling。　He　advanced　directly
  to　Marie　Antoinette；　and　resting　his　hands　upon　his　sides　and
  assuming　a　threatening　mien；　placed　himself　in　front　of　her。
  〃We　are　very　much　dissatisfied　with　you；　for　you　neglect　your　duties
  of　hospitality　in　a　most　unbecoming　manner。　We　must　have　you　give
  your　testimony　why　you　have　come　so　late；　for　the　flowers　are　all
  hanging　their　heads；　the　nightingales　will　not　sing　any　more；　and
  the　lambs　in　the　meadow　will　not　touch　the　sweetest　grass。　Every
  thing　is　parching　and　dying　because　you　are　not　here；　and　with
  desire　to　see　you。〃
  〃That　is　not　true；〃　cried　another　merry　voice；　the　window　of　the
  school　house　opened　with　a　rattle；　and　the　jolly　young　schoolmaster
  looked　out　and　threatened　with　his　rod　the　grave　mayor。
  〃How　can　you　say；　sir；　that　every　thing　is　going　to　ruin？　Am　I　not
  here　to　keep　the　whole　together？　Since　the　unwise　people　stopped
  learning；　I　have　become　the　schoolmaster　of　the　dear　kine；　and　am
  giving　them　lessons　in　the　art　of　making　life　agreeable。　I　am　the
  dancing　master　of　the　goats；　and　have　opened　a　ballet　school　for　the
  kids。〃
  Marie　Antoinette　laughed　aloud。　〃Mister　schoolmaster；〃　said　she；　〃I
  am　very　desirous　to　have　a　taste　of　your　skill；　and　I　desire　you　to
  give　a　ballet　display　this　afternoon　upon　the　great　meadow。　So　far
  as　you　are　concerned；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　she　said；　with　a　laughing　nod；　〃I
  desire　you　to　exercise　a　little　forbearance；　and　to　pardon　some
  things　in　me　for　my　youth's　sake。〃
  〃As　if　my　dear　sister…in…law　now　needed　any　looking　after！〃　cried
  the　mayor；　with　an　emphatic　tone。
  〃Ah；　my　Lord　de　Provence；〃　said　the　queen；　smiling；　〃you　are　falling
  out　of　your　part；　and　forgetting　two　things。　The　first；　that　I　am
  not　the　queen　here；　and　the　second；　that　here　in　Trianon　all
  flatteries　are　forbidden。〃
  〃It　lies　in　you；　whether　the　truth　should　appear　as　flattery；〃
  answered　the　Count　de　Provence；　slightly　bowing。
  〃That　is　an　answer　worthy　of　a　scholar；〃　cried　the　schoolmaster；
  Count　d'Artois。　〃Brother；　you　do　not　know　the　A　B　C　of　gallantry。
  You　must　go　to　school　to　me。〃
  〃I　do　not　doubt；　brother　Charles；　that　in　this　thing　I　could　learn
  very　much　of　you；〃　said　the　Count　de　Provence；　smiling。　〃Meanwhile；
  I　am　not　sure　that　my　wife　would　be　satisfied　with　the　instruction。〃
  〃Some　time　we　will　ask　her　about　it；〃　said　the　queen。　〃Good…by；　my
  brothers；　I　must　first　greet　my　dear　miller。〃
  She　rushed　forward；　sprang　with　a　flying　step　up　the　little　wooden
  stairway；　and　threw　both　her　arms　around　the　neck　of　the　miller；
  who；　laughingly；　pressed　her　to　his　heart；　and　drew　her　within　the
  mill。
  〃I　thank　you；　Louis！〃　cried　the　queen；　bending　forward　and