“It is not that, madame; but I am on duty at two o’clock, and unless your majesty wishes me to remain——”
“Oh! no, monsieur; we know what duty is. You are free,” said the queen, in a tone of slight pique.
Charny bowed, and disappeared like a man in haste; but in a minute they heard from the ante-chamber the sound of a groan, and people hurrying forward. The queen, who was near the door, opened it, and uttered an exclamation; and was going out, when Andrée rose quickly, saying, “Oh no! madame.”
Then they saw through the open door the guards assisting M. de Charny, who had fainted. The queen closed the door, and sat down again, pensive and thoughtful. At last, she said, “It is an odd thing, but I do not believe M. de Charny was convinced!”
“Oh, madame! in spite of the king’s word—impossible!”
“He may have thought the king said it for his own sake.”
“My brother was not so incredulous,” said Andrée.
“It would be very wrong,” continued the queen, not heeding her; “he could not have as noble a heart as I thought. But, after all, why should he believe? He thought he saw me. They all thought so. There is something in all this; something which I must clear up. Andrée, I must find out what it all means.”
“Your majesty is right; you must investigate it.”
“For,” continued the queen, “people said they saw me at M. Mesmer’s.”