“What day does your majesty wish for it?”
“On the fifth of next month.”
“Your majesty shall have it on the third.”
“Thanks, M. de Calonne.”
“My greatest happiness is to please your majesty, and I beg you never will allow yourself to be embarrassed for want of money.” He rose, the queen gave him her hand to kiss, and then said, “After all, this money causes me some remorse, for it is for a caprice.”
“Never mind; some one will gain by it.”
“That is true; you have a charming mode of consoling one.”
“Oh, madame, if we had none of us more reasons for remorse than you, we should all go straight to heaven.”
“But it will be cruel to make the poor people pay for my caprices.”
“Have no scruples, madame; it is not the poor who will pay.”