The minister made a slight sign with his head, whereupon the queen said to Madame Beauvais:
“It is time for the king to go to bed; call Laporte.”
The queen had several times already told her son that he ought to go to bed, and several times Louis had coaxingly insisted on staying where he was; but now he made no reply, but turned pale and bit his lips with anger.
In a few minutes Laporte came into the room. The child went directly to him without kissing his mother.
“Well, Louis,” said Anne, “why do you not kiss me?”
“I thought you were angry with me, madame; you sent me away.”
“I do not send you away, but you have had the small-pox and I am afraid that sitting up late may tire you.”
“You had no fears of my being tired when you ordered me to go to the palace to-day to pass the odious decrees which have raised the people to rebellion.”
“Sire!” interposed Laporte, in order to turn the subject, “to whom does your majesty wish me to give the candle?”
“To any one, Laporte,” the child said; and then added in a loud voice, “to any one except Mancini.”