For a long while, the queen did not speak a word. She seemed to be staring at vacancy, breathed heavily and would, at times, start convulsively. She was suddenly seized with a chill, and fell back insensible.
The doctor bathed her forehead and wrists with a few drops of some restorative, and then called her maid. Accompanied by the latter, he conducted the queen to her apartments, and ordered that she should be put to bed.
"I shall never again see the light of day, nor a human face; and he--and he!" cried she; then she forced her lace handkerchief into her mouth and tore it to pieces with her teeth.
She lay thus for some time, the doctor sitting silently by her bedside.
At length she heaved a deep sigh, opened her eyes, and said:
"I thank you, but I would like to sleep."
"Yes, do so," said the doctor. He was about to leave, but she called to him:
"One word more. Does the king know--?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And he went to the hunt?"