"When Monsieur de Paillot heard this he shook his head.
"'Marie Antoinette played at being dairymaid, n'est-ce-pas?' and he looked as if we intended to turn revolutionists and cut off the head of our dear Crown Princess just for pleasure.
"Old General Röckeritz, the friend of the Crown Prince, is much at Paretz, and Berlin tells a story of him also.
"He had a way of leaving the table the moment the meal was at an end.
"No one could imagine what he did with himself, and it worried the Gnädige Frau von Paretz to have him leave her.
"'Let him alone,' said her husband, 'he is old and wants his comfort.'
"But our Crown Princess was not satisfied.
"Next day at the end of dinner she appeared with a tray on which were cigars and a lighted taper. The whole company gazed at her in surprise, the general, as usual, trying to escape.
"With a smile the Crown Princess detained him, presenting her tray.
"'No, no, dear Röckeritz,' she said, 'do not go away. To-day you must have your dessert with us.'