“Certainly,” she interrupted, “I shall certainly do it.”
“Yet so little,” I continued, “had I thought it right to dwell upon such an expectation, that, in the belief your majesty would yet take it into further consideration, I had not even written It to my father.”
“Your father,” she again interrupted me, “has nothing to do with it; it is solely from me to you.”
“Let me then humbly entreat,” I cried, “still in some measure to be considered as a servant of your majesty, either as reader, or to assist occasionally if Mlle. Jacobi should be ill.”
She looked most graciously pleased, and Immediately closed in with the proposal, saying, “When your health is restored,—perhaps sometimes." I then fervently poured forth my thanks for all her goodness, and my prayers for her felicity.
She had her handkerchief in her hand or at her eyes the whole time. I was so much moved by her condescending kindness, that as soon as I got out of the closet I nearly sobbed. I went to help Mlle. Jacobi to put up the jewels, that my emotion might the less be observed. The king then came into the room. He immediately advanced to the window, where I stood, to speak to me. I was not then able to comport myself steadily. I was forced to turn my head away from him. He stood still and silent for some minutes, waiting to see if I should turn about; but I could not recover myself sufficiently to face him, strange as it was to do otherwise; and Perceiving me quite overcome he walked away, and I saw him no more. His kindness, his goodness, his benignity, never shall I forget—never think of but with fresh gratitude and reverential affection.
They were now all going—I took, for the last time, the cloak of the queen, and, putting It over her shoulders, slightly ventured to press them, earnestly, though in a low voice, saying, “God Almighty bless your majesty!”
She turned round, and, putting her hand upon my ungloved arm, pressed it with the greatest kindness, and said, “May you be happy!”
She left me overwhelmed with tender gratitude.
The three eldest princesses were in the next room: they ran in to me the moment the queen went onward. Princess Augusta and Princess Elizabeth each took a hand, and the princess royal put hers over them. I could speak to none of them; but they repeated, “I wish you happy!—I wish you health!” again and again, with the Sweetest eagerness.