With this she made a profound bow, and withdrew. When she had gone there was an absolute silence; and then the King laughed, an uneasy, foolish laugh.
"And all this because I want to borrow a few stones for the masque!" he exclaimed as he thrust the box into the hands of one of his gentleman. "Take this, Carnavalet!" And swinging round on his heel he went as he had come, his suite clattering behind him.
As he went we heard through the open doors the cries of "Vive le Roi!" from those in the gallery outside, and then all was still once more.
The salon, but a short time before so bright and gay, emptied like magic. I stood where I was, leaning against a pillar, wondering at the scene through which I had passed, and hardly realising that I was alone. No, not alone, for mademoiselle stood before me, her hand outstretched.
"Oh, monsieur, this is a horrible place! Why did I ever come?"
I could say nothing, for she too had seen and heard all that had passed.
"But it is not this I came to talk about. I waited so as to be able to congratulate M. Bertrand Broussel, the worthy citizen of Paris." And she laughed as she added: "I was sure of it from the first; I knew it could never be."
"May I also say that I was sure that Cujus the furrier never had a niece?"
She made a little impatient gesture with her hand. "I do not believe you will ever forget that, monsieur."
"Never."