ow her
influence at court. Bent on retaining her influence by the choice of a
tractable queen, she spoke to Alberoni of the urgent necessity of finding
another bride for the disconsolate king. The shrewd diplomat named several
eligible princesses, each of whom he dismissed as objectionable for one
reason or another. At the end he adroitly introduced the name of Elizabeth
Farnese, step-daughter of the Duke of Parma, of whom he spoke carelessly
as a good girl, fattened on Parmesan cheese and butter, and so narrowly
educated that she had not an idea beyond her embroidery. She might
succeed, he hinted, to the throne of Parma, as the duke had no child of
his own, in which case there would be a chance for Spain to regain her
lost provinces in Italy.

The deluded Princess Orsini was delighted with the suggestion. With such a
girl as this for queen she could continue to hold the reins of state. She
easily induced Philip to approve the choice; the Duke of Parma was charmed
with the offer; and the preliminary steps to the marriage were hurried
through with all possible rapidity.

Before the final conclusion of the affair, however, the Princess Orsini
discovered in some way that Alberoni had lied, and that the proposed bride
was by no means the ignorant and incapable country girl she had been told.
Furious at the deception, she at once sent off a courier with orders to
stop all further proceedings relating to the marriage. The messenger
reached Parma in the morning of the day on which the marriage ceremony was
to be performed by proxy. But Alberoni was wide awake to the danger, and
managed to have the messenger detained until it was too late. Before he
could deliver his despatches Elizabeth Farnese was the legal wife of
Philip of Spain.

The new queen had been fully advised of the state of affairs by Alberoni.
The Princess Orsini, to whom she owed her elevation, was to be got rid of,
at once and permanently. On crossing the frontiers she was met by all her
household except the princess, who was with the king, then on his way to
meet and espouse his bride. At Alcala the princess left him and hastened
to meet the queen, reaching the village of Xadraca in time to receive her
as she alighted from her carriage, kiss her hand, and in virtue of her
office at court to conduct her to her apartment.

Elizabeth met the princess with a show of graciousness, but on entering
her chamber suddenly turned and accused her visitor of insulting he