my last diamond to aid him. If I had had
a single ornament left, I should have bought wood this winter to make a
fire for my daughter and myself."

"Oh, madame," said Mazarin, "your majesty knows not what you ask. On the
day when foreign succor follows in the train of a king to replace him
on his throne, it is an avowal that he no longer possesses the help and
love of his own subjects."

"To the point, sir," said the queen, "to the point, and answer me, yes
or no; if the king persists in remaining in England will you send him
succor? If he comes to France will you accord him hospitality? What do
you intend to do? Speak."

"Madame," said the cardinal, affecting an effusive frankness of speech,
"I shall convince your majesty, I trust, of my devotion to you and my
desire to terminate an affair which you have so much at heart. After
which your majesty will, I think, no longer doubt my zeal in your
behalf."

The queen bit her lips and moved impatiently on her chair.

"Well, what do you propose to do?" she, said at length; "come, speak."

"I will go this instant and consult the queen, and we will refer the
affair at once to parliament."

"With which you are at war--is it not so? You will charge Broussel to
report it. Enough, sir, enough. I understand you or rather, I am wrong.
Go to the parliament, for it was from this parliament, the enemy of
monarchs, that the daughter of the great, the sublime Henry IV., whom
you so much admire, received the only relief this winter which prevented
her from dying of hunger and cold!"

And with these words Henrietta rose in majestic indignation, whilst the
cardinal, raising his hands clasped toward her, exclaimed, "Ah, madame,
madame, how little you know me, mon Dieu!"

But Queen Henrietta, without even turning toward him who made these
hypocritical pretensions, crossed the cabinet, opened the door for
herself and passing through the midst of the cardinal's numerous
guards, courtiers eager to pay homage, the luxurious show of a competing
royalty, she went and took the hand of De Winter, who stood apart in
isolation. Poor queen, already fallen! Though all bowed before her,
as etiquette required, she had now but a single arm on which she could
lean.

"It signifies little," said Mazarin, when he was alone. "It gave me pain
and it was an ungracious part to play, but I have said nothing either to
the one or to the other. Bernouin!"

Bernouin entered.

"See if the young man with t