nt. I trust that, by the goodness of God, it will be with
piety and justice. My chancellor will inform you more particularly of
my intentions."

The chancellor then made a long address. At its conclusion the queen
mother rose and said to her son:

"SIRE,--This is the ninth year in which, by the last will of the
deceased king, my much honored lord, I have been intrusted with the
care of your education and the government of the state. God having by
his will blessed my endeavors, and preserved your person, which is so
precious to your subjects, now that the law of the kingdom calls you
to the rule of this monarchy, I transfer to you, with great
satisfaction, the power which had been granted me to govern. I trust
that God will aid you with his strength and wisdom, that your reign
may be prosperous."

To this the king replied, "I thank you, madame, for the care which it
has pleased you to take of my education and the administration of my
kingdom. I pray you to continue to me your good advice, and desire
that, after myself, you should be the head of my council."

The mother and the son embraced each other, and then resumed their
conspicuous seats on the platform. The king's brother, Philip, duke of
Anjou, next rose, and, sinking upon his knee, took the oath of
allegiance to his royal brother. He was followed in this act by all
the civil and ecclesiastical notabilities. The royal procession
returned to the gates of the Palais Royal, greeted apparently by the
unanimous acclamations of the people.

Thus a stripling, who had just completed his thirteenth year, was
accepted by the nobles and by the populace as the absolute and
untrammeled sovereign of France. He held in his hands, virtually
unrestrained by constitution or court, their liberties, their
fortunes, and their lives. It is often said that every nation has as
good a government as it deserves. In republican America, it seems
incredible that a nation of twenty millions of people could have been
guilty of the folly of surrendering themselves to the sway of a pert,
weak, immature boy of thirteen years.

The young king, in those early years, was celebrated for his
gallantry. A bevy of young beauties, from the most illustrious
families in the realm, crowded his court. The matter of the marriage
of the king was deemed of very great moment. According to the
etiquette of the times, it was thought necessary that he should marry
a lady of royal blood. It would have been est