"
"Oh, sire!" exclaimed Marie Antoinette, extending her hand to him,
"so you did not for an instant doubt my innocence?"
"No, truly, not a moment," answered the king, with a smile. "But now
come, madame, we will consider with Breteuil what is to be done, and
then we will summon the Abbe de Viermont, that he may take part in
our deliberations."
On the next day, the 15th of August, a brilliant, select company was
assembled in the saloons of Versailles. It was a great holiday,
Ascension-day, and the king and the queen, with the entire court,
intended to be present at the mass, which the cardinal and the grand
almoner would celebrate in the chapel.
The entire brilliant court was assembled; the cardinal arrayed in
his suitable apparel, and wearing all the tokens of his rank, had
entered the great reception room, and only awaited the arrival of
the royal pair, to lead them into the church. The fine and much
admired face of the cardinal wore today a beaming expression, and
his great black eyes were continually directed, while he was talking
with the Duke de Conti and the Count d'Artois, toward the door
through which the royal couple would enter. All at once the portal
opened, a royal page stepped in and glanced searchingly around; and
seeing the towering figure of the cardinal in the middle of the
hall, he at once advanced through the glittering company, and
approached the cardinal.
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