"
"In your name, cardinal?"
"Yes, in my name, sire, and she gave at the same time a receipt to
the queen for one hundred and fifty thousand francs, which I lent
the queen toward the purchase."
"And what reward did you have from the queen?"
The cardinal hesitated; then, as he felt the angry, cold, and
contemning look of the queen resting upon him, the red blood mounted
into his face, and with a withering glance at Marie Antoinette, he
said:
"You wish, madame, that I should speak the whole truth! Sire, the
queen rewarded me for this little work of love in a manner worthy of
a queen. She granted me an appointment in the park of Versailles."
At this new and fearful charge, the queen cried aloud, and,
springing forward like a tigress, she seized the arm of her husband
and shook it.
"Sire," said she, "listen to this high traitor, bringing infamy upon
a queen! Will you bear it? Can his purple protect the villain?"
"No, it cannot, and it shall not!" cried the king. "Breteuil, do
your duty. And you, cardinal, who venture to accuse your queen, to
scandalize the good name of the wife of your king, go."
"Sire," stammered the cardinal, "sire, I--"
"Not a word," interrupted the king, raising his hand and pointing
toward the door, "out, I say, out with you!"
The cardinal staggered to the door, and entered the hall filled with
a glittering throng, who were still whispering, laughing, and
walking to and fro.
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