He told me that he
would procure for me powerful patrons, and told me that a very
distinguished lady, who had interested herself in my behalf through
his description, would visit me and make my acquaintance. On the
next day he really came in company with a lady, who greeted me very
friendly, and was astonished at her first glimpse of me."
"Who was that lady?" asked the president.
Mademoiselle pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. "The lady
yonder," said she.
"Are you sure of it?"
"As of my own life, Mr. President."
"Good. Good. You saw the lady quite frequently?"
"Yes, she visited me twice more, and told me about the queen, and
the splendid way they lived at the court; she promised me that she
would bring me to the court and make a great lady out of me, if I
would do what she wanted me to do. I promised it gladly, and
declared myself ready to do every thing that she should order me, if
she would keep her promise and bring me to the court, that I might
speak with the king and the queen."
"But why were you so curious to go to the court and speak with the
king and the queen?"
"Why? Good Lord! that is very simple and natural. It is a very easy
thing for the king to make a captain out of a sergeant, and as the
king, so people say, does nothing but what the queen tells him to, I
wanted of course before every thing to have a good word from the
queen.
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