She
held a sealed paper in her hand and gave it to my father with a
gentle inclination of her head. 'Here, sir,' she said, 'the king is
happy to be able to reward, in the name of France, one of his best
officers. The king grants you a yearly pension of three hundred
louis-d'or, and I wish for you and your son that you may live yet
many years to enjoy happiness and health. Go at once with this paper
to the treasury, and you will receive the first quarterly payment.'
Then, when she saw that my father was almost swooning, she summoned
with a loud voice some gentlemen of the court, and commanded them to
take care of my father; to take him out into the fresh air, and to
arrange that he be sent home in a carriage. Now all these fine
gentlemen were busy in helping us. Every one vied with the others in
being friendly to us; and the poor neglected invalid who had been
crowded to the wall, the overlooked officer Toulan, was now an
object of universal care and attention. We rode home to our inn in a
royal carriage, and the host did not grumble any longer; he was
anxious to procure us food, and very active in caring for all our
needs. The queen had saved us from misfortune, the queen had made us
happy and well to do."
"A blessing upon the dear head of our queen!" cried Margaret,
raising her folded hands to heaven.
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