MarieAntoinettehadhadacareforeverything。Therewerebinstopreservethenewcropsin，andbeforethehayscaffoldingswereladdersleadinguptothefragranthay。“Ah，theworldisbeautiful，“saidMarieAntoinette，surveyinghercreationwithacheerfullook。“Iwillenjoythepleasanthours，andbehappyhere。“
Shewalkedrapidlyforward，castingfriendlyglancesuptothehousestoseewhetherthepeasantshadnothidthem-selveswithin，andwerewaitingforher。Butallwasstill，andnotoneoftheinhabitantspeepedoutfromasinglewindow。Allatoncethestillnesswasbrokenbyaloudclatteringsound。Thewhitewheelofthemillbegantoturn，andatthedoorappearedthecorpulentformofthemillerinhiswhitegarments，withhissmiling，mealpowderedface，andwiththewhitecapuponhishead。
Thequeenutteredanexclamationofdelight，andranwithquickstepstowardthemill。Butbeforeshecouldreachit，thedooroftheofficial’shouseoppositeopened，andthemayor，inhisblackcostume，andwiththebroadwhiteribbonaroundhisneck；theSpanishcane，withagoldknob，inhishand，andwearinghisblack，three-corneredhat，issuedfromthedwelling。HeadvanceddirectlytoMarieAntoinette，andrestinghishandsuponhissidesandassumingathreateningmien，placedhimselfinfrontofher。
“Weareverymuchdissatisfiedwithyou，foryouneglectyourdutiesofhospitalityinamostunbecomingmanner。Wemusthaveyougiveyourtestimonywhyyouhavecomesolate，fortheflowersareallhangingtheirheads，thenightingaleswillnotsinganymore，andthelambsinthemeadowwillnottouchthesweetestgrass。Everythingisparchinganddyingbecauseyouarenothere，andwithdesiretoseeyou。“
“Thatisnottrue，“criedanothermerryvoice；thewindowoftheschoolhouseopenedwitharattle，andthejollyyoungschoolmasterlookedoutandthreatenedwithhisrodthegravemayor。
“Howcanyousay，sir，thateverythingisgoingtoruin？AmInotheretokeepthewholetogether？Sincetheunwisepeoplestoppedlearning，Ihavebecometheschoolmasterofthedearkine，andamgivingthemlessonsintheartofmakinglifeagreeable。Iamthedancingmasterofthegoats，andhaveopenedaballetschoolforthekids。“
MarieAntoinettelaughedaloud。“Misterschoolmaster，“saidshe，“I
amverydesiroustohaveatasteofyourskill，andIdesireyoutogiveaballetdisplaythisafternoonuponthegreatmeadow。Sofarasyouareconcerned，Mr。Mayor，“shesaid，withalaughingnod，“I
desireyoutoexercisealittleforbearance，andtopardonsomethingsinmeformyyouth’ssake。“
“Asifmydearsister-in-lawnowneededanylookingafter!“criedthemayor，withanemphatictone。
“Ah，myLorddeProvence，“saidthequeen，smiling，“youarefallingoutofyourpart，andforgettingtwothings。Thefirst，thatIamnotthequeenhere；andthesecond，thathereinTrianonallflatteriesareforbidden。“
“Itliesinyou，whetherthetruthshouldappearasflattery，“
answeredtheCountdeProvence，slightlybowing。
“Thatisananswerworthyofascholar，“criedtheschoolmaster，Countd’Artois。“Brother，youdonotknowtheABCofgallantry。
Youmustgotoschooltome。“
“Idonotdoubt，brotherCharles，thatinthisthingIcouldlearnverymuchofyou，“saidtheCountdeProvence，smiling。“Meanwhile，Iamnotsurethatmywifewouldbesatisfiedwiththeinstruction。“
“Sometimewewillaskheraboutit，“saidthequeen。“Good-by，mybrothers，Imustfirstgreetmydearmiller。“
Sherushedforward，sprangwithaflyingstepupthelittlewoodenstairway，andthrewbothherarmsaroundtheneckofthemiller，who，laughingly，pressedhertohisheart，anddrewherwithinthemill。
“Ithankyou，Louis!“criedthequeen，bendingforwardandpressingthehandofherhusbandtoherlips。“Whatapleasantsurpriseyouhavepreparedforme；andhowgooditisinyoutomeetmehereinmypleasantplantation!“
“Didyounotsaybutlatelythatyouwantedthismasquerade？“askedtheking，withapleasantsmile。“Didnotyouyourselfassigntheparts，andappointmetobethemiller，theCountdeProvencetobemayor，andthewhimsicalArtoistobeschoolmasterdeparlareine，asitrunshereinTrianon，anddoyouwondernowthatwe，asitbecomestheobedient，followourqueen’scommands，andundertakethechargewhichsheintruststous？““Oh，Louis，howgoodyouare!“
saidthequeen，withtearsinhereyes。“Iknowindeedhowlittlepleasureyou，sofarasyouyourselfareconcerned，findinthesefoolishsportsandidleacts，andyetyousacrificeyourownwishesandtakepartinourgames。““ThatisbecauseIloveyou!“saidthekingwithsimplicity，andasmileofpleasurebeautifiedhisbroad，goodnaturedface。“Yes，Marie，Iloveyoutenderly，anditgivesmejoytocontributetoyourhappiness。“
ThequeengentlylaidherarmaroundLouis’sneck，andletherheadfalluponhisshoulder。“Doyoustillknow，Louis，“askedshe，“doyoustillknowwhatyousaidtomewhenyougaveTrianontome？“
“Well，“saidtheking，shakinghisheadslowly。“Yousaidtome，’Youloveflowers。Iwillpresenttoyouawholebouquet。IgiveyouLittleTrianon。’[Footnote：Theverywordsoftheking——See“MemoiredeMarquisdeCrequy，“vol。iv。]Mydearsire!youhavegivenmenotonlyabouquetofflowers，butabouquetofpleasanthours，ofhappyyears，forwhichIthankyou，andyoualone。“
“Andmaythisbouquetneverwither，Marie!“saidtheking，layinghishandasifinblessingontheheadofhiswife，andraisinghisgood，blueeyeswithapiousandprayerfullook。“But，mygoodwoman，“saidhethen，afteralittlepause，“youquiteletmeforgetthepartIhavetoplay，andthemillwheelisstandingstillagain，sincethemillerisnotthere。Itis，besides，inwretchedorder，anditisfullneedfulthatIpractisemyartofblacksmithherealittle，andputbetterscrewsandspringsinthemachine。Butlisten!whatkindofsongisthatwithout？“
“Thosearethepeasantsgreetinguswiththeirsinging，“saidthequeen，smiling。“Come，Mr。Miller，letusshowourselvestothem。“
Shedrewthekingoutuponthesmallstaircase。Directlyatthefootofitstoodtheking’stwobrothers，theCountsdeProvenceandArtois，aschiefofficialandschoolmaster，andbehindthemtheduchessesandprincesses，dukesandcounts，arrayedaspeasants。Inunitedchorustheygreetedthemistressandthemiller：
“Oilpeut-onetremieux，Qu’auseiudesafamille？“
Thequeensmiled，andyettearsglitteredinhereyes，tearsofjoy。
ThosewerehappyhourswhichtheroyalpairspentthatdayinTrianon——hoursofsuchbrightsunshinethatMarieAntoinettequiteforgotthesadcloudsofthemorning，andgaveherselfundisturbedtotheenjoymentofthissimple，countrylife。Theysatdowntoacountrydinner——aslight，simplerepast，broughttogetherfromtheresourcesofthehen-coop，themill，andthemilk-room。Thenthewholecompanywentouttoliedownintheluxuriantgrasswhichgrewontheborderofthelittlegrove，andlookedatthecowsgrazingbeforethemonthemeadow，andwithstatelydignitypursuingtheseriousoccupationofchewingthecud。Butaspeasantshavesomethingelsetodothantoliveandenjoy，theirmistress，MarieAntoinette，soonleftherresting-placetosetherpeopleagoodexampleinworking。Thespinning-wheelwasbroughtandsetuponalowstool；MarieAntoinettebegantospin。Howquicklythewheelbegantoturn，asifitwerethewheeloffortune——to-daybringingjoy，andto-morrowcalamity!
Theeveninghasnotyetcome，andthewheeloffortuneisyetturning，yetcalamityisthere。
MarieAntoinettedoesnotyetknowit；hereyestillbeamswithjoy，ahappysmilestillplaysuponherrosylips。Sheissittingnowwithhercompanybythelake，withthehookinherhand，andlookingwithlaughingfaceandfixedattentionattherod，andcryingaloudasoftenasshecatchesafish。Forthesefishesaretoserveassupperforthecompany，andthequeenhasceremoniouslyinvitedherhusbandtoaneveningmeal，whichsheherselfwillserveandprepare。Thequeensmilesstillandishappy；herspinning-wheelissilent，butthewheeloffateismovingstill。
Thekingisnolongerthere。Hehaswithdrawnintothemilltoresthimself。
Andyetthereheisnotalone。Whoventurestodisturbhim？Itmustbesomethingveryserious。ForitiswellknownthatthekingveryseldomgoestoTrianon，andthatwhenheistherehewishestobeentirelyfreefrombusiness。
Andyetheisdisturbedtoday；yetthepremier，BarondeBreteuil，iscometoseekthemillerofLittleTrianon，andtobeseechhimeventheretobethekingagain。
Directlyafterapage，arrayedintheattireofamiller’sboy，hadannouncedtheBarondeBreteuil，thekingwithdrewintohischamberandresumedhisownproperclothing。Hedrewonthelong，graycoat，theshorttrousersofblackvelvet，thelong，goldembroideredwaistcoatofgraysatin；andoverthisthebright，thinribbonoftheOrderofLouis-theattireinwhichthekingwasaccustomedtopresenthimselfongala-days。
Withtroubled，disturbedcountenance，hethenenteredthelittleapartmentwherehischiefminister，theBarondeBreteuil，wasawaitinghim。
“Tellmequickly，“ejaculatedtheking，“doyoubringbadnews？Hasanythingunexpectedoccurred？“
“Sire，“answeredtheminister，respectfully，“somethingunexpectedatallevents，butwhethersomethingbadwillbelearnedafterfurtherinvestigation。“
“Investigation!“criedtheking。“Thendoyouspeakofacrime？“
“Yes，sire，ofacrime-thecrimeofabasedeception，and，asitseems，ofadefalcationinvolvingimmensesumsandobjectsofgreatvalue。“
“Ah，“saidtheking，withasighofrelief，“thenthetroubleisonlyoneofmoney。“
“No，sire，itisonewhichconcernsthehonorofthequeen。“
Louisarose，whileaburningflushofindignationpassedoverhisface。