therewereherlarge，grayish-blueeyes；herhighforehead；herbeautiful，chestnut-brownhair，arrangedinexactlythemannerthatLeonard，thequeen’shair-dresser，wasaccustomedtodresshers。Therestofhertoilet，also，waspreciselylikethatofthequeenwhensheappearedinthegardensofVersaillesanddispensedwithcourtetiquette。Abrightdressoflightlinenfloweddowninlong，broadfoldsoverherbeautifulfigure；herchestandthefullshoulderswerecoveredbyashortwhiterobeal’enfant，andontheloftilydressedhairlayawhitecap，trimmedwithlace。
Yes，itwasthequeen，asshehadoftenbeenseenwanderingupanddowninthebroadwalksofVersailles；andeventheladiesonthetribune，whooftenenoughhadseenthemonarchcloseathandandhadspokenwithher，lookedinastonishmentattheenteringfigure，andwhispered，“Itisshe!Thequeenherselfiscomingtogiveherevidence。Whatfolly，whatthoughtlessness!“
Whilealleyesweredirecteduponthisunexpectedfigure，noonehadthoughtoftheCountessLamotte-Valois，noonehadnoticedhowsheshrankback，andthenstartedfromherseat，asifshewantedtoflyfromthehorrorwhichsosuddenlyconfrontedher。
No，theofficerwhostoodnearherchairhadnoticedthismovement，andwithaquickandstronggraspseizedherarm。
“Whatdoyouwant，madame？Whydoyourisefromyourchairafterbeingtoldtositstill，ifyoudonotwanttobechained？“
Atthetouchoftheofficer，Lamottehad，asitappeared，regainedherwholecomposure，andhadconqueredheralarm。
“Irose，“shesaidcalmly，“topaymyrespectstotheQueenofFrance，likeagoodsubject；butasIseethatnooneelsestandsup，andthattheyallowthequeentoenterwithoutrisingfromtheirseats，Iwilltakemineagain。“Andthecountessslowlysankintoherchair。
“Comenearer，“criedPresidentdeL’Aigretotheroyalpersonage；
andshesteppedforward，allowinghereyestowanderunconstrainedlythroughthehall，andthen，assheapproachedthetable，behindwhichthepresidentandthejudgessat，greetingthemwithafriendlynodandsmilewhichcausedherlipstopart。Againtherepassedthroughthehallawaveofamazement，fornow，whentheladyopenedhermouth，thefirstdissimilaritytothequeenappeared。
Behindhercherry-redlipsthereweretworowsofpoor，brokenteeth，withgapsbetweenthem，whereasMarieAntoinettehad，onaccountofherfaultlessteeth，beentheobjectofadmirationandenvytoalltheladiesofhercourt。
“Whoareyou，madame，andwhatareyoucalled？“askedthepresident。
“WhoamI，sir？“repliedthelady，withaslightflush，“GoodLord!
thatishardtoanswer。Iwasalight-mindedandidlegirl，thatdidnotliketowork，butdidliketolivewell，andhadnoobjectiontodress，andledatolerablyeasylife，tillonedaymyheartwassurprisedbylove。AfterbeingenamouredofmySergeantGeorge，I
resolvedtoleadanhonorableandvirtuouslife；andsincemylittlesonwasbornIhavetriedtobemerelyagoodmotherandagoodwife。DoyounowwanttoknowwhatIamcalled？DowntothepresenttimeIamcalledMademoiselleOliva。YouhadmearrestedinBrusselsandbroughthereexactlyninedaysbeforetheappointedtimeofmymarriagewithmydearGeorge。Hehadpromisedmethatourchildshouldbeabletoregardusasregularlymarriedpeople，andhewantedtokeephispromise，butyoupreventedhim，anditisyourfaultthatmydearlittleboywasborninprison，andthathisfatherwasnottheretogreethim。ButyouwillconfessthatIamguiltyofnocrime，andthenyouwillfulfilmywish，andgivemeawrittencertificateofmyinnocence——thatis，“shecorrectedherself，blushing，“ofmyinnocenceinthismatter，thatImaybeabletojustifymyselftomyson，whenIhavetotellhimthathewasborninprison。Itissuchadreadfulthingforamothertohaveanythingthatsheisashamedtoconfesstoherchild!“
Amurmurofapplauseranthroughthehall，andtheladiesuponthetribunelookedwithsympathyuponthisfairwoman，whosefaithfullovemadeherbeautiful，andwhosemother-feelinggaveherdignity。
“SoyournameisMademoiselleOliva？“askedthepresident。
“Yes，sir，thatunfortunatelyisthenameIamcalledby，“answeredshe，sighing，“butassoonasIleavetheprisonIshallbemarried，andthenIshallbecalledMadameGeorge。Formychild’ssake，youwoulddomeagreatkindnessnowifyouwouldcallmemadame。“
Atthesenaivewordsasmilelightedupthesternfacesofthejudges，andspedlikearayofsunlightoverallthecountenancesofthespectators。Eventherigidfeaturesoftheattorney-generalweretouchedforaninstantwiththeglow；onlythoseoftheCountessLamottedarkened。
“Yourmajestyplaysto-daytheNAIVEpartofapaysanneperversee，“
criedshe，withahard，shrillvoice。“Itiswellknownthatyourmajestylovestoplaycomedies，andthatyouaresometimescontentwitheventheminorparts。Now，donotlookatme，Mrs。Queen，withsuchawitheringlook。DonotforgetthatyouareplayingthepartofMademoiselleOliva，andthatyouhavecomesecretlyfromVersaillestosaveyourhonorandyourdiamonds。“
“Officer，“criedthepresident，“iftheaccusedallowsherselftospeakasinglewordwithoutbeingasked，lockherupandgagher。“
Theofficerbowedintokenofhisunconditionalobedience，anddrewoutthewoodengag，whichheshowedthecountess，goingstraighttoherchair。
“Iwillcomplywithyourwish，“saidthepresident，turningtothelivingportraitofthequeen。“Iwillcallyoumadame，ifyouwillpromisemeinreturntoanswerallmyquestionsfaithfully。“
“Ipromiseyouthat，bymychild，“answeredMademoiselleOliva，bowingslightly。
“Tellme，then，doyouknowthepersonwhositsinthatchair？“
MademoiselleOlivacastaquicklookatLamotte，whoglaredatherfromherseat。
“Oh，yes，Iknowher，“shesaid。“Thatis，Idonotknowhername，I
onlyknowthatshelivesinasplendidpalace，thatsheisveryrich，andhaseverythingnice。“
“Howdoyouknowthislady？Tellusthat。“
“Iwilltellyou，gentlemen，andIsweartoyouthatsosureasI
wanttobeanhonorablewife，Iwilltellyouthewholetruth。IwaswalkingonedayinthePalaisRoyal，whenatall，slim，gentlemanlyman，whohadpassedmeseveraltimes，cameuptome，saidsomesoftthings，andaskedpermissiontovisitme。Iansweredhim，smiling，thathecouldvisitmeatonceifhewouldtakemeintooneoftheeating-housesanddinewithme。Heacceptedmyproposition，andwedinedtogether，andweremerryandjollyenoughforanewacquaintance。Whenwepartedwepromisedtomeetthereagainonthemorrow，andsowedid。Aftertheseconddinner，theamiablegentlemanconductedmehome，andtheretoldmethathewasverydistinguishedandinfluential，thathehadfriendsatcourt，andwasverywellacquaintedwiththekingandqueen。Hetoldmethathewouldprocureformepowerfulpatrons，andtoldmethataverydistinguishedlady，whohadinterestedherselfinmybehalfthroughhisdescription，wouldvisitmeandmakemyacquaintance。Onthenextdayhereallycameincompanywithalady，whogreetedmeveryfriendly，andwasastonishedatherfirstglimpseofme。“
“Whowasthatlady？“askedthepresident。
Mademoisellepointedwithherthumboverhershoulder。“Theladyyonder，“saidshe。
“Areyousureofit？“
“Asofmyownlife，Mr。President。“
“Good。Good。Yousawtheladyquitefrequently？“
“Yes，shevisitedmetwicemore，andtoldmeaboutthequeen，andthesplendidwaytheylivedatthecourt；shepromisedmethatshewouldbringmetothecourtandmakeagreatladyoutofme，ifI
woulddowhatshewantedmetodo。Ipromiseditgladly，anddeclaredmyselfreadytodoeverythingthatsheshouldorderme，ifshewouldkeepherpromiseandbringmetothecourt，thatImightspeakwiththekingandthequeen。“
“Butwhywereyousocurioustogotothecourtandspeakwiththekingandthequeen？“
“Why？GoodLord!thatisverysimpleandnatural。Itisaveryeasythingforthekingtomakeacaptainoutofasergeant，andastheking，sopeoplesay，doesnothingbutwhatthequeentellshimto，I
wantedofcoursebeforeeverythingtohaveagoodwordfromthequeen。IshouldhavelikedtoseemydearGeorgewearingepaulets，anditmusthavetremendouslypleasedmyboytohavecomeintotheworldthechildofacaptain。“
“Didyoutellthattothelady？“
“CertainlyItoldher，andshepromisedmethatthequeenwouldundoubtedlydomethefavor，providedthatIwoulddoeverythingthatshebademedointhenameofthequeen。Shetoldme，then，thatthequeenhadorderedhertoseekapersonsuitabletoplayapartinalittlecomedy，whichshewasprivatelypreparing；thatI
wasjustthepersontoplaythispart，andifIwoulddoitwellandtellnobodyintheworld，notevenGeorge，whenheshouldcomehomefromBrussels，shewouldnotonlygivemeherhelpinthefuture，butpaymefifteenthousandfrancsformyassistance。Iconsentedwithgreatjoy，ofcourse，forfifteenthousandfrancswasamagnificentdowryforamarriage，andIwasveryhappyinbeingabletoearnsomuchwithouthavingtoworkveryhardforit。“
“Butdiditnotoccurtoyouthatthatwasadangerousgamethattheywantedyontoplay，andforwhichtheyweregoingtopaysuchahighsum？“
“Ididhavesuchthoughtsonceinawhile，butIsuppressedthemsoon，soasnottobetroubledaboutmygoodfortune；andbesidesthat，thecountessassuredmethateverythingwasdoneatthecommandofthequeen，andthatitwasthequeenwhowasgoingtopaythefifteenthousandfrancs。Thatquietedmecompletely，forasanobedientandtruesubjectitwasmydutytoobeythequeen，andshowdevotiontoherinallthings，moreparticularlywhenshewasgoingtopaysomagnificently。Meantime，Icomfortedmyselfthatitcouldbenothingbadandcriminalthatthequeencouldorderdone，andthecountessassuredmethattoo，andtoldmethateverythingIhadtodowastorepresentanotherperson，andtomakealoverbelievethathewaswithhislove，whichwould，ofcourse，pleasehimimmensely，andmakehimveryhappy。Besides，Ididnotthinkitanysintodomyparttowardmakinganunfortunateloverhavehappythoughts。I