Part 24 (1/2)
”Oh, yes, I have,” said he; ”it was I who repaired the Queen's boxes in this very roo of the sort from Her Majesty, and utterly unaware that the boxes the Princess sent to reatly surprised Seeing my confusion, he said, ”I know the boxes as well as I knowworked together many years Why, I know every creek and corner of the palace, aye, and I know everything that's going on in thes! Lord, my pretty da's papers, where the devil hi didn't tell!”
Though I wished hi his information at the palace, yet I played off the soubrette upon hione
At last, however, he took his departure, and the itation and surprise of the Princess at what I related were extreo and infor out of the roohness
It was not long before she returned Luckily, I was dressed for dinner
She took me by the hand and, unable to speak, led raciously condescended to thank e of She told me that for the future all letters to her would be without any superscription; and desired iven to me by persons I had not before seen, and the cipher were shown at the same time, to receive and deliver them myself into her hands, as the production of the cipher would be a sufficient pledge of their authenticity
Being desired to repeat the conversation with Gamin, ”There, Princess!”
exclais? I trust the King will never again be credulous enough to e had an extreme aversion to His Majesty's familiarity with him; but he shall hear his ilishwoman; and then he will not think it is prepossession or prejudice”
A few evenings elapsed, and I thought no ht I was ordered to the palace by the Princess, which never happened but on very particular occasions, as she was fearful of exciting suspicion by any appearance of close intimacy with one so much about Paris upon the secret embassies of the Court
When I entered the apart, the Queen, and the Princesse Elizabeth were, as if by accident, in an adjoining room; but, from what followed, I am certain they all came purposely to hear my deposition I was presently co was in deep conversation with the Princesse Elizabeth I must confess I felt rather embarrassed I could not forraciously took me by the hand
”Now tell His Majesty, yourself, what Ga noherefore I was suuests assembled, as I had done before Her Majesty and the Princesse de Lamballe, the scene as it occurred
When I came to that part where he said, ”where the devil himself could never find them out,” His Majesty approached fro with the Princesse Elizabeth, and said, ”Well! he is very right--but neither he nor the devil shall find theht”
[Which was done; and these are, therefore, no doubt, the papers and portfolio of which Mada been entrusted to her care after being taken fro, the Queen, and the Princesse Elizabeth is, laise!” and Her Majesty added, ”Now,suspected for his wickedness”
I said he had been guilty of no hostile indications, and that the chief fault I had to find with hi hi”
”Go on,” said Her Majesty; ”give us the whole as it occurred, and let us form our own conclusions”
”Yes,” cried the Princess, ”parlate sciolto”--”Si Si,” rejoined the Queen, ”parlate tutto--yes, yes, speak out and tell us all”
I then related the remainder of the conversation, which very reed that, to avoid suspicion, I should next day send for the locksmith and desire him, as an excuse, to look at the locks of e, and set off in his presence to take up ht not suspect I had any connection with any one about the Court I was strictly enjoined by Her Majesty to tell hiet thee or that of ive hi dared to use her apartments as a workshop for the business of other people
”Now,” said the Princesse de Lamballe, ”now play the comic part you acted between your servant and Gamin:” which I did, as well as I could recollect it, and the royal audience were so much amused, that I had the honour to reth, however, there caentle taps at the outer door ”Ora a tehness at the sound, having ordered a person to call with this signal to see e was in waiting to conduct racious condescension of the Queen and the Princesse Elizabeth, in expressing their sentiments for the accidental discovery I had made Amid their assurances of tender interest and concern, they both reproved , when I went to Brussels, hurried froave ard to my future conduct and residence at Paris; and it was principally owing to the united persuasions and reels in hus, where the Princesse de Laone often to the palace, as ularly in any one spot, I should, infallibly, have been discovered
”Gracious God!” exclaimed Her Majesty in the course of this conversation, ”am I born to be theain--and do not forget to say I desired you to tell her--our cruel situation! She does not believe that we are surrounded by enemies, even in our most private seclusions! in our prison! that we are even thrown exclusively upon foreigners in our most confidential affairs; that in France there is scarcely an individual to e can look! They betray us for their own safety, which is endangered by any exertions in our favour Tell her this,” repeated the Queen three or four times
The next day I punctually obeyed my orders Gamin was sent for to look at the locks, and received six francs for his opinion The man servant was reproved by me on behalf of ed for having brought suspicious things into the house
The ed Gamin to plead for my intercession with our mistress I remained inexorable, as he knew I should While Gaot into e, and took the road towards Calais