“Well, then?” asked the count.
“Well, then!” repeated Andrée, with the greatest presence of mind; “I do not know him personally, but he is said to be a very honorable man.”
“Then why all this emotion, my dear countess?” observed the queen.
“This emotion! Have I then been excited?”
“Yes; one would have said that when you pronounced the name Gilbert, you felt as if undergoing torture.”
“It is possible; I will tell you how it happened. I met a person in the king’s cabinet, who was dressed in black, a man of austere countenance, who spoke of gloomy and horrible subjects; he related with the most frightful reality the assassination of Monsieur de Launay and Monsieur de Flesselles. I became terrified on hearing this intelligence, and I fell into the swoon in which you saw me. It may be that I spoke at that time; perhaps I then pronounced the name of Monsieur Gilbert.”
“It is possible,” repeated Monsieur de Charny, who was evidently not disposed to push the questioning any further. “But now you feel recovered, do you not, Madame?”
“Perfectly.”
“I will then beg of you to do one thing, Monsieur de Charny,” said the queen.
“I am at the disposal of your Majesty.”
“Go and find out Messieurs de Besenval, de Broglie, and de Lambesq. Tell them to quarter their troops where they now are. The king will decide to-morrow in council what must be done.”
The count bowed; but before leaving the room, he cast a last look at Andrée.
That look was full of affectionate anxiety.
It did not escape the queen.
“Countess,” said she, “will you not return to the king’s apartment with me?”
“No, Madame, no,” replied Andrée, quickly.
“And why not?”
“I ask your Majesty’s permission to withdraw to my own apartment. The emotions I have undergone make me feel the want of rest.”
“Come now, Countess, speak frankly,” said the queen.
“Have you had any disagreement with his Majesty?”
“Oh, by no means, Madame! absolutely nothing.”
“Oh, tell me, if anything has happened! The king does not always spare my friends.”
“The king is, as usual, full of kindness to me, but—”
“But you have no great wish to see him. Is it not so? There must positively be something at the bottom of all this, Count,” said the queen, with affected gayety.
At this moment Andrée directed so expressive, so supplicating a look at the queen,—a look so full of revelations, that the latter understood it was time to put an end to this minor war.
“In fact, Countess,” said she, “we will leave Monsieur de Charny to execute the commission I intrusted to him, and you can retire or remain here, according to your choice.”
“Thank you, Madame,” said Andrée.
“Go, then, Monsieur de Charny,” continued Marie Antoinette, while she noticed the expression of gratitude which was visible on the features of Andrée.
Either the count did not perceive, or did not wish to perceive it. He took the hand of his wife, and complimented her on the return of her strength and color.
Then, making a most respectful bow to the queen, he left the room.
But while leaving the room he exchanged a last look with Marie Antoinette.
The queen’s look meant to say, “Return quickly.” That of the count replied, “As soon as possible.”
As to Andrée, she followed with her eyes every one of her husband’s movements, her bosom palpitating, and almost breathless.
She seemed to accelerate with her wishes the slow and noble step with which he approached the door. She, as it were, pushed him out of the room with the whole power of her will.
Therefore was it that, as soon as he had closed the door, as soon as he had disappeared, all the strength that Andrée had summoned to assist her in surmounting the difficulties of her position abandoned her; her face became pale, her limbs failed beneath her, and she fell into an arm-chair which was within her reach, while she endeavored to apologize to the queen for her involuntary breach of etiquette.
The queen ran to the chimney-piece, took a smelling-bottle of salts, and making Andrée inhale them, she was soon restored to her senses, but more by the power of her own will than by the efficacy of the attentions she received at the royal hands.