and then in a voice harsh with passion, she said violently: “La France, monsieur, is a royaume—a—vat you call it?—a monarchy—a kinkdom. Ze French people must have a kink—zey are lost vitout a kink—zey cannot govern zemselves vitout a kink!… Zere can be no France, monsieur, vitout a kink!” she almost shouted. “Zere has been no France since ze monarchy vas destroyed by zese scélérats who’ave betrayed La France—zere vill never be a France until ze kink is restored to his rightful office and zese creeminals and traitors’ave been sent to ze guillotine vere zey belonk…. So do not ask me anys’ink about zese men, monsieur,” she said with arrogant passion. “I know nozzing about zem. I pay no attention to zem! Zey are fools… traitors… creeminals,” she shouted. “You reat zat paper, you vill get ze trut.”
She was breathing hoarsely and her eyes glinted with hard fires of passion. At this moment, fortunately, the butler entered, bowed, and, speaking in a quiet voice, informed his mistress that luncheon was served. The words recalled the angry woman to her duties as a hostess: with an almost comical suddenness she assumed her former manner of gracious cordiality, smiled amiably at her guests, and saying with benevolent good-nature, “After our lonk journey and our so much talk, ve are’ongry—yes?” led the way into the dining-room.
As they went in, the little old Countess nudged her young companion again with a stealthy warning, and whispered with nervous reproach:
“You should not have asked her that, my dear. Please do not say anything more to her about the government.”
The dining-room of the château was another magnificent chamber, like everything else about the château, nobly harmonious with those elements of strength and grace, splendour and simplicity, warmth and delicacy, united with princely dignity, which are the triumphs of this period of French architecture. In spite of the chill air of the room—for it was poorly heated—one felt its living and noble warmth immediately.
The boy, who had looked forward to this meeting with considerable awe and apprehension, now felt himself completely at home, stirred by a profound, tranquil and lovely joy at the noble beauty and simplicity of the château. Even in the sense of retrenchment, the worn uniforms of the servants, the knowledge that they served their mistress in various offices, there was something pleasant, homely, and familiar; he discovered, to his surprise, that he now felt none of the constraint and uneasiness which he experienced when Joel Pierce had taken him to his great
