"I do not send you away, but you have had the small-pox and
I am afraid that sitting up late may tire you."

"You had no fears of my being tired when you ordered me to
go to the palace to-day to pass the odious decrees which
have raised the people to rebellion."

"Sire!" interposed Laporte, in order to turn the subject,
"to whom does your majesty wish me to give the candle?"

"To any one, Laporte," the child said; and then added in a
loud voice, "to any one except Mancini."

Now Mancini was a nephew of Mazarin's and was as much hated
by Louis as the cardinal himself, although placed near his
person by the minister.

And the king went out of the room without either embracing
his mother or even bowing to the cardinal.

"Good," said Mazarin, "I am glad to see that his majesty has
been brought up with a hatred of dissimulation."

"Why do you say that?" asked the queen, almost timidly.

"Why, it seems to me that the way in which he left us needs
no explanation. Besides, his majesty takes no pains to
conceal how little affection he has for me. That, however,
does not hinder me from being entirely devoted to his