the middle of the table, and gave the stroke. But it was so
passionately given, and in such rage, that the cue glided by the
balls and struck so strongly against the raised rim of the table
that it broke.

The queen uttered an exclamation of indignation, and, raising the
hand, pointed with a commanding gesture to the door.

"My Lord Duke de Coigny," said she, proudly, "I release you from the
duty of ever coming again to Trianon. You are dismissed."

The duke, trembling with anger, muttering a few unintelligible
words, made a slight, careless obeisance to the queen, and left the
billiard-hall with a quick step.[Footnote: This scene is historical.
See "Memoires de Madame de Campan," vol. ii.]

Marie Antoinette looked after him with a long and pained look. Then,
with a deep sigh, she took up the bits of the broken cue and went
into her little porcelain cabinet, in order to gain rest and self-
command in solitude and stillness.

Reaching that place, and now sure that no one could observe her,
Marie Antoinette sank with a deep sigh into an arm-chair, and the
long-restrained tears started from her eyes.

"Oh," sighed she, sadly, "they will destroy every thing I have,
every thing--my confidence, my spirit, my heart itself. They will
leave me nothing but pain and misfortune, and not one of them whom I
till now have held to be my friends, will share it with me."