beautiful, chestnut-brown hair, arranged in exactly the manner that
Leonard, the queen's hair-dresser, was accustomed to dress hers. The
rest of her toilet, also, was precisely like that of the queen when
she appeared in the gardens of Versailles and dispensed with court
etiquette. A bright dress of light linen flowed down in long, broad
folds over her beautiful figure; her chest and the full shoulders
were covered by a short white robe a l'enfant, and on the loftily
dressed hair lay a white cap, trimmed with lace.

Yes, it was the queen, as she had often been seen wandering up and
down in the broad walks of Versailles; and even the ladies on the
tribune, who often enough had seen the monarch close at hand and had
spoken with her, looked in astonishment at the entering figure, and
whispered, "It is she! The queen herself is coming to give her
evidence. What folly, what thoughtlessness!"

While all eyes were directed upon this unexpected figure, no one had
thought of the Countess Lamotte-Valois, no one had noticed how she
shrank back, and then started from her seat, as if she wanted to fly
from the horror which so suddenly confronted her.

No, the officer who stood near her chair had noticed this movement,
and with a quick and strong grasp seized her arm.

"What do you want, madame? Why do you rise from your chair after
being told to sit still, if you do not want to be chained?"

At the touch of the officer, Lamotte had, as it appeared, regained
her whole composure, and had conquered her alarm.