whole world shall know that Julia de Polignac is my best-loved
friend, that next to husband and children, I love no one so well as
her."

With gentle violence the queen threw both her arms around the neck
of the duchess, and kissed her passionately.

"Did you notice," said the Baron de Besenval to Lord Adhemar, with
whom he was playing a game of backgammon in the saloon, "did you
notice the tableau that the queen is presenting, taking for her
theme a group representing Friendship?"

"I wish it were in my power to reproduce this wonderful group in
marble," answered Lord Adhemar, laughing. "It would be a companion
piece to Orestes and Pylades."

"But which," asked the Duchess de Guemene, looking up from her
embroidery, "which would be the companion of Orestes, pursued of
Furies, surrounded by serpents?"

"That is the queen," answered the Count de Vaudreuil, who was
sitting at the piano and practising a new piece of music. "The queen
is the womanly Orestes: the Furies are the three royal aunts; and
the serpents--pardon me, ladies--are, with the exception of
yourselves, most all the ladies of Paris."

"You are malicious, count," cried Madame de Morsan, "and were we by
any chance not here, you would reckon us among the serpents."

"If I should do so," said Count Vaudreuil, laughing, "I should only