Le collier de la reine. English

  CHAPTER LXXXI.

  ST. DENIS.

  The queen remained alone and despairing. So many blows had struck herthat she hardly knew from which she suffered most. How she longed toretract the words she had spoken, to take from Andree even the chanceof the happiness which she still hoped she would refuse; but if sherefused, would not the king's suspicions reawaken, and everything seemonly the worse for this falsehood? She dared not risk this--she must goto Andree and confess, and implore her to make this sacrifice; or if shewould only temporize, the king's suspicions might pass away, and hemight cease to interest himself about it. Thus the liberty of Mlle. deTaverney would not be sacrificed, neither would that of M. de Charny;and she would be spared the remorse of having sacrificed the happinessof two people to her honor. She longed to speak again to Charny, butfeared discovery; and she knew she might rely upon him to ratifyanything she chose to say. Three o'clock arrived--the state dinner andthe presentations; and the queen went through all with a serene andsmiling air. When all was over she changed her dress, got into hercarriage, and, without any guards, and only one companion, drove to St.Denis, and asked to see Andree. Andree was at that moment kneeling,dressed in her white peignoir; and praying with fervor. She had quittedthe court voluntarily, and separated herself from all that could feedher love; but she could not stifle her regrets and bitter feelings. Hadshe not seen Charny apparently indifferent towards her, while the queenoccupied all his thoughts? Yet, when she heard that the queen was askingfor her, she felt a thrill of pleasure and delight. She threw a mantleover her shoulders, and hastened to see her; but on the way shereproached herself with the pleasure that she felt, endeavoring to thinkthat the queen and the court had alike ceased to interest her.

  "Come here, Andree," said the queen, with a smile, as she entered.