The Queen took great pains to heighten the lustre of her appearance by an extraordinary display of dress; she saw with pleasure that Fortuné was astonished. "Appearances," said she, "are sometimes so deceitful, that I am delighted to justify myself from the charges you no doubt brought against me in your heart. When I induced the King to send you to the Emperor, it seemed as though my object was to destroy you. Nevertheless, depend upon it, handsome Chevalier, that I knew all that would happen, and that I had no other view than your immortal honour." "Madam," said he, "you are too much above me to render it necessary you should condescend to any explanation. I do not presume to inquire into the motives that induced you to act thus; it was sufficient for me that I should obey the King." "You set too light a value on the explanation I wish to give you," added she; "but the time has arrived to convince you of my favour. Approach, Fortuné, approach; receive my hand as a pledge of my faith."
The poor Chevalier was more thunderstruck than anybody had ever been in the world. Twenty times he was on the point of declaring his sex to the Queen, but durst not do so, and only responded to her tokens of love by an excessive coldness of manner. He pointed out to her the numberless reasons for the King's anger, when he should hear that a subject, in the midst of his Court, should have ventured to contract so important a marriage without his sanction. After the Queen had vainly endeavoured to remove the obstacles that appeared to alarm him, she all at once assumed the voice and countenance of a fury; she flew into the most violent passion; she threatened him with a thousand punishments; she loaded him with abuse; she fought and scratched him; and then, turning her rage upon herself, she tore her hair, made her face and throat bleed, rent her veil and her lace; then crying out, "Help, guards!—help!" called them into her chamber, and commanded them to fling that wretch into some dungeon; and ran herself to the King, to demand reparation for the violence of that young monster.
She told her brother, that for some time past he had had the audacity to declare his passion for her, that in the hope that absence, and her severity towards him, might have cured him, she had allowed no opportunity to pass of having him
