the Queen triumphed in the punishment he was to suffer—her eyes thirsting for blood demanded that of her illustrious victim. The King renewed his intercessions, but they only served to exasperate her. At length, the day fixed for this terrible execution arrived. They came to lead the Chevalier from the prison in which they had placed him, and where he had been living without a single person in the world to speak to. He was therefore ignorant of what crime the Queen had accused him, and merely imagined it some new persecution his indifference to her had brought upon him; and that which distressed him the most was, that he believed the King participated with the Princess in her rage against him. Floride, inconsolable at seeing the situation in which her lover was placed, took a most violent resolution, which was to poison the Queen and herself if Fortuné should be doomed to a cruel death. From the moment she knew the sentence, despair seized her; she thought but of how to put her intentions into effect. The poison she procured, however, was not as powerful as she desired, for although she had given it to the Queen, that Princess, not feeling the effects of it, caused the charming Chevalier to be brought into the great square of the palace, that the execution might take place in her presence. The executioners brought him from his dungeon according to their custom, and led him like a tender lamb to the slaughter. The first object that struck his sight was the Queen in her chariot, who could not be too near him, wishing if possible that his blood might spurt out upon her. The King shut himself up in his chamber, that he might lament unchecked the fate of his beloved favourite.
When they had tied Fortuné to the stake, they tore off his robe and his vest to pierce his heart, but what was the astonishment of this numerous assembly, when they uncovered the alabaster bosom of Belle-belle! Everybody saw it was an innocent girl, unjustly accused. The Queen was so agitated and confused at such a sight that the poison began to take extraordinary effect. She fell into long convulsions, from which she only recovered to utter agonising lamenta-
executed. If, then, any unhappy wretch is sentenced to death he is not spared, though his innocency be discovered, and made as clear as noonday; but his judges are executed too, before his face, which in my mind is a poor consolation."—Letter IV., dated Lerma, March 5, 1679.
