Part 17 (2/2)

Osmin, the Little Moor--He Sets the Fashi+on--The Queen Has a Black Baby--Osmin is Dis of Arda, an African prince, gave to the Queen a nice little blackaed about ten or twelve years, was only twenty-seven inches in height, and the King of Arda declared that, being quite unique, the boy would never grow to be taller than three feet

The Queen instantly took a great fancy to this black creature Soambolled about and turned somersaults on her carpet like a kitten, or frolicked about on the bureau, the sofa, and even on the Queen's lap

As she passed frohted to catch hold of it and so make the Queen stop short suddenly, or else to cover his head and face with it, for h

He was arrayed in regular African costu handsome bracelets, armlets, a necklace ablaze with jewels, and a splendid turban Wishi+ng to show rette of rubies and diamonds; I was always sorry afterwards that I did so

The King could never put up with this little dwarf, albeit his features were coht him too familiar, and never even answered hi the fashi+on set by her Majesty, all the Court ladies wanted to have little blackamoors to follow them about, set off their white complexions, and hold up their cloaks or their trains Thus it canard, Le Bourdon, and other painters of the aristocracy, used to introduce negro boys into all their large portraits It was a mode, a mania; but so absurd a fashi+on soon had to disappear after the nant, public prayers were offered up for her according to custonancy this ti ones I ae whims; I have never felt like this before If, for propriety's sake, I did not restrainsoreen fruit and raw game; that is what I should like to do, too I should like to--”

”Oh,”Don't let all those whiive birth to some monstrosity, some freak of nature” His Majesty was a true prophet The Queen was delivered of a fine little girl, black as ink fro a catastrophe, but persuaded her to go to sleep, saying that the child had been taken away to be christened

The physicians met in one room, the bishops and chaplains in another One prelate was opposed to baptising the infant; another only agreed to this upon certain conditions The majority decided that it should be baptised without the name of father or mother, and such suppression was unani, despite its swarthy hue, was most beautifully made; its features bore none of those marks peculiar to people of colour

It was sent away to the Gisors district to be suckled as a negro's daughter, and the Gazette de France contained an announcement to the effect that the royal infant had died, after having been baptised by the chaplains

[This daughter of the Queen lived, and was obliged to enter a Benedictine nunnery at Moret Her portrait is to be seen in the Sainte Genevieve Library of Henri IV's College, where it hangs in the winter saloon--EDITOR'S NOTE]

The little African was sent away, as ined; and the Queen adnant, he had hidden himself behind a piece of furniture and suddenly juht In this he was but too successful

The Court ladies no longer dared come near the Queen attended by their little blackaer, as if they were mere nick-hacks or ornaments; in Paris they were still to be seen in public But the ladies' husbands at last got wind of the tale, when all the little negroes disappeared

CHAPTER XLI

Monsieur's Second Marriage--Princess Palatine--The Court Turnspit--A Wo's Mistress on a Par with the First Prince of the Blood--She Gives His Wife a Lesson

In order to keep up appearances at his Palais Royal, Monsieur besought the King to consent to his re was at an end

”Whom have you in view?” asked his brother He replied that he proposed to wed Maderande Mademoiselle de Montpensier--on account of her enormous wealth!

Just then Mademoiselle was head over ears in love with Lauzun She sent the Prince about his business, as I believe I have already stated

Moreover, she re, charht have seen to it that she was not poisoned; in that case you would not now be a er

As it is not likely that I should ever co else to you but a cousin, and I shall endeavour not to die until the proper time; that is, when it shall please God to take me You can repeat this speech, word for word, to your precious Marquis d'Effiat and Messieurs de Remecourt and de Lorraine

They have no access to my kitchens; I a not a little, and he said to hter is extrely and ill-bred; consequently, she is capable of keeping Monsieur in check Through one of my Rhenish allies, I will make proposals to her father for her hand