Page:Fairytales00auln.djvu/627

Rh earnestly to love and cherish her daughter-in-law, adding that she could not oblige him more than by so doing; that he anticipated being the father of beautiful children, and that he should look with the greatest anxiety for the news of their birth. The wicked old Queen, enchanted that her son confided his wife to her care, promised him she would think of nothing but Blondine's safety, and assured him he might make himself perfectly easy on that score. He therefore took his departure, but with so much desire to return quickly, that he risked his troops in every encounter, and fortune continually favoured his rashness, and crowned all his plans with success. The Queen was confined, however, before the campaign was ended, and the Princess her sister gave birth the same day to a beautiful boy, but died almost immediately after.

Roussette, the admiral's wife, was very busy in forming plans to injure the young Queen. When she saw her the mother of such lovely children, and had none herself, her rage increased. She determined to speak at once to the Queen-Mother, for there was no time to lose. "Madam," said she to her, "I am so deeply sensible of the honour your majesty has done me in looking on me with some little favour, that I would willingly sacrifice my interests to further yours. I can comprehend all the vexation that you must have endured since the King and the Prince formed such degrading alliances. Here are now four children born to perpetuate the errors of their fathers. Our mother is a poor villager, who was in want of bread, when it occurred to her to turn cook and make fricassees. Take my advice, Madam, let us make a fricassee of these little brats, and send them out of the world before they cause you to blush at them." "Ah, my dear lady Admiral," cried the Queen, embracing her; "how I love thee for thy sense of justice, and for sharing as thou dost in my well-founded indignation! I had already resolved to do what thou hast suggested. I am only perplexed as to the mode of operation." "Give yourself no trouble about it, Madam," replied Roussette; "my lap-dog has just had three puppies, two male and one female; they have each a star on their forehead, and a mark round their necks, which has the effect of a chain. We must make the Queen believe that she has been brought to bed of these little brutes, and take the two boys, the girl, and the son of the Princess, and have them