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374 dull and tiresome, and very formal), reasoned with her, and tried to persuade her to acknowledge the customs of the court; but it was of no avail: the young queen laughed in her face, and even went so far as to nickname the duchess “Madame Etiquette.” On one occasion, Queen Marie Antoinette was riding a donkey, and the little beast, falling, threw her to the ground. She sat there laughing, her merry eyes sparkling, and could not be persuaded to rise until the Duchess of Noailles came up to where she sat, much shocked by such romping; then, putting on a grave, inquiring face, she asked in a mischievous voice:

“Pray, Madame Etiqnette, when the queen and her donkey both tumble dawn together, which ought to be the first to get up?”





the year 1804 Napoleon was threatening to send an army to England, and boats were made ready, many of which were supposed not to be seaworthy, and the people who doubted Napoleon's intentions made a great deal of fun of them. Some called the ships “Walnut Shells,” and declared that they would sink before they reached England. During this time there was a play given at a Paris opera-house in one scene of which an actor appeared on the stage eating walnuts. There was a tub of water before him, and he placed the shells in this and carefully floated them around. Another actor cane in from behind the scenes and asked him what he was doing.

“Oh,” he said, ‘I am making boats for the emperor’s flotilla.”

When the audience heard that they fairly roared with laughter. The following day this came to the ears of the authorities, who gave an order forbidding it to be repeated. The next night the same play was produced, and the man put the shells in the tub as before.

When asked again what he was doing, he said:

“Oh, I know, but I also know enough not to tell.” The audience laughed londer than before. The man was never punished.