The Snowball Read online

hall,and the preoccupation of the couple, I made hurriedly for the door,and passing out into the darkness, found myself at once in the embraceof the King, who, seizing me round the neck, laughed on my shouldertill he cried, continually adjuring me to laugh also, and ejaculatingbetween the paroxysms, "Poor Du Hallot! Poor Du Hallot!" with manythings of the same nature, which any one acquainted with court lifemay supply for himself.

  I confess I did not on my part find it so easy to laugh: partlybecause I am not of so gay a disposition as that great prince, andpartly because I cannot always see the ludicrous side of events inwhich I myself take part. But on the King at last assuring me that hewould not betray the secret even to La Varenne, I took comfort andgradually reconciled myself to an episode which, unlike the moreserious events it now becomes my duty to relate, had only one result,and that unimportant; I mean the introduction to my service of theclerk Felix, who, proving worthy of confidence, remained with me afterthe lamentable death of the King my master, and is to-day one of thoseto whom I entrust the preparation of these Memoirs.