"Send her to us, O King," cried he; "we are nobles of Persia, and
this is Shushan the palace, where we carouse according to the law of
the Medes, seven days at a stretch. Let the King bring in Queen
Vashti, to show her beauty to the princes and nobles of his court!"
Bigot, too full of wine to weigh scruples, yielded to the wish of
his boon companions. He rose from his chair, which in his absence
was taken by Cadet. "Mind!" said he, "if I bring her in, you shall
show her every respect."
"We will kiss the dust of her feet," answered Cadet, "and consider
you the greatest king of a feast in New France or Old."
Bigot, without further parley, passed out of the hall, traversed a
long corridor and entered an anteroom, where he found Dame Tremblay,
the old housekeeper, dozing on her chair. He roused her up, and
bade her go to the inner chamber to summon her mistress.
The housekeeper rose in a moment at the voice of the Intendant. She
was a comely dame, with a ruddy cheek, and an eye in her head that
looked inquisitively at her master as she arranged her cap and threw
back her rather gay ribbons.
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