Half an hour after the entrance of the king, fresh acclamations were heard; these announced the arrival of the queen.  The aldermen did as they had done before, and preceded by their sergeants, advanced to receive their illustrious guest.  The queen entered the great hall; and it was remarked that, like the king, she looked dull and even weary.

At the moment she entered, the curtain of a small gallery which to that time had been closed, was drawn, and the pale face of the cardinal appeared, he being dressed as a Spanish cavalier.  His eyes were fixed upon those of the queen, and a smile of terrible joy passed over his lips; the queen did not wear her diamond studs.

The queen remained for a short time to receive the compliments of the city dignitaries and to reply to the salutations of the ladies.  All at once the king appeared with the cardinal at one of the doors of the hall.  The cardinal was speaking to him in a low voice, and the king was very pale.

The king made his way through the crowd without a mask, and the ribbons of his doublet scarcely tied.  He went straight to the queen, and in an altered voice said, “Why, madame, have you not thought proper to wear your diamond studs, when you know it would give me so much gratification?”

The queen cast a glance around her, and saw the cardinal behind, with a diabolical smile on his countenance.

“Sire,” replied the queen, with a faltering voice, “because, in the midst of such a crowd as this, I feared some accident might happen to them.”

“And you were wrong, madame.  If I made you that present it was that you might adorn yourself therewith.  I tell you that you were wrong.”

The voice of the king was tremulous with anger.  Everybody looked and listened with astonishment, comprehending nothing of what passed.

“Sire,” said the queen, “I can send for them to the Louvre, where they are, and thus your Majesty’s wishes will be complied with.”

“Do so, madame, do so, and that at once; for within an hour the ballet will commence.”

The queen bent in token of submission, and followed the ladies who were to conduct her to her room.  On his part the king returned to his apartment.

There was a moment of trouble and confusion in the assembly.  Everybody had remarked that something had passed between the king and queen; but both of them had spoken so low that everybody, out of respect, withdrew several steps, so that nobody had heard anything.  The violins began to sound with all their might, but nobody listened to them.

The king came out first from his room.  He was in a most elegant hunting costume; and Monsieur and the other nobles were dressed like him.  This was the costume that best became the king.  So dressed, he really appeared the first gentleman of his kingdom.

The cardinal drew near to the king, and placed in his hand a small casket.  The king opened it, and found in it two diamond studs.