“She might have said the truth, and simply informed them that the book had appeared just at the time her eldest son had died in Holland.  The king, disquieted at seeing her so profoundly given up to her grief, believed, in accordance with Corvisart’s advice, that it was necessary to arouse her from this state of mental dejection at all hazards.  It was determined that I should read ‘Corinne’ to her.  She was not in a condition to pay much attention to it, but she had involuntarily retained some remembrance of this romance.  Since then, I had several times asked permission of the queen to read Corinne to her, but she had always refused.  ‘No, no,’ said she, ’not yet; this romance has identified itself with my sorrow.  Its name alone recalls the most fearful period of my whole life.  I have not yet the courage to renew these painful impressions.’

“I, alone, had therefore been able to divine what had embarrassed and moved the queen so much when she replied to the question addressed to her concerning Corinne.  But the authoress could, of course, only interpret it as indicating indifference for her master-work, and I told the queen on the following day that it would have been better to have confessed the cause of her confusion to Madame de Stael.

“‘Madame de Stael would not have understood me,’ said she; ’now, I am lost to her good opinion, she will consider me a simpleton, but it was not the time to speak of myself, and of my painful reminiscences.’

“The large char a banc was always preferred to the handsomest carriages (although it was very plain, and consisted of two wooden benches covered with cushions, placed opposite each other), because it was more favorable for conversation.  But it afforded no security against inclement weather, and this we were soon to experience.  The rain poured in streams, and we all returned to the castle thoroughly wet.  A room was there prepared and offered the ladies, in which they might repair the disarrangement of their toilet caused by the storm.  I remained with them long, kept there by the questions of Madame de Stael concerning the queen and her son, which questions were fairly showered upon me.  There was now no longer a question of intellectuality, but merely of washing, hair-dressing, and reposing, with an entire abandonment of the display of mind, the copiousness of which I had been compelled to admire but a moment before.  I said to myself:  ’There they are, face to face, like the rest of the world, with material life, these two celebrated women, who are everywhere sought after, and received with such marked consideration.  There they are, as wet as myself, and as little poetic.’  We were really behind the curtain, but it was shortly to rise again.

“Voices were heard under the window; among other voices, a German accent was audible, and both ladies immediately exclaimed:  ’Ah, that is Prince Augustus of Prussia!’

“No one expected the prince, and this meeting with the two ladies had therefore the appearance of being accidental.  He had come merely to pay the queen a visit, and it was so near dinner-time, that politeness required that he should be invited to remain.  And this was doubtless what he wished.