The blow was a dreadful one—­far heavier than that of a mere domestic bereavement.  It was felt that the royal family had lost its hold, not of authority, but of sentiment, upon the nation—­that the dynasty for which such sacrifices had been made was wrecked for ever.  But no blame was attached to any individual save by the Count de Cambis himself, who acknowledged the grievous responsibility he had incurred by instantly sending in his resignation and withdrawing from court.  In vain did Louis Philippe endeavor to persuade him to return; in vain did the queen herself, even amid the desolation of the first storm of grief, disclaim any imputation of blame to the count; in vain did the Duc de Nemours write with his own hand the urgent request that he would resume office, were it only for a time, in order to display to the world the conviction felt by every member of the royal family of the utter absence of any neglect or carelessness on his part.  It was of no avail:  the Count de Cambis remained steady to his purpose of retirement, and disappeared entirely from court.

It was not until the summer of 1847 that a renewal of intercourse took place.  The day was a festival, and the approaches to the palace were thronged till a late hour.  A garden below the windows, surrounded by a low iron grating, and called the garden of the Count de Paris, had just been closed for the night; the sound of the drums beating the retraite was already dying in the distance; the crowd had all withdrawn, and yet one solitary figure still remained, leaning disconsolately against the railing, gazing wistfully into the garden, and every now and then casting furtive glances up at the balcony into which opened the window of the apartment occupied by the Duchess of Orleans.  Presently a child came down the steps and walked straight to the gate against which the stranger was leaning, his forehead pressed against the grating, his hand grasping the iron bars.  In a moment the key was turned in the lock, a little hand was placed within that of the Count de Cambis, and a gentle voice whispered in his ear, “Come in! come in!  We are all there to-night—­grandpere and all.  We want to see you so much.  It is mamma’s fete.”  There was no resisting this appeal.  Le premier gentilhomme de France would have been compelled to forego his title had he refused the invitation, and clasping the child’s hand he traversed the garden in silence, and soon found himself in the midst of the royal family assembled to celebrate the fete of St. Helene in the privacy of domestic affection.  The sight of the well-remembered faces, the smiles and greetings of the royal family, the cordial kindness of the king, the silent sympathy of the queen, the gentle welcome of the duchess, at length brought consolation to the wounded spirit of the count, and without further ado he consented at once to resume his old position; and the next day, when he was seen galloping beside the royal carriage up the Champs Elysees, he was greeted with hearty