There appeared now the tall, erect and vigorous form of a man owning a superb physical beauty.  Powerful, yet not too heavy for ease, his figure retained that elasticity and grace which had won him favor in more than one court of Europe.  He himself might have been king as he advanced steadily up the brilliantly-illuminated room.  His costume, simply made, yet of the richest materials of the time; his wig, highly powdered though of modest proportions; his every item of apparel appeared alike of great simplicity and barren of pretentiousness.  As much might be said for the garb of his brother, who stepped close behind him, a figure less self-contained than that of the man who now occupied the absorbed attention of the public mind, even as he now filled the eager eyes of those who turned to greet his entrance.

“Ah, Monsieur L’as, Monsieur L’as!” exclaimed Philippe of Orleans, stepping forward to welcome him and taking the hand of Law in both his own.  “You are welcome, you are very welcome indeed.  The soup will be with us presently, and the wine of Ai is with us now.  You and your brother are with us; so all at last is well.  These ladies are, as I believe, all within your acquaintance.  You have been present at the salon of Madame de Tencin.  You know her Grace the Duchesse de Falari, recently Madame d’Artague?  Mademoiselle de Caylus you know very well, and of course also Mademoiselle Aisse, la belle Circassienne—­But what? Diable!  Have you too gone mad?  Come, is the sight of my guest too much for you also, Monsieur L’as?”

There was irritation in the tone with which the regent uttered this protest, yet he continued.

“Monsieur L’as, ’tis but a little surprise I had planned for you.  Mademoiselle, my princess of the Messasebe, let me present Monsieur Jean L’as, king of the Messasebe, and hence your sovereign!  This is my fair unknown, whose face I have promised you should see to-night—­this, Monsieur L’as, is my princess, the one whom I have seen fit to honor this evening by the wearing of the chief gem of France.”

The regent fumbled for an instant at his fob.  He stepped to the side of the faltering figure which stood arrayed in all its savage finery.  One movement, and upon the dark locks which fell about her brow there blazed the unspeakable fires of a stone whose magnificence brought forth exclamations of awe from every person present.

“See!” cried Philippe of Orleans. “’Twas on the advice and by the aid of Monsieur L’as that I secured the gem, whose like is not known in all the world.  ’Tis chief of the crown jewels of the realm of France, this stone, now to be known as the regent’s diamond.  And now, as regent of France and master for a day of her jewels, I place this gem upon the brow of her who for this night is to be your queen of beauty!”

The wine of Ai had already done part of its work.  There were brightened eyes, easy gestures and ready compliance as the guests arose to quaff the toast to this new queen.