Page 25 - Princess Belle-Etoile and Prince Cherie

give her more pleasure than an opportunity to
do them some mischief. The Queen and the
Princess were both approaching the period for
their confinement, when unfortunately a
serious war broke out, and the King was
compelled to depart to place himself at the
head of his army. The young Queen and the
Princess being obliged to remain behind in the

power of the Queen-Mother, beseeched the
King to permit them to return to their own
mother, and seek consolation with her during
the cruel absence of their husbands. The King
could not consent to this; he conjured his wife
to remain in the palace; he assured her that his
mother would use her well, and indeed he

implored her most earnestly to love and
cherish her daughter-in-law, adding that she
could not oblige him more than by so doing;
that he anticipated being the father of beautiful
children, and that he should look with the
greatest anxiety for the news of their birth.
The wicked old Queen, enchanted that her
son confided his wife to her care, promised
him she would think of nothing but Blondine's

safety, and assured him he might make himself
perfectly easy on that score. He therefore
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