Page 27 - Princess Belle-Etoile and Prince Cherie

to turn cook and make fricassees. Take my
advice, Madam, let us make a fricassee of
these little brats, and send them out of the
world before they cause you to blush at
them." "Ah, my dear lady Admiral," cried the
Queen, embracing her; "how I love thee for
thy sense of justice, and for sharing as thou
dost in my well-founded indignation! I had

already resolved to do what thou hast
suggested. I am only perplexed as to the mode
of operation." "Give yourself no trouble about
it, Madam," replied Roussette; "my lap-dog
has just had three puppies, two male and one
female; they have each a star on their
forehead, and a mark round their necks, which

has the effect of a chain. We must make the
Queen believe that she has been brought to
bed of these little brutes, and take the two
boys, the girl, and the son of the Princess, and
have them made away with." "Thy project
pleases me vastly," exclaimed the Queen-
Mother. "I have already given some orders to
Feintise, the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, on this
subject, so that we have only to send for the

little dogs." "Here they are," said the
Admiral's wife, "I brought them with me;" so
_
27