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 UNIVERSITY OF 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/blueribbonsstoryOOdrurrich 
 
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 A STORY OF THE LAST CENTURY. 
 
 ANNA HARRIET DRURY, 
 
 AUTHORESS OF " FRIENDS AND FORTUNE ", ETC. 
 
 ^liuBtxnkli bg §xxkzi <^obUx, 
 
 LONDON : 
 KERBY & SON, 190, OXFORD STREET. 
 
LOAN STACK 
 
 T. RICHARDS, 37 GREAT QUEEN STREET. 
 

 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HE most earnest wish of little Alexis 
 ]S"ollet's heart, since he could remem- 
 ber having begun to wish at all, was 
 that he might see a fairy^. How the idea first 
 took root in his mind, his friends could not 
 tell; but most likely from the stories related 
 on winter evenings by his old grandmother, 
 as she sat spinning by the stove: fairy stories, 
 not like those of the present day, full of allegory 
 and instruction on the one hand, and of bur- 
 lesque and satire on the other, — but fairy stories 
 of the good ancient stamp, such as were most 
 j)opular seventy years ago : in which decrepid 
 
 B 
 
 673 
 
2 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 old ladies stepped into ditches, for the express 
 purpose of making your fortune for pulling them 
 out; and knights with charmed swords, and 
 golden talismans, rode over impossible bridges, 
 cut off the monster's countless heads, and carried 
 off the beautiful princess, who was always being 
 left in pawn for her royal father's necessities. 
 Wands that turned poverty into wealth ; boots 
 that beat the express train — unknown in those 
 primitive days ; apples that made your nose grow 
 dreadfully, and pears that pulled it in again, 
 though quite in a friendly way ; oracular horses, 
 with the key of the portmanteau always ready in 
 their right ear ; cheerful birds, full of conversa- 
 tion and anecdote, quick at pointing out the 
 wicked sisters, and rescuing the injured sultana 
 from that worst of punishments, which must have 
 been originally devised in America ; chariots 
 drawn by griffins; boats harnessed to swans; 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 6 
 
 purses, best of all fairy gifts, with ten pieces of 
 gold always snug at the bottom ; all these, and 
 more, enriched the storehouse of the old grand- 
 mother's memory, and were listened to by Alexis, 
 with delight that never wearied, and belief that 
 never failed. And when, as he grew older and 
 bigger, his poor granny became almost childish, 
 and her storytelling powers flagged, and the plots 
 grew confused, and the prince was apt to marry 
 the wrong person, or get unexpectedly eaten up 
 by the monster, talisman and all, — which, the first 
 time it happened, gave a shock to the feelings of 
 Alexis he was some time in recovering: then, 
 when if ever there was a chance of his losing 
 an interest in these wonderful transactions, a 
 good-natured friend gave him a book full of fairy 
 tales from all parts of the world, with pictures 
 setting them forth in full and accurate costume : 
 the knights and princes in armour and white 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 plumes and crimson cloaks ; the princesses always 
 with crowns of gold (except when dragged by 
 the hair of the head into forests by giants and 
 robbers, which was constantly happening), and 
 the good fairies always in white, looking beauti- 
 ful; and the bad fairies always in black, and 
 decidedly plain. 
 
 Now books in those days were not so plentiful 
 as they are now, especially children's books : and 
 little peasant boys of France, in the reign of 
 Louis XVI, could not always read them, even 
 when they were to be had ; but the parents of 
 Alexis had been respectable people, and had 
 taken pleasure in teaching him all they could ; 
 and he was by no means a bad reader for his 
 age. His pride in this volume was intense. He 
 did not believe there could be such another in 
 the world ; he had never seen one like it, neither 
 had his sister Clemence, nor his little friend and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. D 
 
 neighbour Rose. The only thing approaching it 
 in interest, was an old " Book of Martyrs", lent 
 to the latter by the good old Cure of the village ; 
 but though the flames looked wonderfully red, 
 and the Eoman soldiers dreadfully fierce, and the 
 cruel emperors quite grand in purple and laurel 
 leaves, there was not the same satisfaction to the 
 mind of Alexis ; for in his book the wicked em- 
 perors would have been suddenly thrown, some- 
 how, into the fire themselves, just at the last ; the 
 fierce soldiers turned into trees, or broomsticks, 
 or some such harmless vegetable ; and the good 
 man at the stake have been carried off in triumph, 
 and married to the princess of his afiections. 
 Alexis liked this much better than martyrdom, 
 and persisted that the Cure's book was not fair at 
 all ; at which his kind sister Clemence would 
 stroke his head, and shake her own, with a smile, 
 half indulgence, half mild rebuke. 
 
b THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Clemence was everything to Alexis. Their 
 parents were dead, their grandmother was almost 
 helpless, and their support depended on Cle- 
 mence's industry. Their cottage and garden were 
 let to them at an easy rent, and the produce of the 
 latter, with Clemence's spinning and knitting, 
 and her chickens and eggs, kept them all three. 
 Alexis helped too as much as he could : weeded 
 the beds, carried the flowers to market, when 
 Clemence could not leave home ; wheeled his 
 grandmother out into the porch, where she could 
 bask in the sun, and if his sister desired it, 
 watched by her for a whole afternoon, when he 
 would rather have been at play. He loved to be 
 useful, and to fancy how much he would do 
 when he grew up, to be his sister's protector and 
 champion ; even if he never had the good fortune 
 to meet the old woman or the dwarf, to whom he 
 was to give his supper, or the whole of his pocket- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 7 
 
 money (alas ! what a sum !) and receive boundless 
 riches as a small token of their everlasting grati- 
 tude. 
 
 Little Eose, his neighbour, used to share his 
 confidence about these marvellous dreams ; and 
 liked very much to fancy how they would live in 
 grottoes, or palaces of sugar-candy and plum- 
 cake, and make pets of birds with golden bills 
 and purple and crimson plumage ; but they 
 always difi'ered in opinion when Alexis began to 
 settle the kind of beautiful princess he should 
 rescue from enchantment and subsequently 
 marry. Rose did not think it at all necessary he 
 should do anything of the kind; especially as 
 according to established rule, the princess's father 
 must give up his crown to Alexis, and retire on 
 an annuity ; in which case, Rose argued, Alexis 
 could not be in France, he must go a long way 
 off*, nobody knew where, and that would be very 
 
8 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 disagreeable — not half so pleasant as having a 
 palace of bonbons in the woods outside the vil- 
 lage, where all their friends could come and see 
 them every day. Besides, was not she his own 
 little wife, and what could he want with a prin- 
 cess into the bargain ] And then she would look 
 ready to cry, and Alexis, full of remorse, would 
 protest over and over again it should all be as she 
 liked, and that he didn't and wouldn't care for 
 the princess, if she admired him ever so much ; 
 and in short, it was settled to their mutual satis- 
 faction, that that illustrious, but too sensitive 
 personage, should be ignored altogether. 
 
 Eose's father and mother were much better off 
 than Clemence, and rather patronised her and 
 Alexis ; and were a little grand sometimes, on 
 Sundays and fete-days, when Madame Martin 
 wore her trained gown, bundled up behind like 
 the ladies, and powdered her hair, and carried a 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 9 
 
 fan nearly as large as an umbrella ; and talked 
 of her cousin, the avocat^ whom she had actually 
 seen in a court of justice, holding forth before the 
 great and wise of the land, and who must, there- 
 fore, be one of them himself. And there was her 
 son, serving his Majesty in the Americas, likely to 
 become rich and glorious, and a general at least — 
 who could tell ] with such interest as she had, her 
 own sister having nursed an infant of Madame 
 De Something, who worked for the ladies about 
 court, and had actually shown her the pattern of 
 a gown, worn by Her Royal Highness Madame 
 la Comtesse d'Artois. All this used to be re- 
 peated, rather fatiguingly to Clemence, whenever 
 Madame Martin, as we said before, had on her 
 holiday gear: but after this heroic son came 
 home on leave, a tall brown soldier, with nothing 
 to do but smoke a pipe, and sing ballads, and 
 visit his neighbours, it was wonderful how his 
 
10 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 mother altered her tone. Whenever she spoke 
 of Claude at all, it was in a serious, prudent 
 voice ; talking of the uncertainties of the military 
 profession ; its expenses and difficulties ; and how 
 impossible it would be for a young man to rise, 
 who married too early, or anybody poorer than 
 himself: to all of which Clemence assented with 
 a sigh ; but which could not prevent her thinking 
 kindly of Claude, and feeling how very sad it 
 would be to hear he was wounded in some far off 
 land, where she could not go to nurse him. 
 
 Claude was a fine active fellow, and could not 
 bear to lounge about idle. He could turn his 
 hand to anything, as only a French soldier can : 
 could cook, clean the house, shoe a horse, and 
 bleed the rider ; he set up a turning lathe and a 
 carpenter's bench, and became the prop and stay 
 of all owners of crazy upholstery. It was Claude 
 who made the castors on which Alexis wheeled 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 11 
 
 his granny's chair ; it was Claude who mended 
 their old Dutch clock, which had not been heard 
 to strike correctly before within the memory of 
 man ; it was Claude who killed the blight off 
 their cabbages, and made new nets for the cherry 
 trees, and secured the garden gate so well, there 
 was no temptation for small loungers to slip in 
 and feel if the gooseberries were as ripe as they 
 looked. There was no end to the kind offices 
 the strong soldier rendered his neighbours. And 
 then he was so polite, so gentle ; always touched 
 his cap to the old childish grandmother, as if he 
 had been saluting a duchess; and spoke as 
 respectfully to Clemence as if she had been the 
 colonel on parade ; and as to Alexis, he was more 
 like a brother than anything else — played with 
 him, rambled with him, sympathised in his fairy 
 longings, and was quite agreeable, whenever the 
 wonderful adventures began, to be Alexis's faith- 
 
12 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 ful giant, who knocked gates open with his 
 elbow, and carried bad knights and tyrannical 
 governors away captive in his breeches pocket. 
 
 It happened at last, that, from a variety of 
 little misfortunes coming close upon each other, 
 the orphans began to find themselves rather 
 pinched in their means. The grandmother had 
 been ill beyond Claude's medical experience, and 
 the doctor and the doctor's stuff had to be paid 
 for : then a richer neighbour had increased her 
 kitchen garden, and beat Clemence hollow in 
 beans, and endive, and spinach, and w^on away 
 her best customers : then it was a bad season 
 for cherries, and their trees had almost failed ; 
 and one thing after another had to be given up, 
 and Clemence got behind with her rent. Now 
 the manor on which the village stood was royal 
 property, and the Bailli, or bailiff, had lately 
 made his nephew his deputy, — a sad change for 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. ,13 
 
 those who were accustomed to the kind-hearted 
 manner of his predecessor. M. Toupet was a 
 magnificent-looking gentleman, dressed as extra- 
 vagantly as the fashion of those days admitted 
 of; which is not saying a little, as a peep at any 
 old portraits of that time will soon show. M. 
 Toupet's wig was powdered, and frizzed, and 
 tied in a bag behind : he carried a small muff in 
 winter, and wore splendid buckles in his shoes, 
 and had a gold-headed cane, and was perfumed 
 so that you could smell him, as Claude said, a 
 mile off. Then his manner to all the villagers 
 was as proud and scornful as if he thought them 
 not worthy to wipe his shoes. He used to 
 receive them, when they made their payments, 
 seated in a handsome armchair, with a gold- 
 chased snuffbox, from which he regaled his up- 
 turned nostrils with a scented mixture, professing 
 to be of the latest fashion : keeping old men with 
 
14 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 white hair standing uncovered before him, with- 
 out a shadow of respect for their age or charac- 
 ter. Everybody disliked, and many feared, M. 
 Toupet; and to Clemence he was peculiarly 
 annoying. He generally substituted an eyeglass 
 for the snuffbox, when she waited upon him, 
 and, lounging negligently back in his chair, 
 stared at her through it till she was quite out of 
 countenance ; therefore it was with no small 
 dismay that she found, on reckoning up her sav- 
 ings, that she was still unprepared with the rent 
 for this pompous gentleman, and must ask for a 
 few weeks' delay. 
 
 M. Toupet, however, did not refuse her re- 
 quest, though he made a great favour of it : he 
 was even rather politer than usual, and patted 
 Alexis on the head with his cane — an attention 
 which he could have dispensed with ; and Cle- 
 mence, on the whole, was somewhat relieved. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 15 
 
 She told her neighbours, the Martins, how kind 
 the sous-intendant had been ; and Alexis won- 
 dered very much what could make Claude look 
 so cross, and twirl his great mustachios, as he 
 always did when he was put out. But Claude 
 had good reason for what he did, and what he 
 thought, as Clemence soon found. M. Toupet 
 came one day, soon after, and giving his horse 
 to Alexis to hold, walked into the Nollet's cot- 
 tage, and stayed a long time, — at least it seemed 
 so to the boy, until it occurred to him that, by 
 slinging the bridle on the gate, he should have 
 his hands at liberty to hold his fairy tales. Thus 
 employed, time was no object to our little friend, 
 and he started as if from a dream when he heard 
 M. Toupet's voice thundering behind him, — 
 " Where is my horse, you little rascal ; where is 
 my horse V 
 
 Alexis looked up aghast. There stood the 
 
16 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 owner, with his whip over his head; but the 
 horse was nowhere to be seen. It had probably 
 slipped the bridle off the gate, where he had 
 hung it, and left his guardian to draw the whole- 
 some moral of " one thing at a time." M. Tou- 
 pet was already boiling with rage, and this made 
 it boil over. 
 
 "You careless, idle, little vagabond ! You are 
 all of the same stock, — all insolent together !" 
 and he switched Alexis smartly over back and 
 shoulders, slammed the gate after him, and went 
 off to find his straying property. 
 
 Alexis, roaring with pain and fright, ran in to 
 his sister to tell his tale of woe. He w^as only 
 just reading because M. Toupet was so long, and 
 the horse had sneaked away : could it have been 
 a mischievous fairy who had done it ] 
 
 Clemence consoled and soothed him, needing 
 all the time quite as much soothing herself, for 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 17 
 
 M. Toupet's visit had been a most unpleasant 
 one. He had actually asked her to marry him, 
 dwelling on his own condescension and affability 
 in stooping to one so immeasurably below him — 
 and taking care to assure her their union must 
 be a profound secret for the present, as his uncle 
 would never forgive it. All this, uttered in his 
 most patronising tone, seated in the best chair, 
 with the young girl standing before him, was un- 
 pleasant enough in itself, — but when Clemence, 
 respectfully thanking him for the honour, firmly 
 declined having anything to do with it, he flew 
 into the most violent rage, used very insulting 
 language, and declared with all the spite of 
 mortified pride and conceit, that she should live 
 to repent her insolence. Unhappily, he had too 
 much in his power. 
 
 A rich and powerful enemy is never in want 
 of allies. Clemence could have declared she had 
 
 c 
 
18 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 none but friends in the neighbourhood, for she 
 was friends with everybody; but a day or two 
 after M. Toupet's visit, misfortunes began to 
 thicken. Her chicken-yard was robbed of her 
 finest pets ; her fruit trees were plundered and 
 broken ; her flowers were picked ; her little stack 
 of firing pulled down, and great part carried 
 away. Then her customers seemed as if they 
 had heard something to her disadvantage, for 
 they hesitated about their purchases, and looked 
 and spoke very coldly, or counted their change 
 over two or three times, as if not sure of getting 
 their due ; and one or two, with kinder inten- 
 tions, gave her a few words of grave advice about 
 integrity and propriety of behaviour, that made 
 poor Clemence feel ready to sink with shame and 
 annoyance. Ruin and beggary stared her in the 
 face. How could she make up her rent, or hope 
 for indulgence from M. Toupet, even if she could 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 19 
 
 ask it, which she thought she never could — and 
 what would become of her poor helpless grand- 
 mother, and her faithful confidant, little Alexis 1 
 She turned over her little stock of treasures, — was 
 there anything of value she could dispose of? 
 There were a few family relics, dearer to her than 
 jewels ; there was a keepsake or two from Claude, 
 a pair of Indian slippers worked with porcupine 
 quills, and a tippet of fur, both brought from his 
 American campaign ; must she sell any of these 1 
 It was a cruel alternative ; and Alexis, from 
 whom she had no secrets, even about M. Toupet 
 and his enmity, watched her crying, till the tears 
 began to burst from his own eyes, and running 
 to the place where he kept his precious book, he 
 threw it into her lap. " Take and sell that, sister, 
 do !" It was all he could say, and before she 
 could prevent him, he had snatched his cap, and 
 run away into the woods. 
 
20 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 LEXIS was very fond of these woods : 
 they were not too far for a holiday 
 walk, and yet very few folks seemed 
 to come there. He knew more about the paths 
 that wound in bewildering confusion among 
 the trees and underwood, than any of his com- 
 panions ; and had many a snug nook and resting- 
 place where he thought it impossible anybody 
 would think of finding him. Here, above all 
 places, was it delightful to read the fairy stories, 
 and fancy what it would be to come upon a 
 ring of the pretty little dancers by moonlight ; 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 21 
 
 or to meet a party of knights on horseback 
 in quest of adventures ; or to come unexpectedly 
 on a golden palace kept by a terrible ogre. But 
 none of these now appeared half so desirable as 
 to fall in, only for one moment, with that delight- 
 ful, motherly fairy, whose favour secures one's 
 fortune for ever. " Oh !" repeated the boy, as he 
 roamed along, hardly knowing where he went, 
 " if I could but just find one, just make friends 
 with one, and tell her what I want, how happy I 
 should be ! I should not ask for much. I don't 
 want to be made a prince or to have a purse full 
 of gold, though that would not be a bad thing — 
 but just to be able, my own self, to earn enough 
 to set Clemence straight again, that would be all 
 I wish for. Oh, what a happiness !" 
 
 He went on, pushing his way through tangled 
 paths, startling the birds and hares that abounded 
 in the woods, which, like the village, were royal 
 
22 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 property, and a favourite place for sport when 
 the king was at the chateau. At any other time 
 it would have delighted him to watch them 
 scudding through the fern, or whirring away 
 across the glens ; but now his whole soul 
 was so absorbed in his thoughts, he hardly saw 
 or heard them at all. Reaching at last an open 
 sward, where stood a wide spreading chestnut 
 tree, he threw himself down on the turf, and 
 began again to repeat his wishes aloud. 
 
 " Supposing now, only supposing, I was to see 
 a fairy, standing close to me — I shouldn't be the 
 least bit afraid, I think. No, I am sure I shouldn't. 
 They always like those best who are brave ; and 
 I am brave, I believe. I cried when M. Toupet 
 hit me, though ; I ought not to have done that : so 
 I hope she wouldn't be particular, and ask ques- 
 tions. Oh ! if she would but come ! I should go 
 straight up to her, take off my cap, and bow very 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 23 
 
 low ; or perhaps I ought to kneel — I don't know 
 about that; and then, when she asked, as of 
 course she would, what I should like best in all 
 the world, I should thank her in a pretty speech, 
 and say — " 
 
 He stopped short : the words died on his lips, 
 and a cold shiver ran through every limb. Was 
 he dreaming '? No ; he was wide awake, his 
 eyes nearly starting out of his head. Yet there, 
 there, within tv/o or three yards, looking full 
 upon him with bright, searching eyes, there 
 stood the long wished for fairy form — tall, stately, 
 and beautiful; in a dress of the finest, purest 
 white, a delicate straw hat shading her fair pow- 
 dered hair, and in her hand a taper wand, whose 
 power he trembled to think of. 
 
 The wish of his heart was granted to him : and 
 he was so dreadfully frightened he did not know 
 what to do. Contrary to elfin custom, she spoke 
 
24 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 first ; and her clear sweet voice thrilled him to 
 the bone. '' What boy are you, sitting here all 
 by yourself]" 
 
 The manner was gentle but commanding, and 
 his anxiety not to offend made him struggle to 
 overcome his dismay. He fell on his knees, 
 clasped his hands, and tried to recollect his neat 
 and appropriate speech ; but nothing would come 
 but a long-drawn " Oh !" expressive at once of 
 his astonishment, his admiration, and his intense 
 alarm. The beautiful unknown, to whom this 
 reply appeared slightly unsatisfactory, came a step 
 nearer: Alexis drew his legs up under him, and 
 got as close to the tree as possible. 
 " What are you afraid of, little one V 
 " Oh, nothing, madame, nothing." (Now, if 
 she touches me with her wand, thought Alexis, 
 and turns me into something horrid, I do say it 
 will be a shame.) 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 25 
 
 " If you are not afraid, my little friend, why 
 do you shiver all over, as if you thought I was 
 going to beat you ? Do you think this switch 
 would break your little bones V 
 
 " No, madame — yes, madame, I mean, just as 
 madame pleases," faltered Alexis, wondering 
 how he could ever be so silly as to wish a fairy 
 would come. 
 
 " Who gave you leave to sit here V 
 
 " Nobody, madame ; I often come — I hope I 
 have done no harm. I didn't know this tree was 
 yours — ^indeed, I didn't." 
 
 " Do you know me, then ]" asked the stranger, 
 with a smile. 
 
 " Yes, yes, I am sure I do ;" said he, " and I 
 am very sorry I told a story just now, and said I 
 wasn't frightened, for I am, and I can't help it !" 
 
 "Come, come, be more of a man: stand up, 
 and let me see your face," said the fair unknown, 
 
26 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 again drawing nearer, and attempting to tap him 
 with her slender cane ; but he started up in 
 agony. 
 
 " That 's just what I was afraid of! Don't, 
 madame, pray don't ! I will never wish for you ; 
 I will try not to think of you again ; but do not 
 turn me into a mouse or a sparrow — I never 
 meant any harm !" 
 
 She laughed, and so sweetly, so gaily, his fears 
 subsided. " And so you take me for a witch, my 
 little man ] You are not complimentary." 
 
 " A witch ] Oh no, no ! I know better," said 
 Alexis ; " you are something much stronger, 
 much more beautiful." 
 
 " Am I, indeed '? Let me hear it, then. Do 
 not be afraid. Why, you have not heart enough 
 to be a mouse, if you wished it ; but there is no 
 saying what may happen if you do not answer 
 me directly." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 27 
 
 '' Oh, don't be angry, dear madame, but are 
 you not — " 
 
 "Whatr 
 
 " A fairy T' whispered the boy, almost expect- 
 ing to be struck down for his presumption. 
 
 But no anger clouded that beautiful face ; the 
 smile was more radiant than ever. After watch- 
 ing his agitated countenance for some moments, 
 she replied with much mysterious significance, 
 " Enough that you have guessed so far. It is 
 not to every one we thus reveal ourselves. You 
 must have a quick and penetrating eye, little 
 friend, for many people have supposed me to be 
 a mere mortal after all." 
 
 " Have they indeed, madame V 
 
 " Yes, indeed. Some people, you see, require 
 proof of our power to make them believe it." 
 
 " But you are powerful, madame, are you 
 not V asked Alexis, timidly. 
 
28 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 She smiled slightly, and the pride of her glance 
 spoke an emphatic assent. 
 
 " And you can do whatever you please V per- 
 sisted the boy, gaining assurance by her con- 
 descension. 
 
 " Sometimes," with a shake of the head. 
 
 " And you are very, very happy V^ 
 
 A shadow crossed her fair face, and there was 
 a tinge of sadness in her smile. " Are you very 
 happy yourself, my little friend]" 
 
 "Oh no, but then we are poor, and unfortunate." 
 
 " And do you think you should be happy if 
 you were powerful and rich ? 
 
 Alexis looked down, and twisted his cap round 
 and round. '' I should like to be, I know ; but 
 M. le Cure says — " He stopped ; for he remem- 
 bered some fairies could not bear a priest to be 
 mentioned, and feared she might be angry, or 
 suddenly disappear. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 29 
 
 But the unknown only touched him with her 
 wand, and bade him finish his sentence. " What 
 said M. le Cure r 
 
 " He says, madame, that it is fooHsh to wish 
 to be great, because great people have things to 
 vex them, just as bad as ours, only different; 
 and that they are more tempted than we are to 
 think too much of themselves, and too little of 
 heaven ; and that the more people have, the more 
 they must account for : that 's what he said, ma- 
 dame, when some of us were wishing we were 
 rich the other day ; so I suppose I must not wish 
 it any more." 
 
 She looked down upon him earnestly, thought- 
 fully, yet as if her mind were elsewhere. The 
 colour had come into her cheek when he was 
 speaking, and then slowly faded into paleness ; 
 while unconsciously to herself she gave a long 
 deep sigh. Alexis watched her with increasing 
 
30 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 wonder and expectation. A doubt was just cross- 
 ing his mind as to the reality of her being a fairy 
 after all, when it was dispelled at once by her next 
 words, spoken in a tone from which all her mo- 
 mentary seriousness was banished. " Since you 
 are too much of a philosopher to wish to be a 
 great man, my little friend, what is it you want 
 a fairy to do for you '? Take care what you ask; 
 we are not to be met with every day." 
 
 " Am I to say what I wish most in all the 
 world, madame ?" 
 
 " Yes ; if it be reasonable." 
 
 " Oh, if I only might, my own self, earn money 
 enough to set Clemence straight !" 
 
 " Clemence is your sister V 
 
 " Yes ; my own dear sister." 
 
 " And poor, and in difficulties ]" 
 
 " Oh, madame, how you know everything !" 
 
 " Let that be a warning not to attempt to 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 31 
 
 deceive me. Take care !" she repeated, looking 
 alarmingly grave, and holding up her switch, 
 " it is only the true and honest that we deign to 
 favour." 
 
 " Oh, I know that very well, madame ; and 
 you punish those who tell you lies, don't you V 
 
 " Not always," said the fair stranger, with a 
 smile. 
 
 " What '? don't you make vipers drop out of 
 their mouths, sometimes ]" 
 
 She shook her graceful head. " They do not 
 require my magic to do that." 
 
 " Oh, madame !" This was quite a new idea 
 to Alexis, and dismayed him not a little. 
 
 " Yes," she continued, seeing his countenance 
 change, " so it is, little friend ; the vipers fall 
 much faster than the roses and pearls, and we 
 have work enough to tread them under. But you 
 want to earn money, you say ; what can you do ]" 
 
32 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Why you know, madame, we have a gar- 
 den." 
 
 ''Of course." 
 
 " And we grow vegetables and fruit and flowers 
 to take to market." 
 
 " Very right." 
 
 " Well, madame, you know the fruit and 
 vegetables have been stolen lately, so that there 
 is hardly anything left to sell but the flowers." 
 
 " Exactly." 
 
 " Well, then, madame, I should like to sell the 
 flowers well to-morrow." 
 
 " On one condition," said the stranger, laying 
 her cane on his shoulder, " you shall. You must 
 keep this adventure a profound secret from every 
 one." 
 
 " I will," said Alexis, breathlessly. 
 
 " Be sure you do, and you will not repent 
 your discretion. You wished for a friend, and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 33 
 
 your wish shall be granted if you prove true and 
 deserving. Any day you wish to invoke my 
 assistance, you may come to this spot between 
 the hours of twelve and one, and hide your peti- 
 tion here," showing him a hollow place in the 
 tree ; " but let no one know why you do it, or 
 you are undone." 
 
 " I will die first !" said Alexis, stoutly. 
 
 " For your request," continued his unknown 
 friend, " take this," unfastening a bunch of rib- 
 bons from her straw hat, " and wear them in your 
 cap at the market to-morrow ; and be sure no 
 one takes them from you. All your good fortune 
 depends upon them. Be honest, and I will 
 redeem my pledge. Now" — she looked round 
 hurriedly, and hesitated — " yes, that will do, go 
 down that path to the lake and bring me a leaf 
 full of water without spilling a drop. Quick !" 
 
 " What is she going to do V thought Alexis, 
 
 D 
 
34 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 as he ran. With some difficulty he found a leaf 
 suited to his purpose ; twice he spilt the water, 
 and had to go back ; the third time he succeeded, 
 but apparently too late. The fairy was gone. 
 
 Yes, gone : and Alexis was standing rubbing^ 
 his eyes to make sure he was awake, and that all 
 this had not been a pleasant dream. But there, 
 proof positive of the reality of the vision, was the 
 delicate knot of blue ribbons, the precious talis- 
 man on which his fortune depended. He folded 
 them up with trembling reverence, hid them in 
 his bosom, and then, faster than he had come, set 
 off home, in a state of excitement and joy that 
 may easily be conceived. 
 
 To-morrow ! oh if to-morrow was but come ! 
 But something had to be done first, before even 
 to-morrow could be welcome. His secret must 
 be kept, and that was no light matter. He had 
 hardly entered the village when Clemence and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 35 
 
 Rose met him, and his sister caught him in her 
 arms, kissing him with tears. " Where have 
 you been all this time, my darling ] And did you 
 think I would sell your favourite book, if any- 
 thing else would do instead '? And Alexis, here 
 has Rose been wanting you so badly, and she 
 brought us in such a nice supper from her kind 
 parents : we shall do till to-morrow, when per- 
 haps we may have better fortune at the market." 
 
 " And there is news too," added Rose eagerly, 
 " the King and Queen and a party from Paris 
 came last night to the chateau ; and there will 
 be a market open every day while they remain." 
 
 " All the better," said Alexis, " and sister, as 
 I gave you my book, will you promise me some- 
 thing in return ]" 
 
 " If I can, my dear, for you deserve it." 
 
 " Then you must let me go to market to- 
 morrow, and you take care of granny." 
 
36 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CTemence did not much like this, but she 
 wished to please her little brother after what 
 he had done, so she gave her promise, and 
 then Rose put in her word. Would Alexis 
 promise to call at her father's house on his 
 way'? she had a particular reason. He pro- 
 mised, and then they parted, and Clemence 
 took Alexis heme to supper. He could not eat, 
 however ; he was too excited. He could not 
 even attend to his sister's conversation, when she 
 was telling him she meant to try and do fine 
 work, as spinning fetched so low a price, and that 
 Madame Martin thought she could get her some 
 employment. 
 
 He only answered at random ; and when he 
 went to help her put the cottage tidy for the 
 night, made no end of blunders : upset everything 
 he touched, turned a pitcher of water into the 
 little stove,, put an onion into the milk-pan, and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 37 
 
 stumbled over the spinning-wheel till he broke 
 it. Even the sweet temper of Clemence could 
 hardly bear this ; and she looked so grieved that 
 he burst into tears, and begged her forgiveness. 
 She felt his little heart heaving, and the hot flush 
 on his cheeks, and anxiously asked if he felt 
 well. 
 
 " Oh yes, quite, quite well ! I only wish to- 
 morrow was come !" 
 
 And to expedite the matter, Clemence advised 
 him to go to bed. 
 
 To his loft he went, and taking out his precious 
 knot of ribbons put them under his pillow. A 
 delicate scent of something delicious came from 
 them, — fairy odours, no doubt, for Alexis had 
 never smelt anything like it before. He knelt to 
 say his evening prayers, and to thank his hea- 
 venly Father for all the mercies of the day ; and 
 just then came a startling idea into his head. 
 
38 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Might he pray for a fairy ] M. le Cure did not 
 believe in them, neither did Clemence ; but then 
 they had never seen one. She was so kind and 
 lovely, she must be good ; but he wished he 
 knew for certain. He was not quite happy about 
 it, it was so strange to have such a secret ; and 
 if, after all, he was doing something not allowed ? 
 But then his book made out it was allowed, and 
 only to good people — so it must be all right, and 
 he made haste into bed and went to sleep, with 
 that soft fragrance breathing upon his dreams. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 39 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 ARLIER even than usual, Alexis 
 was up, and in the garden, search- 
 ing for flowers to make his bouquets. 
 Alas ! there were not many blown, though 
 there was a fair promise of buds. Do what he 
 might, he could only contrive a small collection 
 of indifferent nosegays, out of which it would 
 puzzle the keenest bargainer to make a fortune. 
 Clemence, however, cheered and encouraged him, 
 not expecting he would succeed, but hoping to 
 have better news to greet his return, after her 
 application for work ; and having given him his 
 breakfast, sent him off with his basket. 
 
 He called at the Martins, according to promise. 
 
40 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Eose flew to meet him. She, too, had been up 
 some time, gathering all her own prettiest flowers, 
 which she now insisted on Alexis accepting, and 
 mixing with his own. In vain he refused. " Am 
 I not your little wife V was unanswerable, espe- 
 cially with the tears in her eyes ; and when her 
 nimble fingers had remodelled the bouquets with 
 her own, they presented a much more hopeful 
 appearance. Alexis kissed her heartily. " If I 
 meet with good fortune to-day. Rose, mind you 
 must share it. Good-bye !" And away he went, 
 Rose hanging on the gate, and watching his little 
 figure with the basket on his arm till the turn of 
 the road hid him from her sight. 
 
 Alexis put on his ribbons as soon as he found 
 himself alone, and his heart beat high as he did 
 so. Now he was indeed under the influence of 
 the talisman, and there was no knowing how it 
 might choose to work. Certainly, to all outward 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 41 
 
 appearance, ribbon it was — very soft, very elegant, 
 very nice — but still ribbon ; neither whispering 
 advice in his ear, nor dropping pearls on his 
 shoulders ; but hanging from his straw hat in 
 the most helpless way, as if it had been nothing 
 better than just so much tape. It was plain the 
 fairy's power was not to be manifested in that 
 w^ay, which made Alexis still more anxious to 
 reach his destination. But there were many 
 going the same road, with donkeys and carts, and 
 horses, who passed him, not without some remark 
 on his unusual decoration. " Hey there, the blue 
 ribbons ! how smart we are !" said one. " Going 
 to a wedding !" cried another. " No, no," said a 
 third, " don't you see his mamma is a fashionable 
 milliner, and his head saves her the expense 
 of a doll ]" " Or he has slipped away from his 
 granny, and tied the apron string round his 
 hat." 
 
42 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " I haven't !" cried Alexis, provoked beyond 
 his patience. 
 
 " There, there, don't plague the poor babe," 
 said one good-natured dame, as she jogged along 
 behind her laughing son : " but it 's a pity, child, 
 that thy friends dizen thee out, monkey fashion, 
 to go to market. It don't look respectable, I can 
 tell thee, and will lead thee to no good." 
 
 " That remains to be proved," thought our 
 little hero, his cheeks tingling v^ith anger and 
 annoyance, but courageously pushing on in spite 
 of all. The fairy had expected him to be brave, 
 and he would be brave, and not take out the 
 ribbons, let them say and do what they pleased. 
 It was very disagreeable to be laughed at when 
 one had such a wonderful secret on one's raind, 
 and such a beautiful story to tell : but he would 
 bear it, that he would. 
 
 The flower market was unusually full, and the 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 43 
 
 rival nosegay-seller, with the big garden, had 
 established herself in the best place with a 
 dazzling display of plants and bouquets. She 
 smiled in derision of Alexis, with his one basket 
 and his smart streamers, as he elbowed his way 
 through the crowd and took up the best corner 
 he could get : more anxiously defending his 
 hat than his stock in trade. But he had no eyes 
 for scorn, no ears for the jokes passing round 
 him ; all his thoughts were on the fairy, and 
 what she was going to do. People came and 
 went, stared aoout them, chaffered, bargained, 
 quarrelled, laughed, and the business of the 
 morning was in full tide, and yet Alexis had not 
 taken a single sou. 
 
 His heart began to grow heavy : he had tasted 
 nothing for many hours, and he had walked 
 some way ; and the sickness of disappointed ex- 
 pectation began to weigh on his spirit. The 
 
44: THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 jests went on the faster the longer he stood 
 there. 
 
 " Ah, the blue ribbons ! they are too genteel, 
 I am sure, to do business ; they are only here for 
 a little holiday." 
 
 " What will M. le Marquis take for his whole 
 stock, ribbons and alH" 
 
 ''No, no, monsieur is the great admiral, just 
 come from sea, with the colours flying from his 
 main-mast." 
 
 " British colours, then : that looks like trea- 
 son." « 
 
 " They're not British colours !" cried Alexis, 
 reddening, " whoever said that, told a lie !" 
 
 " Hola, monsieur is as brave as he is beautiful. 
 Monsieur is the champion of the state ; I beg 
 pardon humbly of his valour." 
 
 Here several hats were taken off among shouts 
 of laughter. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 45 
 
 Alexis struggled to laugh too, that he might 
 not cry. " Your servant, gentlemen !" and he 
 took off his hat too, and waved it as he bowed, so 
 good-humouredly that his tormentors were half 
 ashamed. 
 
 A minute or two afterwards, there was a com- 
 motion in the crowd, and a party of young 
 officers of the royal escort came pushing among 
 the flower-stalls. " The blue ribbons ! here we 
 are, my friends — I thought I saw them," said the 
 foremost, and they all gathered round the basket 
 of Alexis. 
 
 '' Bouquets, bouquets, my little man— bouquets 
 fit for a lady's hand ! Are these all you have ]" 
 
 " Yes, gentlemen, all. I wish they were better : 
 they are the best I have. Will you please to 
 buy]" 
 
 " Buy ] to be sure we will. I must have one, 
 and this gentleman another, and this one, and 
 
46 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 this one ;" the officer had dived into the basket, 
 and distributed the nosegays at random among 
 his laughing comrades. " There are just six of 
 us, — how many have you got V 
 
 " Thirteen, sir." 
 
 " Then we will take two apiece, and leave the 
 odd one for luck. Twelve bouquets at two francs 
 each, how much does that make V 
 
 " Two francs — oh, sir ! two sous, you mean." 
 
 " Sous, my little friend '? we don't know what 
 they are. Twice twelve is twenty -four, is it not ? 
 Here are five crowns of six francs : you have no 
 change ? then you must keep it on account, un- 
 less you will give us your gay blue ribbons 
 instead." 
 
 "Oh sir! oh gentlemen!" said poor Alexis, 
 " you are too good indeed : and I would give 
 you anything else in the world, but not this 
 ribbon — I cannot give or sell that to anybody." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 47 
 
 " This is amusing !" cried the officer, gaily, 
 " come, I will make you a better offer still, but 
 you are a close bargainer. A louis and a half for 
 flowers and ribbon." 
 
 " You overpay the flowers again and again, 
 sir, — but the ribbon is worth a great deal more." 
 
 " How much, then, you little JewT' 
 
 " Whatever a promise is worth, M. le capi- 
 taine." 
 
 The officer was struck with the answer. " You 
 are a fine little fellow, and deserve your good 
 fortune, for fortunate you are, I can tell you. 
 Take as good care of your francs as you do of 
 your word, and you may grow a rich man. Come, 
 friends." And the young men went away 
 laughing and talking, leaving Alexis nearly 
 beside himself with joy. 
 
 He had only one bouquet left, and that was 
 one of the prettiest, being nearly all composed of 
 
48 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Rose's flowers, and as it was not likely such 
 miraculous fortune would occur again, he thought 
 he had better go home at once, and return them 
 to the generous little giver. But there was all 
 this money, these five lovely crown-pieces, so 
 large and bright and heavy, they must be secured 
 first ; so he tied them up tight in his leather 
 purse and put it into his pocket, and then taking 
 up his basket, began to push out of the crowd. 
 Those who teased him so much were surprised to 
 see his face beaming with smiles. His basket, 
 too, almost empty, while the stall of his opposite 
 neighbour was still covered with fragrant blos- 
 soms ! A fire of questions opened on him as he 
 passed, which he did not choose to answer, feeling 
 the truth of the old saying, " Let those laugh who 
 win." They might say what they liked now, the 
 chink of the crowns would have consoled him for 
 a good deal more. On he w^ent, and had nearly 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 49 
 
 extricated himself from the throng, when a voice 
 was heard shouting after him, " Stop ! the blue 
 ribbons ! stop !" 
 
 Alexis stopped short, though with a faint mis- 
 giving that the gentlemen might have altered 
 their minds, and come back for their money. 
 However, the person who had called was only a 
 servant in livery, who beckoned impatiently to 
 the boy to follow, and led him apart to his 
 master, a grey-haired gentleman with a military 
 figure and jovial eye. " Aha, little blue rib- 
 bons," he said, as soon as he saw him, " I have 
 been looking for you everywhere, and so has M. 
 le Chevalier," pointing to a tall, thin gentlemen, 
 who had just come up. " We want bouquets, 
 youngster, as many as you have got." 
 
 " I have only one, sir." 
 
 " Say M. le Baron," whispered the servant. 
 
 " Sir, — M. le Baron, — I have only one." 
 
 E 
 
50 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Only one !" the Baron looked quite angry, 
 " who have bought all the rest V 
 
 " Some officers, M. le Baron, and very generous 
 they were to me." 
 
 " I don't doubt them. These young fellows 
 get the start of us in everything ! Well, it 
 cannot be helped : I must have this one, then. 
 What did the officers pay you V 
 
 " Two francs for each, sir — I mean M. le 
 Baron." 
 
 " Then I will give you five." 
 
 " And I," said the thin gentleman, "seven." 
 
 " Heyday ! it is to be ,an affair of auction, is 
 it ? Then I will not be beaten, Chevalier. Ten 
 francs, little one." 
 
 " Fifteen !" 
 
 " Twenty !" 
 
 " Forty !" 
 
 The Baron stamped on the ground, and mut- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 51 
 
 tered some words that Alexis could not hear. 
 " Take it, then !" he said, turning on his heel. 
 " You are a daring speculator, my dear Cheva- 
 lier." 
 
 The Chevalier only smiled, took the bouquet 
 from Alexis, and gave him two louis d'ors : and 
 our little friend, ready to shriek with excitement, 
 flung his basket on his back, and set off home. 
 
52 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 TOUPET was riding leisurely along 
 in an unusually bad humour. In 
 m the first place, his extravagances 
 were very expensive, and his creditors were 
 becoming troublesome : then, his momentary 
 passion for Clemence having turned into spite 
 and malice, did not prevent his feeling the bit- 
 terest jealousy at the report, now generally 
 spread, that Claude was the object of her choice. 
 That a poor village girl, with no support but her 
 own industry, should dare to resist both his 
 power and his attractions, was certainly very 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 53 
 
 aggravating: but that she should prefer a bronzed 
 grenadier to a finished gentleman like himself, 
 with the graces of Vestris on the person of 
 Apollo, as he believed — this was beyond human 
 endurance. And it was while revolving these 
 wrongs, that he came upon our friend Alexis, 
 trudging manfully home, though leg-weary, and 
 parched with feverish thirst. His head was 
 down, and he saw not the great man, who, 
 rejoicing in an opportunity of relieving his 
 feelings, at once checked his horse's rein. 
 
 " Your servant, Monsieur Alexis. It is gene- 
 rally the custom to salute a superior when you 
 pass him." 
 
 Alexis touched his hat : and walked on with- 
 out reply. 
 
 " And may I ask why your sister has sent you, 
 instead of going herself, to earn money to pay 
 her rent V 
 
54 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " I chose to go," said Alexis, " and you will 
 have your rent to-morrow, sir." 
 
 " Oh, indeed V said M. Toupet, with an in- 
 credulous smile, " I am delighted to hear it. 
 You must have had a fortunate day, to be able 
 to pay your debts, and dress so smartly besides. 
 Or is that a keepsake for sister Clemence from 
 one of her many admirers V 
 
 M. Toupet had got close up to the boy as he 
 spoke, and hooked his whip-handle into the blue 
 ribbons. 
 
 " They are not for Clemence — they are mine," 
 said Alexis, avoiding the horse's hoofs as well as 
 he could, " and you have no right to touch me 
 or my ribbons, M. Toupet." 
 
 " No right ] and pray who lost my horse ? He 
 has never quite recovered the gallop he took that 
 day. As you are so rich, you can afford to pay 
 damages, and this will be an instalment." And 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 00 
 
 he snatched the hat from the boy's head, pulled 
 off the blue ribbons, threw him back his hat, and 
 rode away. 
 
 Alexis, quite tired out, sat down in the middle 
 of the road and cried bitterly. His talisman was 
 gone, the fairy gift that had brought him so 
 much happiness ; and with it vanished the little 
 strength he had left. He had promised so faith- 
 fully to keep the ribbon — and it was gone ! Now 
 the fairy would be angry, and perhaps think he 
 had sold it after all. Not even the money in his 
 pocket could restore his spirits. He was quite 
 exhausted, and the first shady bank he could 
 crawl to, he lay down, and cried himself to sleep. 
 
 Here Clemence found him as she came to 
 greet his return, and not a little frightened she 
 was to see him lying there so flushed, and with 
 tears on his cheeks. Her soft voice and caresses 
 roused him from his heavy slumber, and he sat 
 
56 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 up, looking half bewildered, and wondering how 
 he came there. " Oh, I recollect now — I was 
 tired and I had been robbed, so I sat down and 
 cried a little, and, I suppose, fell asleep." 
 
 " Robbed ! " cried Clemence, looking at the 
 empty basket : " what, all gone, Alexis V 
 
 "All gone, dear sister!" His eyes sparkled, 
 though, with more exultation than sorrow. He 
 was going to carry the joke farther, when he 
 saw the mournful expression of his sister's face, 
 and his heart smote him. He jumped up, and 
 pulled out first the leather purse, containing 
 the silver^ and then his pocket-handkerchief, 
 with the golden louis tied up in a corner. 
 " There, sister dear, who says I cannot go mar- 
 keting r' 
 
 Clemence could not believe her senses ; she 
 questioned him again and again, and he told her 
 faithfully all the events of the day, with the 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 57 
 
 exception of any allusion to the ribbons, and she 
 was left to form what conjectures she pleased as 
 to the reason of such liberality. One thing was 
 clear — the money was theirs, and they should 
 be able to start again in the world, free and 
 independant ; and very happy this made them 
 both. Fervent thanksgivings to the Giver of all 
 good did Clemence put up that night, in which 
 Alexis joined heartily, even while giving a sigh 
 for his lost treasure, and secretly resolving not to 
 rest night or day till he had regained it. 
 
 M. Toupet, perhaps, expected to hear some- 
 thing about the ribbons, which he had only 
 taken to plague the boy ; but his rent was paid 
 up in full, without a word about anything else. 
 Clemence, in the surprise of seeing so much 
 money, forgot what her brother had said about 
 being robbed ; and Alexis, on second thoughts, 
 decided to keep his own counsel. The money 
 
58 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 was laid out to the best advantage in replac- 
 ing their lost stock, and though Clemence was 
 puzzled more than once by some jocular en- 
 quiries after Alexis and his colours, she was 
 generally too busy to think much about it, and 
 forgot to ask him to explain. M. Toupet him- 
 self forgot the transaction, which was, indeed, 
 one that would not be agreeable to remember. 
 His housekeeper found the ribbons in his pocket, 
 and deciding they were of no use to a gentle- 
 man, quietly appropriated them to her own use ; 
 and sold them or bartered, we are not clear 
 which, to the wife of a tobacconist in the neigh- 
 bouring town, who supplied her with the choice 
 herb in which her nostrils took delight. The 
 tobacconist's lady having a smart daughter, en- 
 dowed her with the acquisition, and Ma'amselle 
 Finette soon appeared with the fairy gift on her 
 Sunday cap, the envy of all beholders. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 59 
 
 It was a fete day in the village, and there 
 was a display of waterworks in the park of the 
 chateau, to which all respectably dressed persons 
 were admitted. Clemence, whose grandmother 
 failed more and more, would not leave home ; but 
 Alexis went with Kose and Claude, and they saw 
 all the sights, and had cakes and fruit under the 
 trees, and were as merry as possible. A band of 
 the regiment was playing, and some of the fine 
 people from the chateau came out and walked 
 up and down, as if from the benevolent motive 
 of adding to the show. Eose was charmed with 
 the ladies' dresses and beauty. She pressed 
 Alexis to say he had never seen anybody so 
 grand and beautiful, but this he would not 
 acknowledge. He thought of his fairy friend, 
 and how much nobler she looked in her white 
 dress, than the grandest of these ladies in their 
 satins and brocade, which he did not care for a 
 
60 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 bit, and wondered why Eose did. Claude, who 
 thought of Clemence in her short gown and dark 
 petticoat, and neat little cap, agreed with Alexis 
 that he had seen faces he liked better, but he 
 had no objection to rich ladies wearing fine 
 clothes. He was not of the opinion of some of 
 his friends, that everybody ought to dress alike : 
 gay dresses were good for trade, and besides, 
 great people had a right to dress according to 
 their own rank. A bystander, who held the new 
 opinions just then becoming the talk every- 
 where, argued the point with Claude ; and 
 Alexis, who thought the discussion very stupid, 
 was wishing they would stop, when somebody 
 tapped him on the shoulder. It was the young 
 officer who had bought his flowers. 
 
 " I thought I knew the face, but where are 
 your colours, my little comrade '? Where are the 
 blue ribbons V 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 61 
 
 " Oh. sir, the ribbons were taken away from 
 me that very day as I went home." 
 
 " You little renegade ! And after all your 
 fine speeches about promises and so forth, you 
 changed them away for sugar-plums and cake — 
 own the truth." 
 
 J " I have owned the truth," said Alexis, an- 
 grily. 
 
 " Then who took the ribbons, after all ?" 
 
 Alexis hung his head, and hesitated ; Rose, 
 who had been listening, looked amazed. He 
 caught her eye, and blushing deeply, whispered, 
 '' Please don't ask me now." 
 
 The good-natured officer laughed, patted him 
 on the head, and turned away, saying signifi- 
 cantly, " Mind, I shall expect to know all about 
 it another time." 
 
 " All about what ] " asked Claude, turning 
 round. The children were silent. 
 
62 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " What was that officer saying to you. Rose V 
 
 " It was not to me," said Rose, timidly glanc- 
 ing at Alexis. 
 
 " To you then, Alexis ? What do you know 
 of him r 
 
 " He bought my flowers," said Alexis. 
 
 " What was he saying about ribbon, then ]" 
 asked Rose, relieved by the reply. 
 
 " Ribbon !" repeated Claude. 
 
 " Yes, he asked Alexis something about his 
 promise and blue ribbons, did he not, Alexis 
 dear ?" 
 
 " Well, if he did V'^ said Alexis, gruffly. 
 
 " What have you got to do with officers and 
 blue ribbons V asked Claude, reddening. 
 
 " That's my secret, Claude." 
 
 " I will have no secrets, boy: I insist on know- 
 ing." 
 
 " Then I shall not tell you." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 63 
 
 " Then you may walk by yourself. Go away, 
 sir." 
 
 Claude shook him off, and strode away with 
 Eose, who was crying with fright at his anger. 
 He would not stay another minute in the park, 
 and, for once in his life, was decidedly ill- 
 natured. He heard Alexis calling him, but would 
 not turn, and the crowd increased so fast, they 
 were soon separated effectually. 
 
 Alexis was very sorry Claude was so angry. 
 What could he do ] This was the first trouble 
 the loss of his talisman had caused him : was it 
 to be the beginning of a long list of calamities, 
 such as befel Camaralzaman when he lost his 
 ring, and Aladdin when the Princess exchanged 
 an old lamp for a new one '? It looked very like 
 it. He had watched every day for an oppor- 
 tunity of asking M. Toupet to restore it, but 
 always in vain ; and how could he venture to 
 
64 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 consult the fairy at the chesnut tree, when he 
 had lost her gift *? 
 
 Full of these thoughts, Alexis went on among 
 the crowd of spectators, now pressing towards 
 the place of the waterworks — but without a 
 chance of seeing anything but the backs of taller 
 people than himself, who had no idea of putting 
 little boys in the best places. He was getting 
 very hot and tired, his spirits being heavy, and 
 wondering whether he should not have been 
 quite as happy weeding the garden with Cle- 
 mence, when he saw one of his playfellows very 
 quietly swing himself up into one of the trees, 
 and make a sign to him to do the same. It was 
 not a permitted exploit, if the sentinels had seen 
 it, but it looked very tempting, and Alexis took 
 the first opportunity of following so bold an 
 example. Once seated in the tree, there was 
 little chance of being noticed, as everybody was 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 65 
 
 staring after the waterworks, and very cool and 
 pleasant it was, perched just above all the crowd, 
 and getting a better view than anybody. If 
 Claude would but come by, he would just tap 
 him on the head, and make him good-humoured 
 again, and then there would be room for dear 
 little Rose, if she didn't mind her white frock, 
 and they would be so jolly ! 
 
 Claude did not come, but the crowd got thicker 
 and thicker, and soon it would not be easy to 
 descend from the tree without jumping on the 
 people's heads. Alexis looked down, and began 
 to consider whose head looked the pleasantest to 
 jump upon : when something struck his eye that 
 almost made him let go the branch by which he 
 held. It was a cap, made very smart and stiff 
 according to fashion, and on the very top, with 
 flowing ends, were the blue ribbons, 
 
 Alexis gasped for breath. He recollected 
 
66 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Aladdin's trick to recover the lamp : he remem- 
 bered all the manoeuvres practised over and over 
 again to vy^in back talismans ; and was quite 
 certain of his right to recover this, somehow. 
 But how was it to be done ] He had a knife in 
 his pocket, and with this he cut a stick, with a 
 fork at the end ; and then crouching down in 
 the tree as low as he could, he waited. By 
 degrees the crowd insensibly moved forwards, 
 swayed on one side, and then became jammed so 
 closely, the fated cap was held as in a vice, just 
 within reach. Alexis slipped the stick into the 
 topknot, and jerked it away with all his force. Off 
 came cap and all ; and down over the shoulders 
 of the terrified damsel, fell all the pomatumed 
 hair she had been at such pains to curl and 
 frizz for the fete. The spectators set up a roar 
 of laughter, thinking it a piece of waggery, not 
 uncommon in a French crowd ; but Alexis, who 
 
Page f!0. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 67 
 
 had no ambition of any such applause, tore off 
 the ribbon, flung back the cap, and shot down 
 the other side of the tree like a squirrel. 
 
 He was seen, and the enraged tobacconist's 
 daughter pointing him out to her companions, 
 shrieked for some one to stop the thief ! A race 
 began, for Alexis ran as if for his life ; but 
 longer and swifter legs were in pursuit, and 
 though he had a good start, and kept a-head 
 some way, he had no chance of ultimate escape. 
 He had just got within sight of the gates nearest 
 the village, when he saw Claude and Rose going 
 through them. He shrieked to them to stop, — 
 Rose heard, and turned, and held Claude tight, 
 and tha next minute Alexis was clinging round 
 him, panting like a chased hare. 
 
 " I Ve got it ! I've got it — but they are after 
 me ! Oh save me, Claude ! It is mine, indeed 
 it is, and I am no thief!" 
 
68 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Before Claude could understand what he 
 meant, up ran the pursuers, shouting " stop 
 thief !" Claude quietly stepped between, holding 
 Alexis behind him. " Who calls this boy a thief?" 
 
 " Oh it is all very fine, mon hrave^'' said the 
 foremost, " for you to take his part, but the little 
 gamin has played the neatest trick that has been 
 seen a long time ; whipped off a young lady's cap, 
 just to steal the ribbon off it !" 
 
 " It is my ribbon — it was stolen from me !" 
 persisted Alexis. 
 
 " That ribbon again !" muttered Claude be- 
 tween his teeth, '' there is some mystery here, 
 beyond me. — You see what a child he is, gentle- 
 men ; of course it must be inquired into, but if 
 the word of honour of a soldier will suffice to 
 answer for his appearing, I will be answerable. 
 Only do not make a scandal all over the place." 
 
 The men yielded to this proposal, and went 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 69 
 
 with Claude and the children 'to the Nollets' 
 cottage. Claude, when they reached the gate, 
 stopped them from entering. Alexis should 
 remain with them outside, and his little sister ; 
 but he must go in first, and prepare the family. 
 Clemence, who was warming the soup against 
 her brother's return, started when Claude's pale 
 face looked in at the door. She could imagine 
 nothing but some fearful accident ; and he was 
 obliged to hasten his assurance that Alexis was 
 quite safe, and just behind him. " What I want 
 to ask is," said Claude, struggling to speak 
 quietly, " do you know anything about a certain 
 blue ribbon V 
 
 " I do not know what you mean, even." 
 
 " Alexis never showed you one V 
 
 " Never." 
 
 " You did not know he had it V 
 
 " No, indeed — where did he get one V 
 
70 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Ah, that is the question. A gay, gallant 
 officer was asking him about it to-day." 
 
 " The officer who bought his flowers V cried 
 Clemence, eagerly. 
 
 " Aye, I believe so," and Claude bit his lip : 
 " but never mind that now — Alexis has got into 
 a difficulty about it, and has had an adventure in 
 which you must help him. Come in, gentlemen ! 
 come in, children ! — and now let us have all this 
 explained." 
 
 But explanation was not so easy. Alexis 
 owned at once to having taken the ribbon, but 
 persisted it was his own, though he would not 
 say how he got it. Not even the tears and 
 entreaties of Clemence, who began to have a 
 glimmering of what was in Claude's mind ; nor 
 the reproaches and taunts of his accusers, could 
 shake his resolution to keep his word. So the 
 whole party were obliged to go to the Commissary 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 71 
 
 of Police, as the friends of the tobacconist's 
 daughter declared they would have justice : 
 only little Eose, seeing the distress of Clemence, 
 volunteered to stay and take care of the poor old 
 grandmother. 
 
 It was a severe trial for Alexis to see the 
 distress of his sister, and the troubled looks of 
 Claude. He could hardly keep from crying 
 several times, only he thought it would look so 
 cowardly, and as if he was guilty after all. So 
 he kept up the best heart he could, and when 
 questioned by the Commissary, gave a plain dis- 
 tinct account of the whole affair, except, as 
 before, the manner in which he came by the 
 blue ribbons. That, he said, he had promised 
 not to tell, and he wouldn't tell for anybody. 
 The Commissary sent an official to find the 
 owner of the cap, and another for M. Toupet ; 
 and when they came, the examination went on. 
 
72 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 M. Toupet, who knew no one had seen him with 
 Alexis, swore he had never touched the ribbons 
 — did not even notice whether he wore any : he 
 was a very pert rude boy, and he seldom spoke 
 to him if he could help it. The tobacconist's 
 daughter, with many tears of rage and vexation, 
 deposed that the ribbon was given her by her 
 mother. The mother, when summoned, seeing 
 M. Toupet in presence, deposed that the ribbon 
 had belonged to her a long time : she could not 
 swear exactly how long, but she had had it by 
 her with other things ever since she left Paris, 
 where she had many respectable connexions, and 
 no need ta be beholden to any one for a scrap of 
 ribbon, blue, red, or yellow. She only hoped 
 M. le Commissaire would make an example of 
 the boy, boys were so worreting. She never had 
 to deal with any that she didn't find whipping a 
 deal too good for. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 73 
 
 The Commissary, though he only smiled 
 grimly at this remark, seemed to think the case 
 looked bad, for he cross-questioned Alexis over 
 again ; and then his sister ; and read out long 
 notes of all they had said, and made them sign 
 their names to it ; and altogether it was a very 
 nervous, awkward business. In the midst of it 
 all, in came their old friend, the Cure of the 
 parish ; and as he offered bail, with Claude, 
 Alexis was allowed to go home, to appear again 
 when summoned. The precious ribbon for which 
 he had dared so much, was kept at the police 
 office, in spite of his entreaties ; and he was left 
 to bear, as he might, the shame of his accusation, 
 without the comfort of possessing his talisman. 
 
 It was a melancholy party that evening. 
 Alexis sat, silent and subdued ; Clemence was 
 anxious and unhappy ; Claude had taken Rose 
 home, and had hardly spoken to any of them ; 
 
74 THE BLUE TIIBBONS. 
 
 and when the good Cure came to see how they 
 were going on, he found them wanting all the 
 consolation he could give. Clemence took him 
 aside, and entreated his advice how to act to- 
 wards a child who had always been obedient 
 and truthful, and who now showed such extra- 
 ordinary self-will. The priest heard the whole 
 account with much interest, and being a man of 
 much shrewdness and experience, felt convinced 
 there was something at the bottom that must be 
 brought to light. He asked Clemence if she 
 would trust it in his hands, to which she gladly 
 consented ; and Alexis, when summoned, came 
 readily enough to a private conference with his 
 kind old friend. 
 
 Father Maurice was of the school of Fenelon, 
 that wise and gentle spirit, nearly as much be- 
 loved by readers of a more enlightened belief as 
 by the followers of his own. Full of charity 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 75 
 
 and kindness, the errors of his Church had no 
 effect on his simple faith in the truths of the 
 Gospel, nor on his unvarying practice of its 
 precepts. The poor looked upon him as a 
 father, and the great held him in respect ; for 
 characters like his were rare at that time, and at 
 any period must have commanded esteem. As 
 for Alexis, he was only too glad to nestle in his 
 bosom, and sob out freely the unhappiness of his 
 mind. 
 
 Father Maurice took him on his knee : " I 
 find," he said, " my child, that you have given a 
 promise not to tell how you came by those rib- 
 bons : is it so V 
 
 " Yes, father." 
 
 " Then, my child, you have done very wrong. 
 You ought never to have a secret from your 
 best friends"; and any one who took such a pro- 
 mise cannot be a safe companion." 
 
76 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Oh, father, you little know — don't speak 
 like that !" 
 
 " Hush, my son, hear what I say. There is 
 one thing you have forgotten : to your pastor 
 you are bound to confess everything, and I re- 
 quire you to tell me all without reserve." 
 
 " Must I, really, father V 
 
 " You must, my son." 
 
 " But, father, you will not believe me." 
 
 " Why not, Alexis ] You have never yet told 
 me an untruth, why should you now V 
 
 " But you have always told me such things 
 were not true." 
 
 " What sort of things ?" 
 
 " Fairies — " whispered the boy. Father Mau- 
 rice lifted his white eyebrows. 
 
 " Aha ! we have been among the fairies, have 
 we? No wonder such marvels followed. Go 
 on, my son ; tell me all without fear." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 77 
 
 Alexis, thus encouraged, told the whole story : 
 the old man heard him with the utmost atten- 
 tion, and pondered over it for some time. 
 
 " What day was it this happened, my child V 
 
 Alexis told him. 
 
 " And she told you she was a fairy, did 
 she?" 
 
 " Not in so many words, but she implied it, 
 ever so often." 
 
 " What was she like '? three inches high ?" 
 
 '' Oh no, father — quite tall." 
 
 " Tall, really ! that is unusual in fairyland. 
 And her eyes '?" 
 
 " Bright, bright blue." 
 
 " And her complexion V 
 
 " Beautifully fair." 
 
 " Did you observe her nose, my boy — if fairies 
 have noses 1" 
 
 " Now you are laughing at me, father ; but 
 
78 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 she had a fine nose, a little hooked, and her 
 nostrils opened like a stag's." 
 
 " Really, a yery magnificent fairy ! And 
 dressed, of course, in gold and silver, and moon- 
 beams V 
 
 " No, father, all in white, with a straw hat, 
 from which she took the blue ribbons to give 
 me. She looked so beautiful, so grand — almost 
 terrible when her eyes were full upon me. I 
 see her in my dreams — I think of her morn- 
 ing, noon, and night. It could not be fancy, 
 father, could it, or I should have forgotten 
 it before now? and the ribbons she gave me 
 herself, and told me to part with them to 
 nobody." 
 
 " Has anybody asked you for them since V 
 
 " Yes, father, the officers would have bought 
 them — one off*ered me ever so much." 
 
 " Aha !" said Father Maurice again. " Yes, 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS, 79 
 
 yes, I can understand that : and those other 
 gentlemen V 
 
 " They did not ask for the ribbons ; but they 
 almost quarrelled about the flowers, and the 
 baron (that was the old one) told the chevalier 
 (he was slim and tall) he had made a daring 
 speculation when he gave me two louis for the 
 last bouquet I had." 
 
 " A daring speculation, — well, perhaps it was. 
 And you never had such customers till you wore 
 the ribbons V 
 
 " Oh no, father. And now, can I help believ- 
 ing in fairies after this ]" 
 
 The kind old priest put his hand on his head. 
 " Now you have told me all, I know how to 
 advise you. I believe your story, every word 
 of it." 
 
 " Oh, father, how glad I am !" 
 
 " But I do not believe in fairies yet, and I 
 
80 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 never shall. Look you, my child, if we had not 
 a friend always at hand to help us, we might sit 
 down and wish our nurse's fables were true, and 
 that pearls dropped from our mouths, and purses 
 into our laps, without our having the trouble to 
 work, or the trial of being patient, and self- 
 denying, and like Him who carried the cross on 
 which He died. But as we have Him, feeling 
 for us, and loving us, ready to raise up friends 
 when we want them, even among the ravens 
 when we want food, and the rocks when we want 
 water, — what need of wishing that capricious 
 spirits should make a favourite of you or me, 
 and suddenly make you a prince, and me what- 
 ever I am least like now — young and strong, 
 like Claude, instead of rheumatic and hoary ? 
 You shake your little head, and think all this is 
 very well, but you have seen. Well, time will 
 show which of us two is in the right. Only, 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 81 
 
 dear son, I would have you put your trust in 
 your heavenly Father, and ask for His help in 
 this difficulty, instead of thinking only of your 
 unknown friend. Think of her you may, you 
 ought, gratefully, — but trust only in Him." 
 
 " I will, father, indeed. May I — may I pray 
 —for her T 
 
 Father Maurice looked at him with an ex- 
 pression so earnest, so thoughtful, Alexis feared 
 he had said something too presumptuous, till 
 the answer came, — '' Yea, my child, pray for 
 her ! Pray night and day, with all the fervour 
 of thy pure young heart, and thou mayest be a 
 mightier friend to her than she can ever be to 
 thee !" 
 
82 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 (ATHER MAURICE lost no time in 
 communicating with the Commissary 
 of Police, and obtaining a delay in 
 the examination till he should procure a neces- 
 sary witness for the accused. He also, with 
 some diificulty, won permission to take the blue 
 ribbons into his charge : having pledged his 
 word that Alexis would not stir from his home 
 without the consent of the police. Their house 
 was, indeed, so well watched by them, it was 
 not likely he would have the chance. He re- 
 signed himself with tolerable patience to his 
 confinement ; and Clemence went to market, 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 83 
 
 and did all the out-of-door business, though 
 with a very heavy heart. The story had circu- 
 lated with the usual exaggerations, and all who 
 envied the success of Alexis on that memorable 
 day, eagerly joined in sneering at him now. 
 Clemence shared the obloquy, as she had the 
 profits. Very few customers fell to her lot, and 
 a buzz of disapprobation at last became general. 
 Somebody had whispered about that the blue 
 ribbons were somehow connected with the 
 officers of the court, and it was not likely 
 officers would give ribbons to little boys : and 
 then came a shrug and a grimace, that spoke 
 what was left unsaid. And there was M. Tou- 
 pet, riding past, with a cruel smile on his face, 
 taking ofi* his hat to the poor girl with mock 
 respect, and asking after the health of her bro- 
 ther. And there passed Ma'amselle Finette, 
 rampant with the wrongs inflicted on her cap, 
 
84 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 and wondering out loud before everybody, how 
 some people could have the face to come among 
 decent honest folks, knowing all that they knew. 
 Clemence bore all meekly, and held her ground 
 to the last ; but, hard as all this was to bear, the 
 coldness of Claude was harder still. He had 
 done all in his power for Alexis, but he showed 
 in his manner that he suspected something, she 
 could not tell what. And though she had often 
 repeated to herself how impossible it was for 
 them ever to be more than friends and neigh- 
 bours, it cannot be told how much more she felt 
 his change of behaviour than that of any other 
 neighbour or friend. His mother, too, had 
 curtsied stiffly to her when she met her 
 last ; and had demurred at allowing Rose 
 to go and play with Alexis, hinting that 
 one could not be too particular in days like 
 these. All this was weary work to think of, 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 85 
 
 and very weary and sad looked poor Clemence 
 when she got home with a half-filled basket, 
 and met her little brother's eager look of in- 
 quiry, without having any good news to answer 
 him. However, she made the best of things, as 
 usual, and they were sitting quietly at the door 
 that evening, allowing the old grandmother, who 
 was unusually loquacious, to tell one of her 
 longest ghost stories without interruption; when 
 suddenly the gate was flung open, and Madame 
 Martin rushed in, looking half wild. 
 
 " Is he here ^, Answer me, girl, this minute ! 
 is he here ] Speak !" 
 
 " Who, madame ? — who V cried Alexis ; for 
 Clemence could not speak. 
 
 " My son, my Claude ! Where is he '? Tell 
 me he is safe, and I will forgive you, — I will!" 
 and the distracted mother wrung her hands in 
 desperation. 
 
86 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Claude is not here," said Alexis, not know- 
 ing which frightened him most, the excitement 
 of Madame Martin, or the deathlike stillness of 
 his sister. " Oh, madame, what has happened V 
 
 " What has happened '? It is all your doing, 
 you little villain ; — all that girl's doing, whom 
 we thought so highly of. My Claude has been 
 fighting for her ; and if I lose a son, she has 
 killed him." 
 
 " You have killed her /" screamed Alexis, as 
 his sister dropped heavily on the floor. " Go 
 away, you bad, cruel, old woman ! You shall 
 not touch Clemence ! She is too good for any of 
 you!" 
 
 The old grandmother sat shaking her head 
 and hands in feeble amazement. Alexis, the 
 tears running down his cheeks, raised his sister's 
 head on his shoulder ; but Madame Martin went 
 away without even looking at her, so full was 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 87 
 
 she of her son. By degrees Clemence recovered ; 
 and then nothing would satisfy her, but she 
 must go out and ascertain the real truth. So 
 Alexis was left in a fever of excitement, feeling 
 now really a prisoner, and for the first time 
 wishing he had not seen the fairy. Then came 
 the thought into his head — should he ask her 
 help ? She had told him how to do so. If he 
 could get a petition left at the chesnut-tree, who 
 knew what might not be the result ] He ran 
 about the garden pulling his hair, stamping 
 with his feet, and ready to knock his head 
 against the house wall, when, like a beam of 
 light on his despair, came the face of little Rose 
 peeping in at the gate. He flew to let her in. 
 
 " Any news of Claude V 
 
 " Yes ; he came home for a minute just now. 
 He has been thumping M. Toupet ; thumping 
 him very hard, I believe, for saying wicked 
 
88 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 things of dear Clemence about the ribbons. 
 M. Toupet has been carried home to bed ; and 
 Claude says he must not stay, as M. Toupet will 
 try to be revenged, of course. He told me just to 
 tell you this ; and to tell Clemence she is dearer 
 to him than life. Those were his very words." 
 
 " Dear Claude ! I do love him," said Alexis ; 
 " and now he has thrashed that bad man, I love 
 him more than ever. But we must try and help 
 him now, Hose. Will you try if I show you 
 
 how r 
 
 Rose promised eagerly. Alexis took her into 
 the cottage, and wrote a few lines in a great 
 hurry ; not in the best style, it must be con- 
 fessed, either in language or spelling. The letter 
 ran as follows : 
 
 " Oh, dear, powerful Lady, — I ask pardon if I 
 do not call upon you rightly. You promised to 
 help me, if I asked you : please help me now. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 89 
 
 They won't believe I didn't steal the blue rib- 
 bons ; and I am a prisoner at home, and Claude 
 has got into trouble about it, and I am afraid he 
 will be punished. I have kept the secret, as I 
 promised, except to Father Maurice, because he 
 made me. Oh ! do help us this time, and I shall 
 always pray for you, as Father Maurice says I 
 may. Your grateful, humble servant, 
 
 " Alexis Nollet." 
 This was not the kind of letter he would have 
 written to a fairy, if he had had time to consult 
 the precedents in his favourite volume ; but 
 Rose was impatient, and the case too urgent for 
 delay. He sealed up the missive, and then 
 bound her to secresy. She must go into the 
 wood, in the direction he pointed out, be- 
 tween twelve and one, and keep on straight till 
 she came to the chesnut-tree ; place the billet 
 in a hole under the lowest branch, and come 
 
90 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 away. " If you should see anything remarkable, 
 don't be afraid. Rose, you know ; but just be- 
 have as if you were speaking to some great lady, 
 that 's all." 
 
 " But I shall be afraid, Alexis, — dreadfully 
 afraid." 
 
 " Then you ought not to be. Father Maurice 
 says good people need fear nothing." 
 
 " Yes ; but I am very naughty sometimes, 
 mamma says." 
 
 " Then you must be sorry, and all that. Only 
 don't be cowardly; for you shall never be my 
 little wife if you are." 
 
 " No, don't say so ! I will do anything you 
 like, if I can get leave. Suppose I can't V 
 
 " I won't suppose anything of the kind. You 
 must get leave, Eose ; and you must do it. You 
 would not like to see Claude and me hanged, 
 would you V 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 91 
 
 " How can you be so unkind, Alexis, when 
 you know I would do anything in the world that 
 I could to please you ? I am afraid you do not 
 love me as you used to do, or you would not say 
 such things." 
 
 " I do love you, Rose, very much indeed ; and 
 if you asked me to go and meet a fairy, I would 
 directly, if it was as dark as pitch, and the wood 
 full of snarling bears." 
 
 " Oh, Alexis, Alexis ! am I to do that ? Shall 
 I see a fairy V 
 
 xllexis stamped with vexation at his slip of 
 the tongue. " That is so like a girl, to be so 
 curious, and want to know secrets that they 
 can't keep. Only go to-morrow, as I tell you. 
 Rose, and never mind anything else. Here is 
 some one at the gate. — Oh, my goodness, it is 
 Claude !" 
 
 It was Claude, muffled in a cloak that almost 
 
92 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 hid his whole person. He could not tear 
 himself away without one look at Clemence, 
 one word of affection, and one token of her 
 forgiveness for his unkind conduct ; and 
 just as Alexis was telling him how she had 
 fainted at his mother's harsh words, and had 
 run out to look for him, Clemence herself came 
 back. 
 
 In that sorrowful moment there w^as no time 
 for explanations or ceremony, but none were 
 required : their hearts were too full to be 
 restrained, and Claude, as he held her in his 
 arms, and kissed away her tears, vowed again 
 and again he would never love another woman, 
 and never doubt her love for him : she must 
 keep up a good heart, and all this might blow 
 over. M. Toupet had powerful friends, but jus- 
 tice was on their side, and truth was sure to 
 come out at last. Now he must leave her, and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 93 
 
 hide himself, and with one more long kiss, and 
 a warm caress to Alexis, Claude took Rose's 
 hand, and disappeared in the darkening twi - 
 light. 
 
94 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ^^^ HE Chateau de — , though honoured 
 by royal visitors, was by no means 
 palace-like in size. It had been a 
 hunting-box of the late king, and was fitted 
 up more for private luxury than ceremonial 
 parade. The accommodations not admitting of 
 a large attendance, it was the more suited 
 for the private, unrestrained society in which 
 the young Queen of Louis XVI delighted ; and 
 which was then so new in regal existence as to 
 be reckoned among the errors of that unfor- 
 tunate princess. But what wonder that she 
 should prefer social intercourse, lively conversa- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 95 
 
 tion, flowers, meadows, and gardening, to formal 
 public walks, tedious banquets, and a constant 
 crowd of attendants in full court dresses, who 
 were never to speak till they were spoken to ! 
 And how often have we heard travellers say, 
 after visiting all the grandeurs and picture- 
 galleries and vast extent of Versailles — their 
 interest is not to be compared to that of the 
 Petit Trianon, where Marie Antoinette had her 
 English garden, and her dairy, and all the little 
 elegancies of retirement, and where she tried to 
 forget she was the greatest queen in the world, 
 and only aspired to be the accomplished com- 
 panion and devoted friend ! 
 
 One of the friends admitted by right of his 
 office, wherever the Queen went, was M. Cam- 
 pan, her librarian ; father-in-law to the first 
 bed-chamber woman, the Madame Campan, 
 whose history of Marie Antoinette is so inter- 
 
96 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 esting ; and whose talents and high character 
 caused her to be selected by Napoleon Buona- 
 parte to preside over the school he established 
 at Ecouen, for the sisters and daughters of the 
 members of the Legion of Honour. M. Campan 
 appears to have enjoyed a great deal of the 
 Queen's confidence, and to have been worthy of 
 it : he was a prudent, sensible man, and con- 
 trived to fill his difficult post without reproach, 
 until the downfall of the sovereign he loved 
 broke his heart. " Console my poor Campan^'' 
 wrote Marie Antoinette, when herself needing 
 all the consolation she could have, on their 
 return from the fatal journey to Varennes : but 
 he never recovered the grief of that period, and 
 died soon after.* 
 
 * Memoires sur la Vie privee de Marie Antoinette, par 
 Madame Campan. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 97 
 
 M. Campan's eye was on the little bronze hor- 
 loge that ticked away on the mantelpiece of his 
 sitting-room at the Chateau, where he received 
 such persons as had any business to be laid 
 before her Majesty ; and precisely as the hands 
 pointed to the hour he had fixed, his expected 
 visitor entered, — the good Father Maurice. The 
 librarian received him respectfully, as became 
 his years and holy character : and made a polite 
 remark on his punctuality. 
 
 " When life is nearly over, my son, we feel 
 the value of each minute," said the old Cure. 
 " May I ask if her Majesty was pleased to read 
 my memorial V 
 
 " She has done so, M. le Cure, and I have 
 orders to admit you at once. You found no 
 difficulty, I hope, in reaching my room V 
 
 " None indeed, and as it is many years since I 
 was at Court, I was rather astonished at the 
 
 H 
 
98 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 absence of all parade. These are new fashions, 
 my son, that perplex poor rustics like ourselves ; 
 but we are too thankful to have our good 
 Monarch's presence, to question the manner in 
 which he may display it. The laugh of the gay 
 young people as I passed the court below, made 
 me almost feel young again myself." 
 
 M. Campan half shrugged his shoulders with 
 a momentary grimace of amusement. " As far 
 as laughing is concerned, mon pere^ I think we 
 are indifferently well provided. May I request 
 you to follow me." And he led Father Maurice 
 through a small gallery and an antechamber, to 
 an apartment looking out upon the park ; where, 
 surrounded by ladies and gentlemen, sociably 
 grouped as if at a friendly reunion, sat Marie 
 Antoinette, Queen of France and Navarre. 
 
 There is too much of fearful tragic interest 
 connected with this celebrated woman, to make 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 99 
 
 it easy to speak of and realise her in the 
 days of her sunny youth, before her generous 
 nature was wrung with ingratitude, and her 
 joyous spirit frozen by calumny. Beautiful and 
 graceful in no common degree, worshipped by 
 her own circle, adored by her friends, and 
 crouched to by those who were secretly work- 
 ing her ruin — who could have foreseen such a 
 coming destiny, or discerned the naked sword 
 hanging over that glorious head ? Not Father 
 Maurice, with all his single-hearted wisdom, 
 xlll that he saw of danger in her career, was 
 that she would lose, in the splendour of a 
 temporal throne, her hold on that which is 
 eternal. 
 
 His reception was most gracious, — the Queen 
 advanced to meet him, and thanked him for 
 giving her the privilege of asking the blessing 
 of so venerated a character ; and noticing that 
 
100 THE BLUE RIBBONS, 
 
 the old man was a little flurried by his unusual 
 position, talked herself for some minutes about 
 the beauty of the country, and the happy 
 appearance of his parishioners, till he had quite 
 regained his composure. 
 
 '' It is on behalf of my parishioners that I 
 have presumed to approach your Majesty now," 
 said Father Maurice ; " to complain of a grievous 
 wrong inflicted almost under the shadow of the 
 palace walls." 
 
 " Indeed, father ] you make me curious. It 
 shall be quickly attended to, and amended, if 
 possible." 
 
 " I hoped no less, madame — the injury has 
 been done to the mind of one of the young of 
 my flock, a boy whom I have been trying to 
 guide in the straight road, and who has lately 
 been misled by some dangerous person, almost to 
 the verge of most fatal error." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 101 
 
 " A case of heresy, venerable father 1 The 
 Archbishop would be a better guide in this case 
 than myself, then." 
 
 " Pardon, madame. The teacher who has led 
 my child astray professes to be, not a heretic, 
 but a supernatural being — a fairy T 
 
 His eye was steadily fixed on the Queen's as 
 he spoke : he saw mirth dancing in hers, and 
 the rosy glow that suffused her cheeks ; and 
 could not refrain from allowing the corner of his 
 own mouth to relax. 
 
 " A fairy, mon pere ! Did ever any one 
 hear of such unpardonable audacity ] To play 
 such a comedy under our very eyes! And 
 how did this mysterious personage show her- 
 self ]" 
 
 " She appeared to the poor boy, madame, 
 dressed all in white, and with a wand in her 
 hand. She directed him how to seek his for- 
 
102 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 tune, and promised to help him if obedient. 
 And at parting, gave him a talisman, which he 
 was never to part with." 
 
 " And that was— V 
 
 " This ribbon, your Majesty." Father Maurice 
 took the blue ribbons from his pocket, and laid 
 them on the table before the Queen. 
 
 Marie Antoinette glanced quickly round at a 
 lady standing near, and the blushing smile was 
 again on her face. " May we venture to touch 
 such unhallowed gear, reverend father ? I own 
 to a little superstitious alarm on the subject. It 
 really would appear that something has infected 
 the air of the vicinity, for strange doings have 
 come to our ears : gentlemen have been known 
 to rise hours before their time, to attend a village 
 market, and a Chevalier de St. Louis was de- 
 tected giving — ^how much did you say, M. de 
 Besenval ?" turning to a grey, military man near 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 103 
 
 the window, '' how much did that bouquet cost 
 our friend ]" 
 
 " Forty francs, your Majesty, and he seemed 
 to think he had got it cheap." 
 
 " What reckless extravagance to confess to 
 M. le Cure ! I am afraid to say what some of 
 the officers of the guard committed that same 
 day ; but quite enough to show the necessity of 
 looking into this affair. Will you be good 
 enough, father, to tell me the whole story, and 
 then favour me with your advice V 
 
 Father Maurice, on whom not a word or smile 
 was lost, immediately obeyed, and told all he 
 knew. He had just finished when a gentleman 
 in waiting announced " the King," and Louis 
 XVI entered the drawing-room. The Queen 
 presented the good priest to his sovereign with 
 marked emphasis, and the King, more graciously 
 than was his wont to strangers, welcomed him to 
 
104 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 court. Then turning abruptly to his consort, 
 " Here is a petition I must consult you upon, 
 madame. It is from the Bailli of the estate, 
 complaining of an outrageous attack on his 
 nephew, M. Adolphe Toupet, when performing 
 his official duties as deputy to his uncle, by a 
 grenadier on leave, named Claude Martin, and 
 praying that the said Claude Martin might be 
 arrested and brought to punishment for the same. 
 Do you know any of these parties, M. le Cure V 
 Father Maurice again met the Queen's eye. 
 He had observed that while the King was 
 referring to the paper in his hand, she had 
 glanced at another, brought to her by one of 
 the ladies : a small, crumpled note, very unlike an 
 address to royalty, but which was evidently con- 
 nected in some way with the business in hand. 
 Before he could reply to the king, she interposed. 
 " I believe, sire, M. le Cure will find that it is 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 105 
 
 only another instance of the strange madness 
 that seems to have possessed this singular neigh- 
 bourhood. As I have pledged myself to see the 
 whole cleared up, I must request your Majesty, 
 as a favour, to delegate your authority for a 
 short space into my hands, and give me full 
 powers. An audacious individual has been de- 
 ceiving your trusty lieges in your own grounds, 
 and I shall not rest till I have detected the im- 
 posture." 
 
 " If you do not rest till you have defeated all 
 the deceivers of my subjects, you will soon be 
 wearied out, madame," said the King, smiling, 
 but with a shade of care on his brow. " I leave 
 this in your hands, as you desire ; no one can 
 use power better — when you keep it to yourself r 
 
 There was a covert sarcasm here at some of 
 the Queen's friends, whose ambition was apt to 
 make them less safe associates than a powerful 
 
106 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 princess might have had; and more than one 
 cheek in the gay saloon tingled again. The 
 Queen, who lived at last to feel the full bitter- 
 ness of this circumstance, coloured slightly, but 
 thanked her husband with smiling grace, and 
 promised, in this matter, to grasp the sceptre 
 with no hand but her own. Louis XVI then 
 bowed and withdrew. A sign passed from the 
 Queen to her company, and they all glided away, 
 leaving her alone with the old priest. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 107 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 HE rage of M. Toupet at the treat- 
 ment he received from the sturdy 
 soldier, was of a species nearly akin 
 to insanity. Claude had come upon him unex- 
 pectedly, at the moment when he was relating 
 to some friends, with a great deal of zest, a most 
 malicious story about poor Clemence and the 
 blue ribbons, which, by his account, must have 
 come from one of the officers at the chateau, '' as 
 she was a flirting, conceited girl, always looking 
 out for admiration, and had even tried to make an 
 impression on him ;" — and here he laughed and 
 his friends laughed, and then Claude seized him 
 
108 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 by the collar, and telling him before them all 
 that he was a wicked liar, beat him till he 
 roared again. As for his friends, they perhaps 
 enjoyed the scene, but, at any rate, nobody 
 attempted to interfere, and when the grena- 
 dier's passion was appeased, one of them even 
 patted him on the shoulder, saying, " From 
 what I know^ I can't blame you ; but take 
 my advice, and keep out of the way, or you 
 will suffer cruelly for this. His uncle has in- 
 terest in high places. Let no one know where 
 you are." 
 
 In those days there was not that strict justice 
 between rich and poor in France that we have 
 in England. A powerful man, or the dependant 
 and follower of a powerful man, and even their 
 dependants and followers, have been known to 
 escape punishment through interest ; whereas 
 any one who oifended them^ was likely to suffer 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 109 
 
 proportionably. When M. Dupre, the bailli, 
 heard of the assault on his nephew, and found 
 him lying patched up and bandaged, and 
 making such moans and groans you would have 
 supposed every bone was broken at least, he was 
 quite as angry as M. Toupet himself, and pro- 
 mised him plentiful revenge. For this he had 
 petitioned the king; and now he came into his 
 nephew's chamber, to console him with the plea- 
 sant news that the police were after the ruffian, 
 and he would infallibly be caught in a day or 
 two. He had interest, he flattered himself, and 
 his nephew should have full satisfaction, if the 
 villain paid for it at the galleys. " It was very 
 hard upon his poor Adolphe, certainly" — this 
 was addressed to the surgeon, who was in at- 
 tendance on the bruised gentleman, "just when 
 he should have presented him to their majes- 
 ties, through the interest of friends — ahem — 
 
110 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 that his appearance and health should be 
 ruined at once." 
 
 M. Franval politely agreed, and asked how 
 the quarrel originated. His patient informed 
 him that he was walking quietly with his 
 friends, when this young fellow, half drunk, 
 suddenly in the most cowardly manner attacked 
 him, pulled out pistols to keep off any interfer- 
 ence, and would have murdered him if not pre- 
 vented. 
 
 " Claude Martin, you said, I think V said the 
 surgeon, " a promising fellow too. Engaged to 
 be married, is he not V 
 
 " I am sure I know nothing about him," said 
 his patient, groaning and writhing : " I wish he 
 was hung." 
 
 " Console yourself, my dear boy," said his 
 uncle, soothingly, " perhaps he may be, some 
 day." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. Ill 
 
 " I am sorry for the poor girl," added the 
 good-natured surgeon. " You know her, M. 
 Toupet ] Pretty little Clemence NoUet V 
 
 M. Toupet groaned still louder. " No — I 
 don't remember her particularly. Oh, how my 
 back aches !" 
 
 " My poor Adolphe !" murmured his uncle. 
 " And such a marriage as I had in store for 
 you ! 
 
 Here entered the housekeeper, and whispered 
 M. Dupre. 
 
 " Excuse me, M. Franval," said the latter, 
 rising, " I must attend to the business here, dur- 
 ing my nephew's illness. I leave him with you, 
 trusting you will restore him in time to see that 
 rascal well punished. If I could but lay hands 
 upon him !" 
 
 M. Dupre went into the parlour, and there 
 found two women; one a respectable middle- 
 
112 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 aged person, the other young and very pretty. 
 They curtsied low — the elder in a stately man- 
 ner, the younger with neiTOUS timidity. He 
 bowed with as much civility as he thought 
 necessary, and waited. The elder began at 
 once. " M. le Bailli, I may as well state with- 
 out preface, that I am mother to the young man 
 you are prosecuting, Claude Martin." And she 
 curtsied again, with a look that plainly asked, 
 " What do you say to that V M. Dupre red- 
 dened as he answered, " Indeed, madame : then 
 I can save you all further trouble. No en- 
 treaties, no tears, will prevent my bringing to 
 justice the man who half murdered my nephew." 
 " Before you talk of entreaties and tears, sir, 
 perhaps you will be good enough to wait till 
 they are offered. My son Claude, thank heaven ! 
 only did as a soldier ought, and as he would do 
 again." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 113 
 
 " Very well, madame ; he of course knows 
 the consequences. We will terminate this dis- 
 cussion, if agreeable to you.". 
 
 " Stay one moment, sir!" interposed the 
 younger woman, whose gentle voice and 
 features strongly contrasted with those of 
 her companion, " pardon the warmth of a 
 mother's feelings. It is not to annoy M. 
 le Bailli we are come, but to appeal to 
 the justice he has always shown the poorest 
 among us. Yes, sir, the justice — not the 
 compassion." 
 
 M. Dupre looked uneasily at the speaker, and 
 bowed slightly in reply. 
 
 " I am an orphan, M. le Bailli, with only a 
 brother, too young to protect me. I have 
 worked for him and my poor grandmother as 
 well as I could to keep out of debt, but I could 
 not make up my rent last time it was due, and I 
 
 I 
 
114 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 came to ask M. Toupet for a short respite. He 
 gave it to me, sir." 
 
 The Bailli drew his breath more easily. " Go, 
 on," he said, " that was acting kindly, and 
 deserves — " 
 
 " Stay a moment, sir. M. Toupet did more : 
 he offered to make me his wife." 
 
 " What V shouted the Bailli. 
 
 " It is true, if there is truth anywhere. It 
 was to be a private marriage, he said, because of 
 my station. I knew it was quite below his, so I 
 had only thanks to return for the honour, and to 
 decline it." 
 
 " You did well — ^you are a good, prudent girl," 
 said M. Dupre, again drawing a long breath. 
 
 " Perhaps it was not all prudence, sir," said 
 Clemence, whose firmness was beginning to give 
 way in spite of herself, " for the truth is, all I 
 had to give I had already given — his mother is 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 115 
 
 my witness — to one worth a hundred of him, 
 poor Claude Martin ! Oh sir, I beg pardon for 
 wounding your feelings, but truth will out. M. 
 Toupet found this out, and vowed to be revenged 
 on me : we had trouble upon trouble — he set 
 people to rob our garden and chicken-roost ; he 
 beat my little brother ; he insulted me when- 
 ever I met him ; he spread stories against our 
 honesty ; and worst, worst of all — a knot of rib- 
 bons given to Alexis, your nephew took from 
 him by force, and afterwards, to throw a slur 
 on my good name, insinuated they had been 
 sent to me by some gentleman ; and it was for 
 this and nothing else that Claude beat him, sir, 
 — I swear it solemnly, in the face of heaven." 
 Clemence burst into tears. 
 
 M. Dupre clenched his hands, and turned 
 white. " Then you are Clemence NoUet V he 
 said at last. 
 
116 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " I am, sir ; and oh ! if you will but consider 
 the case, and save my poor Claude to be the 
 comfort he has always been to his mother, I will 
 bless you, sir, yes, on my knees, night and day !" 
 
 The Bailli gasped for breath, and pointed to 
 the door, " Leave me." 
 
 " And no answer, sir 1" 
 
 " I have none to give — I must inquire — justice 
 must be done. Leave me." He rang the bell 
 furiously, and they found themselves outside 
 before they knew where they were. 
 
 The first news that greeted them in the 
 village was that Claude had been arrested by 
 the King's order. 
 
 Claude had been arrested ; and what could 
 save him now, since his powerful enemy refused 
 to listen to justice ] Mme. Martin, in her despair, 
 clung the closer to Clemence, whom she now 
 respected as much as she had patronised and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 117 
 
 reproached her before. They wept in each 
 other's arms, as they talked of Claude and all 
 his countless excellences ; and laid plans for 
 his deliverance, or anticipated his triumphant 
 acquittal : and madame owned at last, that if 
 Clemence had but a proper portion to marry 
 upon, there was no one whom she would prefer 
 for her dear injured son, than the girl who had 
 refused the Bailli's nephew. This cheered the 
 sister of Alexis, even in her anxiety ; and gave 
 her courage to propose what had occurred to her 
 before — why should not a petition be presented 
 to the Queen on Claude's behalf] She was 
 known to be kind and merciful : why should 
 they not watch for her coming out to drive, and 
 take an opportunity of attracting her notice] 
 The idea was approved by both parents, and a 
 petition was drawn up accordingly ; and Mme. 
 Martin, Clemence and Rose watched a whole 
 
118 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 morning near the chateau gates, for a glimpse of 
 the royal carriage. At last it came, but so sur- 
 rounded by gentlemen and guards on horseback, 
 to approach it was impossible. It swept past in 
 a moment, and all that the watchers obtained for 
 their pains was a glimpse of a stately head, and 
 a smile not meant for them. 
 
 They were not disheartened, however, though 
 sadly tired. They wandered about the park, 
 they sat down under the trees, they waited and 
 waited for two long hours more, in the hopes of 
 the Queen's return. 
 
 A young oiRcer meeting them, and having 
 observed they had been there a long while, 
 politely inquired if they were in any difficulty 
 that he could remove '? It was so pleasantly 
 asked, and his face looked so good-natured, 
 Mme, Martin was emboldened to tell her sad 
 tale, and entreat the officer, by the memory of 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 119 
 
 his own mother's love, to help her petition for- 
 ward. He looked at his watch. " Her Majesty 
 will soon return," he said, " I will do what I can 
 for you. I have heard of this story already, and 
 of that fellow having the impertinence to make 
 free use of the name of my corps ; and I should 
 enjoy nothing more than defeating his malice. 
 But if you want a petition delivered, let this nice 
 little girl be the bearer. The Queen is very 
 fond of children, and if she sees her standing in 
 the path, ten to one she stops to speak to her." 
 
 They thanked him with tears in their eyes, so 
 great was their relief to have found a friend. 
 He showed them where to stand, and instructed 
 Rose, who was not a little flustered, how to be- 
 have and what to say ; and then good-naturedly 
 ran across the park to see if the royal carriage 
 was in sight. How they all blessed him as he 
 ran ! " That is the gentleman that made Claude 
 
120 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 SO angry," whispered Rose to Clemence, " by 
 asking Alexis about the ribbons. I remember 
 him quite well." 
 
 Glemence smiled sadly. How little Claude 
 knew her heart, if he supposed for a moment that 
 that gay young face could be put in comparison 
 with his, — his that had faced the winds and 
 waters, the shot and the smoke, the soldier's 
 bayonet, and the Indian's arrow — and come 
 honourably through all! 
 
 Lieutenant Lafort now came back. " You 
 are just in time, mesdames. The Queen is 
 coming. Now, my pretty little maid, mind what 
 you are about." 
 
 They stood in breathless expectation. Rose 
 foremost, holding up the paper with both hands, 
 and curtseying with all her might without 
 stopping a minute. Lafort had withdrawn to a 
 little distance, not choosing to be seen meddling 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 121 
 
 in the matter. The carriage came up ; the 
 Queen's head was turned to the other side just as 
 it passed them, when Rose, with a cry of despair, 
 ran almost under the wheels. The Queen saw 
 her — thought the child was hurt, and called 
 out to the coachman to stop; the horses were 
 checked for a moment, and then Marie Antoi- 
 nette saw the petition. She took it with her 
 usual grace, smiled and bowed, and passed on, 
 leaving her petitioners as happy as hope could 
 make them, and dazzled with the glimpse of 
 the beauty adored by Europe. Rose got a great 
 deal of praise — and M. Lafort would have had - 
 as many thanks, if he had not taken care to 
 escape them. 
 
122 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER VTIL 
 
 LEXIS was sitting mournfully that 
 evening at the door of the cottage, 
 reading the Book of Martyrs. His 
 pleasure in the fairy tales was quite gone ; and 
 he began to find there was more real truth in 
 the history of those who had suffered so patiently 
 without being in fault. He tried to think how 
 he could have borne to be eaten up by beasts, or 
 torn with red-hot pincers, or burnt in a pitched 
 shirt as an illumination for a mocking crowd; 
 and was rather inclined to doubt whether he 
 could so at all. But reading of such things 
 animated his courage to bear as much as he 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 123 
 
 could, even supposing he was found guilty of 
 stealing, when he had only been rude (as he 
 now owned he had been) to Mdlle. Finette ; he 
 would be a martyr as much as possible, and put 
 all his trust in God, and not think of the fairies 
 any more. No answer had come to the letter 
 Rose had left at the chesnut tree : Claude was 
 in prison, and there had been nothing but grief 
 ever since he had lost the ribbons : and now he 
 would never wish for a fairy gift again. And so 
 he turned to the Martyrs that he might keep 
 his resolution ; and when he heard a footstep 
 approach, and saw Father Maurice at the gate, 
 he rose to meet him with a firm look, and his 
 finger on the open page. " I am trying to do as 
 you bid me, father." 
 
 " You do right, my dear son. Is your sister 
 within V Clemence came out directly. " Will 
 you both come out with me ?" he inquired, " I 
 
124 THE BLUE KIBBONS. 
 
 have something for you to do this evening, and 
 I have leave to take Alexis." 
 
 "If Mme. Martin will sit with my grand- 
 mother, I am willing," said Clemence, hoping to 
 hear something of Claude. The priest went to 
 fetch madame, while Clemence dressed herself 
 and her brother, at his suggestion, in their Sun- 
 day clothes. He then took a hand of each, and 
 walked on in silence. It was a lovely August 
 evening, and though Clemence had been out 
 nearly all day, the coolness of the air made her 
 less sensible of fatigue ; and to Alexis it was 
 quite delicious. Clemence, as they walked, told 
 the priest their adventure and asked what he 
 thought. He replied that she had done her 
 duty, and could now only leave it in higher 
 hands : but declined making any comments — 
 and was unusually silent all the way. Presently 
 they came to a private gate leading through the 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 125 
 
 park to the garden of the chateau. Father 
 Maurice then looked round at Alexis with a 
 smile. " Have you a fairy key anywhere about 
 you, my son V 
 
 " Oh, father, I wish I had — no, I don't though ; 
 I forgot I didn't mean to wish any more." 
 
 " Then perhaps I have." And he actually 
 pulled a key from his pocket ; and letting him- 
 self and his companions in, quietly locked the 
 gate behind them. " Now," he said, cheerfully, 
 " let all those who have clear consciences step on 
 without fear." And he led them across the gar- 
 den, which was formally laid out with statues, and 
 straight walks, and trees cut into odd figures, 
 and fountains of the most distorted shapes, 
 looking unearthly in the twilight — to a side door 
 which opened at his tap, and there were Cle- 
 mence and Alexis, actually in the dwelling of 
 their sovereign. 
 
126 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 A servant, so smartly dressed they thought he 
 was a prince at least, approached the Cure respect- 
 fully, and spoke to him in a low voice. Then 
 leading the way, he conducted them through 
 some winding passages, and up a staircase, to a 
 small, elegant apartment, where he left them. 
 
 " Well, my children !" said Father Maurice, 
 " what do you think of all this ]" 
 
 " Wherever you are, father, I know it 's all 
 right," said Clemence ; " but may I ask now — " 
 
 " No, you must ask nothing : you have no 
 cause for fear, that is all I may tell you : and if 
 you are questioned presently, be sure to speak 
 out plainly and boldly. Just step aside a minute, 
 my daughter, I have a word to say privately to 
 your brother. As for you, Alexis," in a lower 
 tone, " I foresee a difficulty you may be placed 
 in : you will be asked how you came by the rib- 
 bons, and refusing to acknowledge, may place 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 127 
 
 you in a dangerous position. What shall you 
 dor 
 
 " Father," whispered the boy, " I have been 
 reading your book, instead of my own ; and 
 yours is all true, you know." 
 
 ''Well, my son r 
 
 "Well, father, the martyrs bore everything 
 rather than act against their conscience, and 111 
 try and do the same. — Do you think they will 
 punish me very much '?" 
 
 " Do you think you deserve punishment, 
 Alexis ]" 
 
 Alexis blushed deeply. " I know I have 
 often been naughty, father, but — " 
 
 " But you do not think you deserve to be 
 punished V 
 
 " Oh, father, do you think I do V 
 
 " Who are you taught to believe in, and trust 
 in, my son 1" 
 
128 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Our Father in Heaven," said the boy, 
 reverently. 
 
 " And were you doing so when you were 
 wishing to be helped by a fairy, instead of bear- 
 ing patiently the trial He sent you, my son V 
 
 Alexis hung his head, and the tears stood in 
 his eyes. The priest laid his hand on his 
 shoulder encouragingly, " Think this well over, 
 my son ; and that will help you to bear in a 
 right spirit whatever He may now please to 
 appoint." 
 
 " Stay, father," sobbed the boy, as Father 
 Maurice was turning away, " I must tell you one 
 thing. I have been very wrong, I am afraid, 
 but since you talked to me last, I wrote to the 
 fairy." 
 
 " Aha ! and where may the fairy post-office 
 be '? The letter was prepaid, I hope V 
 
 " Don't you believe me, father ? I did write. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 129 
 
 I assure you, and Rose left it in the chesnut 
 tree." 
 
 " Did Rose see anybody ]" 
 
 " She was frightened, she says, when she 
 was hunting for the place, and met one of the 
 King's keepers, but he was very kind — he helped 
 her to find the tree, and then went away without 
 asking a single question. But I am very sorry 
 I did it, and I only hope Rose will not be 
 punished for what was only my fault. I begged 
 and prayed her to go: and I was quite cross," 
 the tears came thicker here, " because she made 
 an objection." 
 
 His confession was here interrupted by the 
 entrance of M. Campan, who, with a friendly 
 greeting of the Cure, spoke apart with him a 
 few minutes. Father Maurice then turned to 
 his charges, and told them he must leave them 
 for a while ; but they would be quite safe in his 
 
 K 
 
130 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 absence. " Is that our little flower-seller V said 
 M. Campan, smiling at Alexis, and then repeat- 
 ing to the priest in Latin, which the young 
 people could not understand, " Behold how 
 great a matter a little fire kindleth !" 
 
 " True," said Father Maurice, adding in 
 the same language, " Woe unto him that 
 offendeth one of these little ones. There has 
 been too much wrong already done with im- 
 punity, and I trust the day of redress is come 
 at last." 
 
 " Ah, mon pere^ there are more wrongs to be 
 redressed than you know of, or I either — and 
 more than the best of kings, even if he knew, 
 could remedy. Pray heaven we may not see the 
 day when the consequences shall fall on all our 
 heads, — ^but there are dark clouds in the horizon 
 already. Permit me, father ; we had better leave 
 these young folks a light, lest they should fancy 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 131 
 
 trapdoors opening under their feet." And he 
 put down a silver lamp that he held in his hand, 
 and went away with Father Maurice. 
 
 It seemed a very long time to the brother and 
 sister before their solitude was broken in upon, 
 and when at last a summons came, it was for 
 Clemence only. Alexis must wait for his turja, 
 and wait alone : and Father Maurice, as he said 
 this, held up a warning finger to him, as if to 
 recall to his memory what he had last said. 
 
 When Alexis found himself thus left, his first 
 impulse was to rush to the door, and beg them 
 to come back ; his next, to throw himself on the 
 carpet, and smother his face ; his third, to feel 
 very much ashamed of doing either the one or 
 the other. Was this being like a brave martyr, 
 who wore pitched shirts as if they had been a 
 Sunday hlouse^ and went to the stake as cheer- 
 fully as he would go to bed % This would never 
 
132 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 do, and he got up and shook himself, and 
 swallowed his tears, and brushed up his hair 
 with his fingers ; and thought he would try how 
 near he could hold them to the lamp without 
 flinching ; and was much provoked to find he 
 couldn't bear it a minute when it began to 
 scorch. Then he remembered what Father Mau- 
 rice had said about his deserving punishment 
 for not trusting in his heavenly Father ; and 
 perhaps he should not be a martyr after all, but 
 show himself as cowardly as a squalling girl, and 
 be disgraced for ever. He had not thought of 
 this before ; and it made him very miserable. 
 AVhat should he do ? There was one comfort 
 within his reach, and that no one could take 
 from him : and it needed no stealing out to hide 
 petitions in trees, and might be done any hour 
 and in any place. 
 
 Is there any young reader who can tell at 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 133 
 
 once what this was, and feel sure of it, by having 
 used it himself '? I hope there are many. Young 
 and old, rich and poor, beggars and princes, in 
 small troubles and in great, have tried this com- 
 fort, and never found it fail. — 
 
 He could pray. He knelt down and put his 
 hands together, and asked God's pardon for not 
 having trusted in Him before, and His help to 
 make him trust Him now, and that he might be 
 brave and keep his promise, and not go wishing 
 for fairies any more. 
 
 He felt very much better when he got up 
 from his knees. He thought now he could bear 
 to be questioned, and cross-questioned, without 
 being very much put out of countenance ; and 
 though he did not care to try the lamp any 
 more, he had an idea that he should stand his 
 punishment — if he was to be punished, which 
 seemed hard, but therefore the more like a 
 
134 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 martyr. Happily his suspense was nearly over, 
 and Father Maurice came to fetch him before 
 his new courage had had time to evaporate. 
 
 Alexis was rather out of breath when he 
 found himself in a long room, with several 
 ladies and gentlemen, apparently lookers-on, 
 and some grave personages sitting at a table, 
 looking even more important than the Com- 
 missary when he was examined last. When he 
 could begin to observe more composedly, he 
 recognised several familiar faces. The Com- 
 missary was there, and M. Dupre, and M, 
 Toupet, looking very forlorn, and his house- 
 keeper, and Mdlle. Finette and her mother, and 
 Claude, and several more. 
 
 M. Dupre having many friends and many 
 enemies at Court, the case in which his nephew's 
 name was so unpleasantly mixed up was as 
 good as a play to the gay society about their 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 135 
 
 Majesties; and the proceedings were listened to 
 as eagerly as if it had been the last comedy of 
 M. Beaumarchais, or the last opera of M. Gliick. 
 Even Alexis was scarcely more interested, 
 though his heart was beating so loud he thought 
 everybody must hear it. 
 
 Mdlle. Finette was the first examined ; and 
 her deposition agreed with her former one ; 
 except that her anger being somewhat cooled, 
 she was milder in her expressions. Her brother, 
 and a " friend ", as she modestly termed a smart 
 young hairdresser (afterwards her happy spouse 
 for many years) carried out her testimony. The 
 ribbons were sworn to as her property, given her 
 by her mother. The mother came next, and 
 then began a little skilful manoeuvring on the 
 part of the examiner, whereby the good lady was 
 led to contradict herself half a dozen times in as 
 many minutes. She had had the ribbon ever so 
 
136 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 long ; couldn't swear to a day ; was positive it 
 was five years at least when she left Paris ; 
 didn't buy it ; couldn't exactly say how she 
 came by it ; gave its full value in snuff ; was 
 sure she gave its value ; could show a specimen 
 of the identical snuff, as there was some of it 
 left, — beautiful snuff, fresh made, and could 
 recommend it with a safe conscience. 
 
 " What ! would madame swear that she had 
 given fresh made snuff five years ago in ex- 
 change for a ribbon of the last fashion, as could 
 be proved — and which she could not exactly 
 remember how she obtained V 
 
 To this there was silence : broken by low 
 laughter among the audience. 
 
 The examination went on. Witness, now in a 
 great fluster, couldn't remember who sold her 
 the ribbon — then she would try and recollect — 
 then, pushed to extremity, believed it was 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 137 
 
 Madame Gilles, housekeeper to M. Toupet ; and 
 finally, swore it was that lady, and nobody 
 else. 
 
 A murmur passed through the room. 
 
 Madame Gilles was then called forward. She 
 took to tears. Many years as she had served M. 
 Toupet and his family, she never thought to see 
 this day. If faithful service was to be so re- 
 warded, it was time the world should come to an 
 end. If she did by accident find a parcel of 
 rubbish lying about, and cleared it away, it was 
 no reason why her honesty should he called in 
 question, on account of a rude little boy, who 
 ought to be well whipped for worreting. Didn't 
 remember when she had any snuff last ; couldn't 
 be sure it was from the shop of the last witness 
 — it might be, or it might not be. Yes, that 
 was certainly very like it in her box, to be sure, 
 but she couldn't swear to it. Found the ribbon 
 
138 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 crumpled up in M. Toupet's coat pocket, and 
 thought he meant it to be thrown away. 
 
 Here there was a pause and a little whisper- 
 ing among the gentlemen round the table. 
 M. Dupre spoke anxiously to one standing 
 by him, and M. Toupet took up his smelling- 
 bottle. 
 
 Alfred Lafont, lieutenant of his Majesty's 
 Garde de Corps, next examined. Went into the 
 flower-market on such a day ; saw a little boy 
 with blue ribbons in his hat, and bought 
 bouquets of him. Could swear to the ribbons, 
 as he looked at them particularly, and offered to 
 buy them. Could swear they were the same 
 pattern as those on the table. Met the little boy 
 a few days after, and heard they had been stolen 
 from him. Felt at the time an intense desire to 
 lay hold of the thief. [Sensation — M. Toupet 
 wiped his forehead with his handkerchief.] 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 139 
 
 Clemence NoUet next examined : was the 
 only sister of Alexis NoUet, the little boy men- 
 tioned by the gentleman who spoke last ; knew 
 nothing about the blue ribbons till the day of 
 the fete, when he was accused of stealing them ; 
 could stake her life he would sooner starve than 
 steal any day. Had been threatened several 
 times by M. Toupet, — so had Alexis ; Alexis had 
 been beaten by him when he was angry. Met 
 Alexis on his way home from the market, and 
 could swear he had no ribbons on then ; he told 
 her he had been robbed, but she had not noticed 
 it at the time, as he brought home so much 
 money. 
 
 Here another judge interrupted, to ask how 
 her little brother accounted for his money? The 
 witness replied that he had told her he sold 
 some of his bouquets for two francs a-piece, and 
 one for two louis d'ors. 
 
140 IHE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Here the murmurs and laughter became so 
 loud as to require an injunction of " Silence !" 
 
 M. Dupre's friend then got up and cross- 
 examined Clemence, but without extracting 
 anything more ; she only persisted in the state- 
 ment of Alexis, and that he had never told her 
 a falsehood in his life. 
 
 Alexis Nollet was then called forward, and 
 was evidently the principal object of curiosity 
 present. His honest, earnest face, intelligent 
 eyes, and deep seriousness of manner, — for he 
 felt the awful moment of his life was come, — at 
 once interested and amused his judges. Though 
 his voice was low and tremulous at first, he 
 gave the same account of his adventures that 
 he had given before, and swore distinctly it 
 was M. Toupet who took his ribbons. Then 
 M. Dupre's friend began to question him. 
 
 " Where did you buy those ribbons V 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 141 
 
 " I didn't buy them." 
 
 " Who gave them to you then V 
 
 No answer. The question was repeated. Still 
 no reply. 
 
 " Child," said the first questioner gravely, 
 " you must answer this." 
 
 " Sir, I promised I wouldn't, and I won't." 
 
 " Who did you promise ]" 
 
 " The friend who gave them to me." 
 
 " Oh, a friend gave them to you ! Come, that 
 is something ascertained. Should you know 
 your friend again ]" 
 
 " I should think so, indeed !" 
 
 '^ Is your friend in this present company V 
 
 Alexis glanced all round, with a knowing 
 smile. " Nothing the least bit to compare to 
 her, sir." 
 
 " To her ! Oh, then, it was a female friend V 
 
 Alexis turned very red. He could have cried 
 
142 THE BLUE HIBBONS. 
 
 with rage at himself, and at the cunning gentle- 
 man who was worming his secret out of him. 
 The latter looked round with a smile at his own 
 acuteness, and went on with fresh spirit. 
 
 " Where did you see this lady, my boy V 
 
 " I didn't say it was a lady," said Alexis 
 sulkily. 
 
 " This woman, then." 
 
 " I didn't say it was a woman." 
 
 " This girl, then." 
 
 "I didn't say it was a girl." 
 
 " Will you swear it was neither of the three ? 
 Come !" 
 
 Alexis glanced at Father Maurice. " I don't 
 want to swear about it at all. I don't want to 
 tell you anything about it. You want to make 
 me tell, and I won't tell ; and now you may do 
 what you like." 
 
 M. Dupre here interposed, by permission of 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 143 
 
 the court. " You forget, Alexis, that you have 
 just brought a charge against a gentleman of 
 taking away your property ; if you cannot prove 
 it to be yours, your honesty must be called in 
 question. Why did you not show your ribbon 
 to your sister V 
 
 " Because I promised I wouldn't." 
 
 " That looks suspicious, I must say," observed 
 one of the judges. '' A child is seen wearing 
 ribbons, and loses them (we will not say how), 
 and will give no account how he came by them. 
 I should be apt to inquire what milliner has 
 lost a fashionable trimming lately ; and that 
 might help us to solve the mystery." 
 
 " I didn't steal it," faltered Alexis, whose 
 courage was beginning to fail. 
 
 '' So you say ; but how can you prove it V 
 
 " I can't prove it." 
 
 " Then you must submit to the consequences." 
 
144 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 Alexis burst into tears. 
 
 " Come, come," said M. Dupre soothingly ; 
 " you are but a little fellow, and you shall be 
 gently dealt with. Only confess." 
 
 Alexis shook his head, bit his lip, and tried 
 to choke down his tears. He had strong doubts 
 now about his powers of martyrdom. Father 
 Maurice spoke for him. "Gentlemen, if a testi- 
 monial of character will avail, this boy has 
 always been a steady, docile pupil, and dutiful 
 at home. This Avill, I hope, plead on his behalf." 
 
 " It would, M. le Cure, if he had not accused 
 a gentleman. As it is, I fear he stands under a 
 very grave suspicion." 
 
 " Certainly," echoed several voices among M. 
 Dupre's friends. 
 
 " Is it permitted to me to call a witness in his 
 favour '?" 
 
 " If you can do so, by all means." 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 145 
 
 " Then, by her own gracious command, gentle- 
 men, I make my appeal on behalf of this inno- 
 cent child to Her Majesty the Queen !" 
 
 An exclamation of surprise — a low, rapid 
 murmur — passed from side to side; and then 
 Alexis, through the bewilderment gathering 
 over his faculties, was aware of a general 
 movement — a falling back of all parties — to 
 make way for some one -moving majestically up 
 the hall. On she came, stately and beautiful 
 and radiant, the white robe flowing so grace- 
 fully, the light wand in her taper fingers, and 
 that smile, whose glow he still felt warm about 
 his heart, beaming full upon him, more sweetly 
 even than it had beamed before : — his unknown 
 fairy friend was the Queen ! 
 
 The scream of mixed joy and terror he gave 
 rang through the hall, and startled everybody ; 
 but the poor child's energies of mind had been 
 
 L 
 
146 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 SO overstrained, they could not bear this new 
 and sudden excitement : and just as he thought 
 he was rushing forwards to say he knew not 
 what, — voice, limbs, and breath failed all 
 at once, and he fell insensible at the feet of 
 Marie Antoinette. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 147 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ^^^ HE first thing Alexis was conscious 
 of afterwards was a strange tingling 
 sensation, and hearing voices round 
 him before he could make out whose they were : 
 then something strong and disagreeable was 
 being poured doAvn his throat, which if he had 
 been able to resist, he would certainly have ob- 
 jected to : then he opened his eyes just in time 
 to see a white hand hold out a small gold bottle, 
 and put it to his nose — and it nearly took away 
 the little breath just returning. " Take care," 
 said a sweet clear voice, " you will suffocate the 
 poor little fellow. Give him more air : a little 
 more of the restorative." 
 
148 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 " Oh, no more, please," said Alexis, sitting up 
 with difficulty, and wondering what was the 
 matter with him, that everything looked so 
 misty, and his legs and arms felt as if they were 
 somebody else's. " What is it ? "What have I 
 done r 
 
 He felt a loving arm round his waist, and 
 Clemence's voice whispering in his ear, " Do 
 you feel better, darling V 
 
 " Yes, I am very well ; mayn't I get up V 
 He stared round quite bewildered : there were 
 so many ladies standing by, all watching him, 
 and looking so kind, while Clemence looked 
 so pale and frightened — he could not make 
 it out at all. He hid his face on his sister's 
 shoulder, and clung to her. "Oh, Alexis, 
 darling, look up," she whispered hastily, " don't 
 be afraid : but look up, and see who is watching 
 you !" 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 149 
 
 He started up ; his recollection returned ; and 
 when he looked round, and saw the stately 
 figure, and handsome face, which among all 
 those fair and noble ladies, was so much fairer 
 and nobler than them all — and began to realise 
 the fact, that he, a poor boy of the village, had 
 been bold enough to speak to the Queen, to 
 mistake her for a fairy, and actually to write her 
 a letter, whose spelling he did not now dare to 
 think about — it must have been a much stouter 
 spirit than our little hero's, not to feel, as he did, 
 utterly abashed and confounded. He stood, 
 with head and hands hanging down, the very 
 picture of dismay. 
 
 Marie Antoinette's kind heart felt both for 
 him and his modest, trembling sister. She gave 
 a quick sign to those around her, 
 
 " Checked, with a glance, the circle's smile ;" 
 and seated herself with quiet dignity in the 
 
150 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 chair placed for her reception. The gentle- 
 men at the table, who were standing waiting 
 her pleasure, resumed their seats by her 
 order ; and then the Queen beckoned Alexis to 
 approach. 
 
 " I have pleasure," she said, " in answering 
 the appeal of M. le Cure on this boy's behalf. 
 It will be sufficient, I hope, to every one, to hear 
 that I gave him those blue ribbons, and exacted 
 the promise of secresy which he has so bravely 
 kept. Let me pay him this testimony : it is not 
 every boy in the world, who, when free choice 
 was given him what he would like best, believ- 
 ing my power to be more than human — would 
 only ask to be enabled to earn enough to 
 relieve his sister from her difficulties. How 
 those difficulties arose is a matter to be con- 
 sidered later. That his Majesty's tenants 
 are not to be oppressed with impunity is 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 151 
 
 a truth the King will lose no occasion of 
 enforcing." 
 
 Her eye shot fire as she delivered these 
 words, — and those of the court who favoured 
 M. Dupre, which were among some of the 
 most powerful, winced beneath its glance, 
 and made a gesture among themselves of 
 mixed resentment and uneasiness. The Queen, 
 after a short pause, went on in a milder tone. 
 '• To fulfil this child's honest desire, I gave him 
 the ribbons, and bade him wear them in his hat 
 when he off'ered his fiowers for sale. Knowing 
 what liberal natures are to be met with when 
 properly applied to, I named his case to some of 
 these gentlemen, who were good enough to 
 comply with my request, and of whose custom 
 our little friend had no cause to complain. But 
 I little imagined the sufi*erings that were to 
 follow, nor the trying consequences of his well- 
 
152 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 kept promise. As I was the original cause of 
 these, it must be mine to see that he is recom- 
 pensed for them all. If this explanation, gentle- 
 men, be satisfactory, may I request you to close 
 this sitting, and relieve all parties from their 
 suspense." 
 
 There was a short pause, and a brief consulta- 
 tion among the judges : then the first speaker 
 rose, and with a profound reverence towards the 
 Queen's chair, pronounced the boy Alexis ac- 
 quitted, which even M. Dupre could not contra- 
 dict : and which was almost too much for poor 
 M. Toupet. He clung to his uncle's arm, and 
 kept his smelling-bottle in constant play ; for 
 the fact was, Claude's vigorous arm had not 
 calculated on the efieminacy of the frame it was 
 dealing with, and the poor man actually felt 
 very ill. 
 
 The Queen observed his agitation, and whis- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 153 
 
 pered to one of the gentlemen, who took an 
 opportunity of drawing the Bailli apart. " Let 
 your nephew withdraw his charge against the 
 grenadier, and the other matter will be dropped." 
 M. Dupre was only too thankful to avail himself 
 of the opening : he requested permission of her 
 Majesty to remove his nephew, who was suffer- 
 ing from indisposition ; and this being granted, 
 formally declined prosecuting the prisoner, 
 Claude Martin, — as the whole affair had evi- 
 dently originated in a mistake. Permission to 
 retire was given, and he hurried his nephew 
 aw^ay, amid the murmurs of all the Garde du 
 Corps, who to a man, espoused the other side of 
 the quarrel. 
 
 The noblemen who favoured the Bailli, how- 
 ever, did not forget this transaction, and were 
 bitterly offended with the Queen for the part 
 she had taken. Even at that period of her 
 
154 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 reign, there was always a party somewhere 
 hostile to her happiness ; and more than one 
 injury she received later, when the nobility for- 
 sook the throne in its peril, was the result of a 
 private grudge from wounded pride. 
 
 The majority of the Court, on this occasion, 
 were strongly opposed to the malcontents, and 
 expressed themselves warmly on the behaviour 
 of the Bailli's deputy ; urging the immediate dis- 
 missal of the former, in whose place everybody 
 offered to find a substitute. But the Queen, 
 who understood all this perfectly, left that part 
 of the business in the hands of the King : her 
 attention was at present absorbed in completing 
 her benevolent purpose towards the poor little 
 boy who had endured so much ; and the hall 
 being cleared of judges and witnesses, she pre- 
 pared to enjoy one of her purest gratifications — 
 that of conferring benefits. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 155 
 
 If, in reading the history of this unfortunate 
 Princess, we cannot entirely free her from the 
 charge of frivolity, — if, in the dazzling brilliance 
 of her early career, she did for a time forget those 
 " days of darkness" that can never be forgotten 
 with safety, — yet it must be allowed by the 
 severest judges, that even then there was 
 nothing she loved so well as to see others 
 happy. Her biographer, who seems to have 
 known her best, bears testimony again and 
 again to the untiring generosity of her dis- 
 position : often so ill-repaid — whether by the 
 insatiable ambition of the Polignac coterie, who 
 traded on her friendship and destroyed her 
 peace, and left her to bear the burden of their 
 unpopularity ; — or in the black ingratitude of 
 the peasant boy she adopted, and who became 
 afterwards a leader in the revolution.* 
 ^ Memoires de Madame Campan, 
 
156 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 In the present instance, a slight tinge of 
 romance added to the interest she felt in this 
 village episode. With the help of Father 
 Maurice's hints, she was not slow in under- 
 standing the whole affair, and would not have 
 parted with the pleasure of arranging it her 
 own way to have ruled the decisions of a Parlia- 
 ment. Her brow relaxed its majesty when she 
 looked at Alexis. His eyes, now that his alarm 
 was over, had never been removed from her 
 face ; and their mingled expression of love, 
 admiration, awe, and wonder, told how his 
 little heart was overflowing. But when her 
 eye met his, and she smiled as she did in the 
 woods that day, he dropped down on his knees. 
 
 " Nay, nay, mon enfant^'' said the Queen, 
 laughing, " the worship of fairies, as your 
 spiritual guide will tell you, borders on heresy, 
 and is not to be permitted. "Would it be ere- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 157 
 
 dited, ladies and gentlemeiis in this age of 
 philosophy and science and the march of mind, 
 that there should be found under our own eyes 
 so innocent a believer in the bygone dreams of 
 the golden age ! How the learned ladies of 
 Paris would hold up their hands in horror to* 
 hear that, in her own park, the Queen had been 
 mistaken for a fairy, with a mushroom for her 
 throne !" 
 
 " Whatever they might think, madame," 
 replied one of the gentlemen, whom Alexis 
 recognised at once, '^ the error of the child was 
 the wisdom of innocence ; those who have once 
 seen your Majesty have witnessed enough of the 
 supernatural, to make them credulous to all that 
 may follow." 
 
 " You are a poet. Chevalier ; and poets must 
 be allowed to exaggerate, or the world would 
 grow dull. Tell me, little one, was not this the 
 
158 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 gentleman who was so recklessly extravagant in 
 his purchases V 
 
 Alexis, who had not yet found his voice, 
 made a sort of bow, blushing violently. 
 
 " How much did he give for one bouquet V 
 
 " Two louis, madame." 
 
 " You hear, Chevalier ] How can you justify 
 such wild profusion V 
 
 " Your Majesty was pleased to intimate you 
 wished your friends to purchase of your protege : 
 it was my last chance, for M. de Bezenval was 
 already concluding the bargain : and the happi- 
 ness of obeying your Majesty to the letter would 
 have been worth much more than I had to 
 give." 
 
 " Ma foi r broke in the Baron, " it would 
 appear the golden age the Queen speaks of has 
 indeed come back, for the poets are your only 
 millionaires now. A poor soldier like myself 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 159 
 
 could manage to throw away a leg or an arm 
 for her Majesty when required, but not a 
 couple of louis-d'or for a handful of pinks and 
 mignonette." 
 
 " True, Baron : you have that advantage over 
 me, but those whose blood is worthless must 
 give what they have." 
 
 Marie Antoinette looked earnestly at the 
 speaker ; and her sunny brow for a moment 
 grew dim. He had been long a favoured mem- 
 ber of her private circle, — peculiarly agreeable 
 to herself, from the warm benevolence of his heart 
 towards others, and the enthusiastic devotion of 
 his poetic temperament ; his ambition never 
 harassed' her, for he had none ; his fortune was 
 moderate, but sufficient for his desires ; and to be 
 near the Queen was all he asked. But ill health 
 was secretly wearing him away, and the courtiers, 
 keener eyed than their mistress, had begun to 
 
160 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 speculate who should succeed him in her favour, 
 before she had even noticed that he was 
 changed. 
 
 "Well spoken, M. de St. Aulaire!" she said 
 with her kindest smile, " you have made the 
 most sensible proposal we have heard a long 
 time. Why will our friends persist in offering 
 to give up their lives in our service, when to 
 make our own endurable, theirs must be long 
 and happy "l The throne would be a dreary 
 place, good friends, if it were not for the 
 presence of those who feel with and for you. 
 Therefore let all who care for their sovereign's 
 peace, take care of themselves : — do you hear, 
 M. le Baron "l We cannot spare your gallant 
 right arm from the Court, neither can we per- 
 mit M. le Chevalier to intimate his life is not 
 valuable to his friends." 
 
 M. de S. x\ulaire bowed low. His life would 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 161 
 
 only be of value to himself, while he could 
 devote it to her Majesty. 
 
 " Then I will give you employment forthwith, 
 Chevalier, and in the way you love best. You 
 shall study that subject," glancing at Alexis, 
 " and give me your best advice to-morrow." He 
 bowed again. " And now let us release them 
 from further suspense. Come here, my little 
 truth-teller. As you are now convinced I 
 am of no unearthly race, but a mortal and 
 a Christian like yourself, you need not fear 
 to ask what you please. Do not be afraid 
 of enemies : where the Queen protects at 
 all, she does it effectually. So now speak 
 your mind, and say what I shall do for 
 you." 
 
 Alexis, who had been hoping it would 
 end in this, whispered hastily to Father Mau- 
 rice, and receiving a nod and a sign, knqlt 
 
 M 
 
162 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 down again to Marie Antoinette. " Will your 
 Majesty help Clemence to marry Claude V 
 
 " Oh, Alexis !" broke from his startled sister, 
 as she hid her face. 
 
 " Was there ever such a charming child V 
 cried the Queen. " He has not a thought for 
 himself. Rise, my boy : you shall have your 
 request, provided Clemence and Claude consent, 
 and M. le Cure approves. Where is this same 
 impetuous hero, for whom I was so urgently 
 petitioned ? Let us see him." 
 
 Claude speedily appeared ; and to the admira- 
 tion of Alexis, stood bolt upright before the 
 Queen, with the back of his hand at his forehead. 
 
 " Of what regiment are you, sir V inquired 
 Marie Antoinette. 
 
 The young soldier informed her. 
 
 " Is there any gentleman here who knows 
 him r 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 163 
 
 " I know something of him, your Majesty ;" 
 said M. Lafont : " a brother of mine is in 
 his regiment, and, I believe, owes him his 
 life. They were surrounded by a party of 
 Indians out by the Huron Lakes, and this 
 man, when his oiRcer was wounded, brought 
 him off through them all. I thought the name 
 was familiar to me, but now he gives his regi- 
 ment, I am certain." 
 
 " Thanks, mon lieutenant^'' said Claude, again 
 saluting. 
 
 " And has nothing been done for you, brave 
 man ?" asked Marie Antoinette, with a flushing 
 cheek. 
 
 " Your Majesty," said Claude, " I only did 
 my duty." 
 
 " A true soldierly answer, sir. All the brave 
 troops of his Majesty do the same. But your 
 name shall be laid before him : your comrades 
 
164 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 shall know, if they do not already, that every 
 good stroke struck for France, carries the heart 
 and sympathy of their Queen with it. And now, 
 is it true, that in defending our modest young 
 tenant here, you were actuated by personal 
 regard for herself, — or is little Alexis mistaken 
 in you as he was in me V 
 
 " Does your Majesty ask if I love Clemence V 
 The Queen rose,with a gracious smile. " I do 
 not ask, for I see it is unnecessary. Enough : — 
 you shall all hear from me again, when I have 
 obtained his Majesty's consent and approval. 
 Meanwhile, Alexis, as the judgment was in your 
 favour, you may fairly claim the blue ribbons 
 that have cost you so much. Bring them to me, 
 Chevalier." 
 
 The Chevalier lifted the knot with the deepest 
 reverence, and presented them to Marie Antoi- 
 nette. She smiled and shook her head as she 
 
Pa-e 165. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 165 
 
 remarked the rough usage they had experienced, 
 which had considerably impaired the freshness 
 of the colour. 
 
 " This is scarcely a fairy decoration now, my 
 little friend : mortal, alas ! and born to fade, are 
 our gifts, as we ourselves. To make up, there- 
 fore, for their want of durability, we must add to 
 their immediate value," At a sign from the 
 Queen, a lady brought her a small silk purse, 
 round which she wrapped the ribbon, and 
 presented both to Alexis, who dropped on his 
 knees, and there would have remained ; but the 
 priest, to whom Marie Antoinette bowed most 
 graciously, whispered to his charges, and they 
 all left the royal presence, followed by the 
 rejoicing Claude. 
 
166 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 T had grown so late, that the little 
 maidservant at Madame Martin's 
 had persuaded Rose it was her duty 
 to go to bed, without waiting for her mother's 
 return ; and duty with Rose was a matter never 
 to be argued against. So Rose crept into bed, 
 and lay, broad awake, listening with nervous 
 anxiety for the slightest sound, and thinking, 
 before she had been there twenty minutes, that 
 it must be almost time to get up. It was really 
 a difficult matter to keep quiet under the bed- 
 clothes, but Rose felt she ought to do so if she 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 167 
 
 could ; so she tried her best, and at last went to 
 sleep. 
 
 She dreamed, as was only natural, about 
 Alexis ; and as was equally natural, dreamed 
 everything in the most confused state possible. 
 They were under the chesnut-tree together, and 
 trying to put a great many letters into a slit in 
 the trunk, very like the regular post-office slit 
 in the town, and every letter was either too 
 thick, or too long, or too something or other to 
 fit in, — and Alexis said it was all her fault, and 
 he and Claude would be hanged together, all 
 because those letters wouldn't be received : — and 
 then all of a sudden, she was getting some 
 supper ready over the fire, and somebody ran 
 in to say the Queen was coming in to taste it, 
 and she was in such a flutter, pouring the soup 
 into a basin, that it slipped from her hands, and 
 began rolling, and she after it — she couldn't tell 
 
168 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 where, down some steep staircase, till somebody 
 caught her in her arms, and said : " Rose ! Hose ! 
 get up !" and lo, it was the Queen herself ! 
 
 Could anything be more provoking than to 
 wake just then 1 — but did ever a dream come to 
 an interesting crisis, and not leave off at once, 
 without even the consolatory promise, " To be 
 continued in twenty numbers'?" And even good 
 little Rose, who had gone to sleep against her 
 will, out of mere duty, was not exempt from the 
 common lot. She woke, and that so suddenly, 
 that she started up in bed. 
 
 The dream was gone indeed, for what she had 
 thought the arm and shoulder of the Queen, 
 was nothing more royal than her own little 
 pillow, which she found herself franticly em- 
 bracing — but the voice — that came again : 
 " Rose ! dear little Rose !" — What could be the 
 matter ? She must have been asleep an im- 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 169 
 
 mense time, and who could be calling her in the 
 middle of the night ? She popped out of bed, 
 and peeped behind her little check curtain into 
 the garden. Oh, joy ! there was Alexis himself, 
 no longer dejected and pale, but with a face all 
 grins, and a bunch of ribbons fastened to his 
 jacket, and a sod of turf in his hand, which, at 
 the moment she put her face to the window, 
 came bang against the panes. The moon was 
 up, and she could see into the garden quite 
 plainly. What had come out that he was look- 
 ing so pleased 1 — for as soon as she had acknow- 
 ledged his signal, he began to jump, to dance, 
 to crow, to whistle, to stand on his head, to 
 throw himself head over heels on the wet grass, 
 in a style that drove her frantic with impatience 
 and curiosity. Never was a quicker toilette 
 than Rose's by the light of the moon ; and she 
 was soon down and with her arms round his 
 
170 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 neck. The small maidservant was standing by, 
 holding up her hands in amazement at the 
 wonders he had just been telling; and before 
 there was time for any explanations, in rushed 
 Madame Martin. 
 
 '' Babet, you little dawdle ! what are you 
 standing still for when we want so much done ? 
 Yes, yes, Rose, my child — you may go with your 
 dear little friend, bless him ! You will see me 
 again presently, if this lazy little hussey will 
 bestir herself — we shall bring you some supper 
 presently — trot off with you !" 
 
 And Rose and Alexis, nothing loth, did trot 
 off, at a good brisk trot too, and were speedily 
 in Clemence's cottage. 
 
 Well, then there was indeed such a joyous 
 merrymaking as that cottage had not seen since 
 their parents died. Father Maurice was good 
 enough to stay and sup with them, and Madame 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 171 
 
 Martin and the much stimulated little Babet 
 tossed up some good things in an incredibly short 
 time; and Claude and his father carried chairs 
 and plates and glasses from one house to the 
 other, and though there was very little room for 
 anybody to stir, there was just room to sit round 
 the table, and very happy they were. How 
 much there was to be told and explained, even 
 though Father Maurice was provokingly close, 
 and would not tell half he knew ; but bade them 
 be content all had ended so well, and ask no 
 questions. Alexis was much more commu- 
 nicative : he had all his long silence to atone 
 for, both to his friends and himself, and not 
 even the acute counsel at the Chateau could 
 have found fault with his taciturnity now. 
 
 The whole story was repeated from beginning 
 to end, with not a few digressions ; and then the 
 Queen's purse, which had only been peeped into, 
 
172 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 was emptied on the table, and counted, and 
 there were twenty louis — quite a fortune for 
 Alexis, who stared and stared again, and then 
 clapped his hands over his head, crying, " Cle- 
 mence shall be a lady, and ride in a coach and 
 six !" He was with some difficulty brought 
 down from these visions to listen soberly, and 
 made to understand that this royal gift must be 
 spent in some way that would answer the 
 purpose for which it was given : and that it 
 would be as well for Father Maurice to take 
 charge of it, for fear of thieves, until something 
 had been decided upon. As to Clemence touch- 
 ing a sou of his money, nothing would induce 
 either herself or Claude to hear of it : it was 
 given to him, and should be devoted to advanc- 
 ing him in life. Alexis then ventured on another 
 suggestion. Might he not give half to Kose '? 
 She had always shared with him ; she had given 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 173 
 
 him her supper when he had a scanty one, and 
 all her prettiest flowers the day he went to 
 market — and he had promised then to share his 
 good fortune with her if he had any, and yet he 
 had given her nothing but trouble. Might he 
 give Eose ten of his louis '? Clemence was quite 
 willing, but the Martins would not consent, and 
 Claude, too, remonstrated : but they all shook 
 hands with Alexis, and thanked him, and though 
 he was disappointed, he could not help feeling it 
 was quite a grand thing to be of so much conse- 
 quence ; and he began to look dignified, and to 
 lean back in his chair with his glass in his hand, 
 as he had seen Claude ^do, and when he was 
 spoken to, answered so gravely, not even the 
 Cure could keep from laughing. 
 
 " Come, friends," said Rose's father, " I must 
 give you a sentiment before we part, one in 
 which M. Alexis there, so glorious in his royal 
 
174 THE BLUE HIBBONS. 
 
 decorations, will do me the honour, no doubt, to 
 support me. Touch glasses, one and all, to the 
 health of our beautiful and gracious Queen." 
 
 Everybody stood up — the glasses clinked 
 joyously, and Claude gave a shout that made 
 the rafters ring, " Vive a jamais la Seine /" 
 responded to with a warmth that only gratitude 
 could raise. 
 
 '' God preserve her and bless her !" said the 
 old Cure, when his voice could be heard. " How 
 many evils are attributed to rulers, which if they 
 only knew, they would but too gladly remedy ! 
 and how securely must that throne be built, that 
 is fenced in with such love as her goodness has 
 won for her here !" 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 175 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 c^^^ HE report of all that had occurred, 
 spread, of course, like wildfire ; and 
 the cottages of both Claude and 
 Clemence were in a state of siege for a couple of 
 days, with the friendly who came to congratulate, 
 the spiteful who came to envy, and the curious 
 who came merely to see. Alexis and his ribbons 
 were the admired of all beholders, much more 
 so than was at all good for him. It was a sad 
 trial to his vanity ; and he could not help showing 
 off a little to his visitors, and talking rather 
 grandly and patronisingly to his playfellows, as 
 they gathered eagerly round to look at him 
 
176 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 sitting on the gate, with the ribbons on his 
 hat. 
 
 "And did you see the Queen, herself? — Did- 
 you speak to her ? — Wern't you horridly 
 frightened ] — And are those the very same 
 ribbons'? Won't you let us just feel them]" 
 Avere poured upon him on every side ; but he 
 kept off inquisitive touches with much dignity, 
 and answered the questions as briefly as possible. 
 
 " Saw her 1 of course I did. "Why should I 
 be frightened ? The Queen is my friend. — No, 
 I will not allow any one to touch the ribbons 
 my royal mistress gave me." 
 
 ''See now what airs he gives himself!" said 
 one of the boys, a head taller than Alexis, "just 
 as if I couldn't whip the ribbon off' before he 
 could count three !" 
 
 " You had better," said Alexis, " and then 
 you will have to come down as M. Toupet 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 177 
 
 did. My friends at Court will take care I have 
 justice." 
 
 " Your friends at Court ! well, if the Queen 
 meant to make a favourite of one of us, she had 
 better have chosen somebody worth looking at ; 
 instead of such a little twopenny, that I could 
 spin round my thumb." 
 
 " The Queen knows best," said Alexis, red- 
 dening, " and she called me a charming child, 
 and I am sure no one would say that of you !" 
 
 The big boy set up a loud laugh. " A 
 charming child ! only think of that ! Doesn't 
 he look like one"? Just see his pretty face and 
 his dimples ! How I should like to dandle him 
 about, and kiss his sweet little eyes and chin ! 
 the darling little creature !" And all the boys, 
 mightily tickled at the notion, laughed and 
 jeered in chorus, till Alexis was beside himself 
 with rage. He shook his fist at the insulting 
 
 N 
 
178 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 tormentors, and in a voice choking with passion, 
 cried out, " 111 tell the Queen of you, I will !" 
 
 " Why, how now V asked a friendly voice, 
 close by, " what have you to tell now, little Blue 
 Ribbons V And the Chevalier rode up to the 
 gate. 
 
 Some of the boys scampered off — the res 
 drew back, except the big boy, who kept his 
 ground sturdily, though he took off his cap to 
 the grand gentleman. 
 
 " Anything amiss here ? Were you fighting, 
 children 1 Was this lad hurting you, Alexis V 
 
 " No, sir." 
 
 " Then what were you so angry about?" 
 
 " They were insulting me, sir." 
 
 " If you please, sir," said the big boy, grinning, 
 " we were only laughing at him ; he did give 
 himself such fine airs about his friends at Court, 
 and the Queen calling him a charming child. 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 179 
 
 We none of us touched him, but we could not 
 help laughing a bit." 
 
 The Chevalier looked gravely at Alexis, w^ho 
 hung his head with shame, and wished the 
 ground would swallow him up, there and then. 
 " Is your sister at home, Alexis V 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Then I will come in and speak to her," an4 
 he dismounted, leaving his groom to parade his 
 horse up and down, much to the gratification of 
 all the boys, who clustered round the paling 
 again with renewed curiosity. 
 
 " So you have been sadly teazed, Alexis, have 
 you ?" asked the Chevalier, as he walked through 
 the garden. 
 
 " I have been very silly, sir," faltered Alexis, 
 " and I am very, very sorry — I hope you will 
 forgive me — I will not boast again." 
 
 " Kight, my little friend — you could not make 
 
180 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 a wiser resolution. It was only natural you 
 should feel a little puffed up with the favour 
 shown you in so exalted a quarter. It has puffed 
 up many wiser than yourself, Alexis, and they 
 have been as sorry afterwards as you are now. 
 I am glad I happened to come up just at the 
 right moment. Listen to me, little one. You 
 have been the object of a benevolent condescen- 
 sion, that only such a sovereign as ours would 
 bestow on your humble station ; and conse- 
 quently, you will have many to envy, and many 
 to find fault with you : and if you should fancy, 
 because you have been so honoured, that it is 
 not necessary for you to take pains and grow 
 worthy of it, the next thing people will say, will 
 be, " What a misfortune the royal notice was to 
 that conceited child !" Do you understand me V 
 
 Alexis could only sob assent. 
 
 " How much better, then," continued M. de 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 181 
 
 St. Aulaire, " that it should be from this time 
 the ambition of your life to justify your benefac- 
 tress in all eyes ; to try and try again to rise in 
 merit and attainments above your equals, so that 
 by and by, those who have benefited by your 
 exertions may bless the goodness of the royal 
 hand that first inspired you to excel ? — and what 
 return can you make to that gracious nature so 
 sweet, as that of making it the instrument of real 
 and lasting good ] Will you try to do this V 
 " Oh sir, I will indeed. Show me how I can !" 
 " That is my intention. How should you like 
 to go to school V 
 
 " To school, sir V Alexis's countenance fell. 
 " Is that the way in which I can do all you 
 
 said r 
 
 " It is one way of enabling you to do it, my 
 boy. You see there is no prospect of your rising 
 in any way as if you were a gentleman. Your 
 
182 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 birth prevents that ; but you need not be in the 
 army, nor about the Court. For everything else, 
 the necessary thing is a good education ; and if 
 you are inclined to give your mind to your 
 books, as heartily as you did to your fairy tales, 
 I know of an opening that will secure you the 
 opportunity. Come, I must see your sister, and 
 she will at once, I am sure, feel the importance 
 of what I have said." 
 
 M. de St. Aulaire was, as may be readily 
 seen, of a very different way of thinking from 
 the generality of courtiers, especially the nobility 
 of his time. A man of letters himself, he longed 
 to see the increase of knowledge and light among 
 the unprivileged classes ; and so far from 
 dreading, like many of his friends, the rise of 
 untitled genius, it was his delight to discover 
 such, and help it to mature. In the conduct and 
 character of little Alexis, he thought he had 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 183 
 
 observed a power of imagination, energy, and 
 decision, that was not at all common among boys 
 of his stamp. He remarked it to the Queen, and 
 requested her permission to follow up her bene- 
 volence by helping the lad to rise by his own 
 exertions. The Queen, though not exempt from 
 the prejudices of that period against over-educa- 
 tion, with her customary kind-heartedness, gave 
 full consent and the necessary co-operation ; and 
 the Chevalier received the commission to make 
 arrangements for the boy's removal to a large 
 school under the royal patronage, some miles 
 from his home, where half his expenses would 
 be defrayed by the Queen, and the other half 
 by M. de St. Aulaire himself. Her Majesty 
 acknowledged, when she consented, that this 
 style of fairy guardianship was the last that 
 would have occurred to her to adopt ; but that 
 she relied on the Chevalier's judgment, and he 
 
184 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 must be responsible if her little worshipper 
 was wofully disappointed at this result of his 
 adventure. 
 
 " I will be responsible, as far as human power 
 goes, that he shall have reason day and night to 
 bless his gracious sovereign," was St. Aulaire's 
 reply; and to this work he resolved to devote 
 himself without delay. 
 
 The friends of Alexis were too sensible of the 
 advantages offered him, not to accept with deep 
 gratitude the royal beneficence. We cannot say 
 of our little hero that he at once appreciated his 
 prospects : the idea of school, and masters, and 
 discipline, and hard books, was not to compare 
 in brilliancy with his dreams of fairy land ; but 
 when Claude and Father Maurice, and Rose's 
 father, and all his friends, kept saying what a 
 fine thing it was for him, and how he would 
 grow some day too learned a professor to speak 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 185 
 
 to any of them — and when the grand gentleman, 
 whose face had already half won his heart, 
 stroked his head so kindly, and reminded him 
 who was interested in his success — what could 
 he believe, but that he ought, of course, to be 
 excessively delighted and thankful, and almost 
 to hate himself for not feeling more so ? 
 
186 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 CHAPTER XTI. 
 
 LAUDE'S name went up to the 
 proper quarter for promotion, on 
 account of his gallant conduct as 
 reported by M. Lafont. Why it had not 
 been rewarded sooner, was known best to his 
 commanding officers, who had their own fa- 
 yourites in the regiment, and thought so young 
 a soldier could well afford to wait. However, it 
 was satisfactorily proved that his merit was all 
 that was required, and he received the rank of 
 Serjeant, with the additional gratification of 
 being quartered within an easy distance of his 
 native village, and exhibiting his striped sleeve 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 187 
 
 on Sundays as he gave his arm to his betrothed. 
 For solemnly betrothed were he and Clemence 
 now, only waiting her poor old grandmother's 
 death to be married. Clemence feared it would 
 be impossible to combine both duties, as the 
 poor old woman grew more childish and helpless 
 every day ; and Claude was as patient as could 
 be expected, and by all possible respectful atten- 
 tions, endeavoured to atone for the jealous ill- 
 humour for which he could not forgive himself. 
 And his father and mother were quite reconciled 
 to the idea of his marrying a poor girl, since it 
 had been the means of his promotion, and that 
 they had all been so honoured by the royal 
 notice. They could have wished her to be 
 richer, but, as it was, they were content. 
 
 Meanwhile, changes took place in the village. 
 M. Dupre resigned the post of Bailli, and went 
 with his precious nephew to Paris ; and one of 
 
188 IHE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 the gentlemen about the Queen obtained the 
 appointment for a friend of his, and as the story 
 of the blue ribbons was pretty generally known, 
 the NoUet family had no longer any persecution 
 to fear. It had, indeed, been pleasantly stipulated 
 by her Majesty, that her little friend and his sister 
 should be protected from further annoyance ; 
 and such a hint was more than sufficient. 
 
 Alexis went to school — at first into a lower one, 
 to prepare him a little — but shortly after to the 
 establishment in which M. de St. Aulaire took 
 so much interest ; and glad we are to be able to 
 tell of our small hero, that the good Chevalier's 
 judgment was not mistaken. His masters were 
 surprised by the progress he made in a few 
 months. It was soon evident to them all that 
 they had a promising field before them, and they 
 did their best to make it productive ; no pains 
 were spared either by them or by him, and 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 189 
 
 between them they nearly overthrew all their 
 plans at the commencement, by giving him a 
 severe illness. Happily, M. de St. Aulaire came 
 to see him just in time, and saved him from so 
 heavy a trial. He knew too well what sickness 
 was, to think any prizes or rewards a compensa- 
 tion for young health ; and he sent Alexis home 
 for a holiday, telling him to live among the 
 woods, and pl^y with his friends, and make the 
 fairies bring back his roses. And when the boy 
 had recruited his strength, and returned to 
 school, the Chevalier took care he should not 
 be over-stimulated, but brought on by gentle 
 degrees ; so that he might reap the benefit 
 without the bitter penalty. 
 
 One day, when Alexis had been more than a 
 year in the establishment, and had been working 
 unusually hard, and was feeling a little fagged, 
 and wishing for the cool breezes of the woods to 
 
190 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 freshen his hot temples — a great running 
 and shouting below made him hurry to know 
 what was the matter. The chapel bells were 
 ringing — so were all the bells of the town, and 
 guns were firing somewhere, and there was such 
 a commotion, he thought the whole world was 
 gone mad — until the news broke out at last, " A 
 Dauphin was born ! an heir to the throne !" 
 Then the thoughts of his dear Queen made him 
 as wild as the rest ; and when they were all 
 rung in to chapel, to join in prayers for the 
 august mother and infant, he joined as heartily 
 as if it had been for Clemence. But he did not 
 know yet all the reason he had to be glad. A 
 holiday and a fete, and fireworks were all capital 
 things, and he enjoyed them as much as any- 
 body ; but something better was in store still. 
 
 The custom was when the Queen first went to 
 church in public after her recovery, that a 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 191 
 
 number of deserving young girls, selected from 
 the different parishes, received marriage por- 
 tions, and were married at the great church 
 of Notre Dame, in Paris, before crowds of 
 people. This was done of course at the birth of 
 the Dauphin ; but Marie Antoinette, in the joy 
 of her heart, was not satisfied with this, — she 
 insisted on the same benefit being extended 
 wherever she had ever paid a visit since her 
 accession, and among the favoured ones on this 
 eventful occasion, of course Clemence was not 
 forgotten. She and three more, pointed out by 
 Father Maurice, received dowries in the Queen's 
 name ; and the first that Alexis heard of it, was 
 being summoned in a great hurry to go home 
 for his sister's wedding. 
 
 The precious blue ribbons, which had been 
 laid carefully by among her treasures, came out 
 in honour of the day, and Alexis wore them, 
 
192 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 next to an order of merit, which he had won for 
 his application at school. And the old grand- 
 mother, instead of dying as everybody expected, 
 took out quite a new lease of existence, sat at 
 the wedding feast, and told the company a ghost 
 story afterwards, that nearly terrified some of 
 them out of their senses. 
 
 What a happy day it was ; and how gallant and 
 proud Claude looked in his Serjeant's uniform — 
 and Clemence, in her white cap and gold cross, 
 was she not the prettiest of brides ? And was 
 not Rose happy, with Alexis by her side, even 
 though he was growing so vdse and clever, she 
 was almost afraid he would be ashamed of 
 walking with her '? And was ever any pastor so 
 kind and sympathising as Father Maurice, or 
 any address more eloquent than one he made to 
 the people in the evening, when the whole 
 village was out of doors, celebrating the fete — 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 193 
 
 and in which he made such an allusion to the 
 fair sovereign whose bounty they were enjoying, 
 that the air was rent with the heartfelt cry, 
 " Vive notre bonne Reine /" 
 
 And the seasons rolled on in their silent 
 course, and again and again renewed the bright 
 leaves of the old chesnut tree. Again the 
 branches gave shelter to the birds that sang 
 unseen ; again the dew dropped from its boughs 
 upon the turf and moss below ; again the brown 
 nuts burst from their sheaths, and rolled un- 
 heeded for the insects to work their pleasure on ; 
 again the frost came and nipped the changing 
 leaves, and the winds stripped the foliage, and 
 left it naked and bare till the sweet spring's 
 return. Sunshine and shower, blossom and fruit, 
 came and went in its calm solitude, and the 
 
 o 
 
194 THE BLUE RIBBONS. 
 
 old tree still stood the same — it knew no 
 change. 
 
 But never again, in brightness or in storm^ in 
 noonday heat, or moonbeam's lustre, did it look 
 upon the face of its fairy visitant. Storms, 
 darker and heavier than any that rocked its 
 sighing branches, ere many years had passed, 
 swept over that lovelier and more stately tree ; 
 and the summer that lived again for her deserted 
 woods and groves, for her knew no return, save 
 in a better world. 
 
 On this later period, and the subsequent 
 fortunes of Alexis, we cannot stay now to dwell ; 
 nor should we have alluded to a sequel so 
 mournful, but for the irresistible contrast forced 
 upon the memory, and which the reader cannot 
 but have formed for himself. 
 
 Long after her presence was withdrawn, her 
 name was adored in the village, where the 
 
THE BLUE RIBBONS. 195 
 
 calumnies of the capital had more difficulty in 
 spreading : — and round many a summer festival, 
 and many a winter lamp, with more or less 
 variation, was the favourite story of all children, 
 the Fairy of the Blue Ribbons. 
 
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