Accordingly I promised to employ
him upon the occasion of the first death or marriage which should
take place in a ducal family. Now, I think I cannot do better
than make him the bearer of my inquiries after the marechale
de Luxembourg."
This idea struck me as highly amusing, and I immediately dispatched
a servant to summon M. de la Chevrollerie to the presence of the
king. This being done, that gentleman presented himself with all
the dignity and importance of one who felt that a mission of high
moment was about to be entrusted to him.
His majesty charged him to depart immediately to the house of madame
de Luxembourg, and to convey his royal master's sincere condolences
for the heavy loss she had sustained in madame Brillant.
M. Corbin de la Chevrollerie departed with much pride and
self-complacency upon his embassy: he returned in about half an hour.
"Sire," cried he, "I have fulfilled your royal pleasure to madame
de Luxembourg. She desires me to thank you most humbly for your
gracious condescension: she is in violent distress for the severe
loss she has experienced, and begged my excuse for quitting me
suddenly, as she had to superintend the stuffing of the deceased."
"The stuffing!" exclaimed the king; "surely you mean the embalming?"
"No, sire," replied the ambassador, gravely, "the stuffing.
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