“He has entrusted me,” proceeded La Motte, “with the whole affair, and has sent me here to find out if his arrival would be agreeable to the King and Queen, and if they are still anxious for this marriage. If she is capable of keeping a secret, and has no suspicious people about her, will you undertake to speak to the Queen on the subject?” That very night the Chamberlain Sastot went to the Queen and confided the weighty secret to her as he had promised La Motte. To the Queen, who had been scheming for years for this very object, Sastot could not well have brought better news. “I shall at length see you happy and my wishes realized at the same time; how much joy at once.” Such are the words which the Princess Wilhelmina records of her mother when breaking the news to her. But the Princess, according to her own account, was by no means overjoyed at the intelligence: “I kissed her hands,” says Wilhelmina, “which I covered with tears!” “You are crying!” my mother exclaimed, “what is the matter?” Here Wilhelmina becomes a little double-faced. “I would not disturb her happiness,” she writes, “so I answered: “The thought of leaving you distresses me more than all the crowns of the world could delight me. “The Queen was only the more tender towards me in consequence, and then left me. I loved this dear mother truly, and had only spoken the truth to her,” she continues, “she left me in a terrible state of mind. I was cruelly torn between my affection for her and my repugnance for the Prince, but I determined to leave all to Providence, which should direct my ways.” Very pious of the Princess indeed! The Queen, however, went on her way rejoicing, knowing, perhaps, rather more of her daughter’s disposition and therefore troubling less about her tears. She was evidently brimming over with high spirits at the Reception which she held that very evening, a most unlucky Reception for her schemes as it turned out. This excellent match-making aunt of Prince Frederick was fated to suffer a terrible disappointment that evening. In a burst of almost incredible confidence she told Bourguait, the English Envoy, the whole plan of Prince Frederick! The Envoy was astounded at the communication, and asked if it were true. “Certainly,” replied the Queen, “and to show you how true it is, he has sent La Motte here, who has already informed the King of everything.” “Oh, why does Your Majesty tell me this? I am wretched, for I must prevent it!” exclaimed Bourguait. “Why?” asked the dismayed Queen. “Because I am my Sovereign’s Envoy; because my office requires of me that I should inform him of so important a matter. I shall send off a messenger to England this very evening. Would to God I had known nothing of all this!” He was as good as his word, and the messenger went off that night despite the Queen’s tears.