'And I must do my best to obtain her release.' The Parisian girl laughed. 'You are a foolish little peasantess,' she said; 'what can you do?' 'Did not Madame Legros obtain the release of Latude? Why, then, should I despair?' 'Madame Legros had a hard time of it. She worked for three years, she left no stone unturned, she was a woman of indomitable will.' 'And why should not I--with my faith?' 'Faith in what? in the righteousness of your cause? More the reason that it should fail. Violence and injustice alone gain the day now.' 'Madeleine, I will see the king.' 'The king is nothing, he is in the hands of the queen.' 'Then I will see the queen.' 'The queen!' echoed Madeleine, with a shrug. 'If you are to prevail with her, you must interest her vanity, her ambition, her love of display, her passion for pleasure,--those are the only springs that will move her.' 'Madeleine, I am sure I could persuade her to obtain the release of Madame Berthier.' 'What Madame Berthier do you speak of?' 'The wife of the Intendant, Berthier de Sauvigny.' 'Take my advice and do not meddle. You will burn your fingers.' 'Madeleine!' exclaimed Gabrielle, 'I must, I must indeed do what I can. The poor lady's last cry was to me to save her. I know that I am nothing but a little peasant-girl, that I am ignorant of the ways of grand people at court, but I feel in my heart that I have been called to do something for her. Even if I cannot deliver her, I can, perhaps, obtain permission to see her and attend on her in her prison.' 'Why is she deprived of her liberty?' 'Because she is a little deranged. Understand me, she is not mad, but has been driven by ill usage into eccentricities. She is harmless, and oh! so good.' 'Sit down on the bed, and listen to me,' said Madeleine, 'and you shall hear exactly what your prospects are.' Gabrielle took her place beside the Parisian flower-girl, and took her hand between her palms. 'Are you listening?' asked Madeleine; 'well, be prepared for the worst. I am going to throw a bucket of cold and dirty water over your enthusiasm.' 'I am prepared,' answered Gabrielle, feebly. 'In the first place,' began Madeleine, 'know that the great people do nothing without requiring a return. What have you to give the queen? I say the queen; for if anything is to be done, it must be done through her.' 'Nothing to give her, but I may interest her.' 'You can only interest her through _herself_. Can you do that; can you gratify her pride and love of display?' 'No.' 'Then put aside the hope of doing anything in that quarter. Now, who influences the queen? The court; in particular the Count d'Artois. If you gain him, you gain the queen, you gain the king, and you have what you want.' 'Can I see and speak to him?' 'Certainly, nothing easier. Announce yourself as a pretty girl, and he will be with you at once.' 'And has he a tender heart?' 'Most tender,' answered Madeleine, with irony. 'He will listen to the grievance?'