“Not altogether to myself has her majesty done this honor,” she said, lifting her closed fan on high, and looking around benignly on her retainers; “but as the sun sheds light on the weeds and the grass, as well as the flowers, my glory shall, in some sort, fall on the humblest of my servants; from this hour you may look upon yourselves as next in service to the retainers of the high nobility of France. I have not decided yet upon a livery or a badge, all that will be left to more cool deliberation; but you can go forth with a feeling of high preferment; and as such honors can no longer be kept secret, you have my free permission to promulgate this good news throughout the town as occasion may offer. Now, my humble friends, you may disperse for a holiday. In the tap-room a cask of wine has been broached, free to every man and woman in my employ. All that I ask is, that you drink the health of their majesties, and your liege lady, The Dame of the Dairy.” Dame Tillery opened her fan with the slow spread of a peacock’s tail, waved it once or twice with superb dignity, and closing it into a baton again, retired amid the bewildered shouts of her household. On her way from the room she met the strange page, who came in hurriedly and flushed with excitement. He was about to pass the landlady, but she stood smiling in his way, and rendered that impossible. “You had an audience, and such an one as no other person outside the court could have obtained for you,” she said, in high good-humor. “Did her majesty speak of the great honor conferred on your humble servant? Did she say that, in her serene goodness, she had lifted Dame Tillery, who stands here before you, into the nobility of France? Did she tell you that this day a new order has been created, and Dame Tillery, of The Swan, stands at its head?” The page listened impatiently and did not seem to comprehend what the woman was talking about; but, with a sudden start of memory, he drew a rouleau of gold from his pocket and handed it to her. “What is this? For whom is it intended?” she inquired, drawing her portly figure up with a swell of importance. “It is the gold I promised for the service you have rendered me, with enough added to cover the cost of my lodging here,” answered the page. “I give it now, because in a few minutes I shall take the road again.” “Nay,” replied the dame, waving the gold aside with her fan, “that was all well enough yesterday, when I was only mistress of The Swan; but I have my doubts about it now. Can a person of my rank receive money in her own person? I—I am in doubt—I think not.” “I crave pardon,” said the page, and a laughing imp came dancing into his eyes. “If there is any person in your household who can act as treasurer, I will give the money to him.”