Volume VII - Modernist Magazines Project

44 The Queen's PleasureShe didn't recur to the subject next day, however, but passedthe entire morning with Florimond, planning the details of agarden-party, and editing the list of guests ; and she threw herwhole soul into it, too : so that, when the King looked in uponthem,a little before luncheon, Florimond smiled at him significantly(indeed, I'm not sure he didn't wink at him) and called out, "Oh,we are enjoying of ourselves. Please don't interrupt. Go backto your counting-house and count out your money, and leave us inthe parlour to eat our bread and honey."It is in the nature of things, doubtless, that a temperament suchas I have endeavoured to suggest, should find the intensity of itsown feelings reflected by those that it excites in others. Onewould expect to hear that the people who like Queen Anelilike her tremendously, and that the people who don't like hertremendously don't like her at all. And, in effect, that is preciselythe lady's case. She is tremendously liked by those who are nearto her, and who are therefore in a position to understand her andto make allowances. They love the woman in her; they laughat and love the high-spirited, whimsical, impetuous, ingenuouschild. But those who are at a distance from her, or who meether only rarely and formally, necessarily fail to understand her, andare apt, accordingly, neither to admire her greatly, nor to bear hermuch good will. And, of course, while the people who are nearto her can be named by twos and threes, those who view her froma distance must be reckoned with by thousands. And this bringsme to a painful circumstance, which I may as well mention withoutmore ado. At Vescova—as you could scarcely spend a dayin the town, and not become aware—Queen'Aneli is anythingyou please but popular." The inhabitants of Monterosso," says M. Boridov, in hisinteresting