The whole house rose to its feet, cheering and clapping their hands.

For the first time in theatrical history, the repetition of a song was demanded.
The now familiar term of "Encore!" was heard and obeyed.

The queen herself was affected to tears by the enthusiastic affection displayed toward her, nor at such a moment did she suffer her feeling of the evanescent character of popularity among so light-minded a people to dwell in her mind, or to mar the pleasure which such a reception was well calculated to impart.
Popularity at this moment seemed doubly valuable to her, because she was not ignorant that the feeling of disappointment at the unproductiveness of her marriage had recently been increased by the knowledge that the young Countess d'Artois was about to become a mother.

And the attachment which she inspired was not confined to the play-goers; it was shared by a body so little inclined to exhibitions of impulsive loyalty as the Parliament.
It has been seen that Louis XV.

had abolished that body; but one of the first proposals made by Maurepas to the new king had had its re-establishment for its object.