1775,
that the unfortunate youth Louis xvi. was crowned king in the ancient
cathedral town of Rheims. A new crown of especial splendor was made for
the new king and in it were incorporated nearly all the royal jewels.
The top of the diadem was ornamented by fleurs-de-lys made of precious
stones. In the centre of the principal one blazed the Regent, flanked
right and left by the "Sanci" and the "Gros Mazarin," while round about
sparkled a thousand diamonds of lesser magnitude. Louis's gorgeous
head-gear was no less than nine inches high, and it is said that the
King, made dizzy by the immense weight of it, put up his hand several
times to ease his poor head. At last he said peevishly " It hurts me "
; simple, thoughtless words to which after-events have given a sad and
most fateful significance.
One
of the actors in this magnificent pageant was the King's youngest
brother, the Count d'Artois, a handsome youth of such exquisite
courtliness of manner that he obtained and
