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Rh surprised, for she had never seen anything to equal that, and the fine appearance of the Prince, the intellectual expression and regularity of his features, astonished her no less than the words of the portrait.

"Should you be sorry," said the Queen laughingly, "to have a husband who resembled this Prince?" "Madam," replied she, "it is not for me to choose, therefore I shall be content with whomsoever you please to appoint for me." "But in a word," added the Queen, "if the chance fell upon him, would you not esteem yourself very happy?" She blushed, looked down, and said nothing. The Queen embraced her, and kissed her several times; she could not help shedding tears, when she thought she was on the point of losing her, for she wanted but three months of being fifteen; and, concealing her grief, she related all that concerned the Princess in the embassy of the celebrated Becafigue; she even gave her all the rarities he had brought to present to her. She admired them; she praised with good taste that which was the most curious, but from time to time she turned to gaze upon the portrait of the Prince with a pleasure she had never known till then.

The ambassador finding that his endeavours to obtain the Princess were useless, and that he must be contented with her parents' solemn promise, which he had no reason to doubt, took leave of the King, and returned post to give an account of his mission to his masters.

When the Prince found he could not hope to see his dear Désirée for more than three months, he uttered lamentations which distressed the whole court; he could no longer sleep; he could eat nothing; he became sad and thoughtful; the brightness of his complexion changed to the pallid hue of care; he passed whole days, lying on a couch in his cabinet, gazing on the portrait of his princess; he wrote to her continually, and presented the letters to the portrait, as though it was able to read them; at last, becoming gradually weaker, he fell dangerously ill, and it required neither physicians nor doctors to tell the reason.

The King was in despair,—he loved his son more tenderly than ever father loved one before. He was on the point of losing him! what an affliction for a parent! He saw no remedy for the malady of the Prince. He languished for