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126 from their arrival in France. Their early days were, therefore, quite delightful, because quite new.

"Ruel," exclaimed the youthful monarch, interrupting their description of how, in the myrtle and ilex woods, they used to recite Tasso and act his scenes, "Ruel will be the very place for it; we must get up a ballet there, with characters from your favourite poet; I will be Rinaldo, De Guise shall be Tancred, you," turning to Mademoiselle Mancini, "Armida, and"

"We will keep Clorinda for the northern Amazon about to visit us," interrupted his brother; "she will understand the character."

"Nay," replied Louis, with a half smile, "but the ballet shall be one of the fêtes we meditate in her honour. Demi-savage as the Swede is, of course royalty must be royally entertained."

"Such a description," said Marie, "as I heard to-day! I understand that she wears a sword, and a buff waistcoat for a boddice—military hat, boots, and sash—gloves she disdains; and that her peruke would do honour to Marshal Turenne himself."

"I hear," added Madame de Mercœur, "that she is awfully clever, speaks eight languages, and would put the Academy and the Sorbonne united to shame."