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Rh safe person, and yet both handsome and entertaining; moreover, evidently well inclined to offer that incense in which she delighted. She might amuse herself with him, and yet have ready the unobjectionable answer of, "An old friend, known ages ago in Italy—when he was, as he is now, a very devoted slave of my pretty friend the Signora Carrara." This reply effecting a double purpose; for Marie had not been too well pleased the other evening with Louis's glance of admiration at this said pretty friend. It was as well to let him know that the ground was pre-occupied; and the king was quite young enough to be deterred by a rival.

The conversation on both sides proceeded with so much animation, that neither had a word for Francesca. She sat silent and lonely; left to ruminate at her leisure on the solitude of society. She had around her gay converse, in which she had no share; and laughter, in which she was little tempted to join. She observed every face, and still more minutely, every dress in the room; and, despite what philosophers say of its charm, found the task of observation very tiresome—she would have preferred a little participation. She could just hear the voices of Marie and Evelyn, without being able to distinguish what they said;