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206 "Once for all," interrupted Madame de Mercœur, "I wish you would not talk such nonsense; their Majesties are too good; and it was as much my sister's duty to obey the King by standing up to dance, as it was to resign her place, when she understood that such was the Queen's wish."

The Chevalier saw at once that the subject was unpleasing, and immediately changed it.

"You know, I suppose, that our northern Penthesilea arrives to-morrow; she has amazed the good people of Paris, and we are all preparing to be astonished."

"I hope," said Evelyn, "that we shall not exhaust our astonishment en avant—that very common process of anticipation."

"According to my belief," replied the Chevalier, "there is nothing worth anticipating."

"Nothing worth realising, you mean!" exclaimed Francesca.

"Nay," returned the Chevalier; "I do not come from as poetical a country as your fair Italy—to me reality is every thing. Let my pleasure come, and I will enjoy it; but I really cannot afford to waste my time beforehand in a thousand visionary anxieties. No; I hold hope to be a great mistake—life is too short for it."