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Rh something picturesque and romantic about him, infinitely to my taste;—and was he so very handsome?"

"Very: but we are talking such nonsense!" answered Anne; not, however, with an air as if the nonsense displeased her.

"I have heard," continued Christina, "that it was quite a passion de Roman, and that the war with England was entirely caused by l'amour de vos beaux yeux."

"Rather a desperate method of recommending himself to my favour."

"Ah! women like to have desperate things done on their account; besides, people in love never calculate on probabilities. I daresay the Duke dreamed of winning you, like an Amadis, sword in hand."

"And, like most dreamers, woke, and found out his mistake."

"Pardieu!—it does not the least surprise me: if people will be beautiful, they must take the consequence. By the by, what trash the Queen of England talked the other night, when she contended, that no woman retained her beauty after five-and-twenty. I am sure, in this kingdom, such a speech is lèse majesté. But her fault brings its own punishment, for she spoke feelingly; God