Page:Francesca Carrara 2.pdf/49

46 could foresee a few misfortunes, but your whole life is en rose—very sweet and very insipid. However, I must do you the justice to say you find thorns yourself."

"For the benefit of others, I hope," replied the Chevalier, laughing.

"Madame de l'Hôpital has been quite la fée bienfaisante" said Lauzun, who, like others, had been consulting the oracle. "I am bewildered by my future good fortune. I quite anticipate being married, if it is to bring me all that she predicts."

Mademoiselle blushed deeply. Now the necessity for such a blush must have been in her own thoughts, to dissipate which she began talking, with great animation and little connexion, to the Duc d'Anjou, who stood near. Fortunately, he was too much occupied in observing the folds of his azure silk cloak, bordered with silver stars, in a glass opposite; and the incoherency of his cousin's discourse was lost in the regularity of its ornaments.

"Shall I tell your fortune, dear?" asked La Maréchale of Francesca, who would fain have refused; but a negative would only have drawn more attention, so she submitted to her fate with as much resignation as could be assumed with a