Page:Francesca Carrara 2.pdf/51

48 "I know no other plant that brings my own country and my early childhood so immediately before me. We had them in such profusion round the old palazzo!" and, unconsciously, her eyes filled with tears as she stood gazing on the well-known boughs.

"Do you like France?" asked De Candale; "Has it equalled your expectations?"

Francesca shook her head as she answered, "Ah! expectations are such unreasonable things! It was impossible for even France to realise the dreams of youth and solitude! What ever embodies our idea of perfection?"

"I have seen mine realised," said he, gazing upon her earnestly.

Nothing so completely excludes the idea of another lover as being already occupied by one; and Francesca had been too utterly engrossed by Evelyn ever to believe in the possibility that she could be loved, and not by him. The Duc de Candale's admiration had been remarked by all but herself. Perfectly in different, she never thought about him; and she now listened to his words, quite unconscious that they had any latent meaning as regarded herself.

De Candale misconstrued her gentle silence; and the downcast eyes before which were flitting