Page:Francesca Carrara 3.pdf/193

190 Having satisfied his curiosity, he had only another desire to gratify, viz., that of communication. Just now his sphere was somewhat limited; for, from their terms of familiarity, he might infer that Madame de Soissons knew all he could tell—and the fair Hortense was préoccupée et distraite. Lord Craven was engaged with the Queen; and to Francesca herself, he had too much tact not to know, that beyond a brief congratulation, the less he said the better. However, he promised himself ample dédommagement, when he returned to Paris; and in the meantime he shared the usual lot of mortals—that is, he lived on expectation. Ah! what would life be without its perspective. Still he had a little present enjoyment—how much he had to tell of all that had occurred in France during Francesca's absence!

After a long and magnificent breakfast, the Queen—well aware that, next to themselves and their own merits, people are most alive to those observed in their houses and lands—proposed to Lord Avonleigh that he should show them his superb palace; and a happy man was he while doing the honours of old tapestries, carved cornices, and portraits in mail armour, or silks nearly as stiff.

At length the beautiful morning tempted the