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 the lady: but she, probably imagining that her servant was following her closely, had continued to walk on, and was entirely out of sight. While I was looking around for her, the servant had likewise vanished from my view.’

Who was this beautiful lady?’ asked Ida, in a tone of astonishment.

What! you really did not then perceive me in the gallery?’

Me!’‘My daughter!’ exclaimed at the same moment Ida and her parents.

Yes, you yourself, mademoiselle. The servant, whom fortunately for me you left at Paris, and whom I met the same evening unexpectedly, as my guardian angel, informed me of all; so that after a short rest at home, I was able to come straight hither.’

What a fable!’ said the count to his daughter, who was mute with astonishment.

Ida,’ he added, turning to me, ‘has never yet been out of her native country; and for myself, I have not been in Paris these seventeen years.’

“The duke looked at the count and his daughter with similar marks of astonishment visible in their countenances; and conversation would have been entirely at an end, if I had not taken care to introduce other topics: but I had it nearly all to myself.