rmony pleased the queen-mother
exceedingly, but it was not perhaps so agreeable to the young princess,
who was an incarnation of coquetry, and who, without any fear as far
as her own voice was concerned, sought opportunities of so perilously
distinguishing herself. She possessed one of those fearless and
incautious dispositions that find gratification in an excess of
sensitiveness of feeling, and for whom, also, danger has a certain
fascination. And so her glances, her smiles, her toilette, an
inexhaustible armory of weapons of offense, were showered on the three
young men with overwhelming force; and, from her well-stored arsenal
issued glances, kindly recognitions, and a thousand other little
charming attentions which were intended to strike at long range the
gentlemen who formed the escort, the townspeople, the officers of the
different cities she passed through, pages, populace, and servants;
it was wholesale slaughter, a general devastation. By the time Madame
arrived at Paris, she had reduced to slavery about a hundred thousand
lovers: and brought in her train to Paris half a dozen men who were
almost mad about her, and two who were, indeed, literally out of their
minds. Raoul was the only person who divined the power of this woman's
attraction, and as his heart was already engaged, he arrived in the
capital full of indifference and distrust. Occasionally during the
journey he conversed with the queen of England respecting the power
of fascination which Madame possessed, and the mother, whom so many
misfortunes and deceptions had taught experience, replied: "Henrietta
was sure to be illustrious in one way or another, whether born in a
palace or born in obscurity; for she is a woman of great imagination,
capricious and self-willed." De Wardes and Manicamp, in their
self-assumed character of courtiers, had announced the princess's
arrival. The procession was met at Nanterre by a brilliant escort
of cavaliers and carriages. It was Monsieur himself, followed by the
Chevalier de Lorraine and by his favorites, the latter being themselves
followed by a portion of the king's military household, who had arrived
to meet his affianced bride. At St. Germain, the princess and her mother
had changed their heavy traveling carriage, somewhat impaired by the
journey, for a light, richly decorated chariot drawn by six horses with
white and gold harness. Seated in this open carriage, as though upon
a throne, and beneath a parasol of