ng of in their distraction?" she
said with a deep sigh. "It was probably to turn their talents to some
account; to send their works to London, and live by them--poor things,
how little they know of London!--or, perhaps, to try their chance as
teachers, and break their hearts in the trial. Revolutions are terrible
things!" We lapsed into silence again.

"I pity most the more advanced in life," I resumed. "They have been so
long accustomed to all the splendours of Paris, that living here must be
felt with incurable humiliation. The young are more elastic, and bear
misfortune by the mere spirit of youth; and the lovely find friends
every where. Did you observe the noble air, the almost heroine look, of
that incomparable girl who first showed her drawing?" Mariamne shot a
quick glance at me.

"You have quite forgotten her name, I suppose?" said she, with a
scrutinizing look.

"Not wholly. I think the duchess called her Clotilde."

"I shall set you at ease, sir, upon that point," said she smartly. "But
of one thing I can assure you, and it is, that she is engaged to be
married to her second cousin, the Marquis de Montrecour. So, you see, it
is scarcely worth your while to enquire any thing more of her name, as
she is about to change it so soon--but it is De Tourville, a descendant
of the renowned admiral, who lost a renowned French fleet a hundred
years ago, an event not unusual in French history. You observe, Mr
Marston, I give you most willingly all the information in my power."

I have never presumed to have a master key to female hearts; but there
was something half contemptuous, half piqued, in my fair companion's
tone, and a rapid interchange of red and pale in her cheeks, which set
me musing. She touched her horse with her fairy whip, and cantered a few
paces before me. I followed, as became a faithful squire. She suddenly
reined up, and said, in the voice of one determined that I should feel
the full point of the sting--"Oh, I had forgot. I beg a thousand
pardons. Yesterday the Marquis arrived in London. His proposal reached
Madame la Comtesse this morning, the young lady's mother--your
_heroine_, I think you called her. The _trousseau_ will probably be sent
down from London in a week, unless she shall go to town to choose it,
which is the more likely event, as among French ladies the trousseau is
generally a more important matter than the gentleman; and then, I
presume, you will be relieved from all _anxiety_ u