enable him to rein in his delight, so much as merely to reply that his
duty compelled him to place his choice at the disposal of his Sovereign.

"Fair cousin of Orleans," said Louis with sullen gravity, "since I must
speak on so unpleasant an occasion, it is needless for me to remind you
that my sense of your merits had led me to propose for you a match into
my own family. But since my cousin of Burgundy thinks that the disposing
of your hand otherwise is the surest pledge of amity between his
dominions and mine, I love both too well not to sacrifice to them my own
hopes and wishes."

The Duke of Orleans threw himself on his knees, and kissed--and, for
once, with sincerity of attachment--the hand which the King, with
averted countenance, extended to him. In fact he, as well as most
present, saw, in the unwilling acquiescence of this accomplished
dissembler, who, even with that very purpose, had suffered his
reluctance to be visible, a King relinquishing his favourite project,
and subjugating his paternal feelings to the necessities of state, and
interest of his country. Even Burgundy was moved, and Orleans's heart
smote him for the joy which he involuntarily felt on being freed from
his engagement with the Princess Joan. If he had known how deeply the
King was cursing him in his soul, and what thoughts of future revenge he
was agitating, it is probable his own delicacy on the occasion would not
have been so much hurt.

Charles next turned to the young Countess, and bluntly announced the
proposed match to her, as a matter which neither admitted delay nor
hesitation, adding, at the same time, that it was but a too favourable
consequence of her intractability on a former occasion.

"My Lord Duke and Sovereign," said Isabelle, summoning up all her
courage, "I observe your Grace's commands, and submit to them."

"Enough, enough," said the Duke, interrupting her, "we will arrange the
rest.--Your Majesty," he continued, addressing King Louis, "hath had
a boar's hunt in the morning; what say you to rousing a wolf in the
afternoon?"

The young Countess saw the necessity of decision.

"Your Grace mistakes my meaning," she said, speaking, though timidly,
yet loudly and decidedly enough to compel the Duke's attention, which,
from some consciousness, he would otherwise have willingly denied to
her.

"My submission," she said, "only respected those lands and estates which
your Grace's ancestors gave to mine, and which I re