there is none can comfort him but me! My
Charlotte, my dear Charlotte! And now, looking at the picture, he said,
Those beautiful hands, that at the last, when she was talking to others
were always looking out for mine!'"
"I need not tell you my part in this interview; he appeared to rely on my
sharing his thoughts."
* * * * *
"Towards the close of our interview, I asked him, 'if the princess at the
_last_ felt her danger?' He said, 'No; my Charlotte thought herself very
ill, but not in danger. And she was so well but an hour and a half after
the delivery!--And she said I should not leave her again--and I should
sleep in that room--and she should have in the sofa bed--and she should
have it where she liked--she herself would have it fixed. She was strong,
and had so much courage, yet once she seemed to fear. You remember she was
affected when you told her that you could not paint my picture just at that
time; but she was much more affected when we were alone--and I told her I
should sit when we went to Marlborough House after her confinement, 'Then,'
she said, 'if you are to sit when you go to town, and after my
confinement--then I may never see that picture.' My Charlotte felt she
never should."
"More passed in our interview, but not much more--chiefly, my part in it.
At parting he pressed my hand firmly--held it long, I could almost say
affectionately, I had been, by all this conversation, so impressed with
esteem for him, that an attempt to kiss his hand that grasped mine was
resistless, but it was checked on both sides. _I_ but bowed--and he drew my
hand towards him: he then bade me good by, and on leaving the room turned
back to give me a slow parting nod,--and though half blinded myself, I was
struck with the exceeding paleness of his look across the room. His bodily
health, its youthfulness cannot sink under this heaviest affliction! And
his mind is rational; but when _thus_ leaving the room, his tall dark
figure, pale lace, and solemn manner, for the moment, looked a melancholy
presage."
"I know that your good-nature will forgive my not answering your letter in
detail, since I have refrained from it but to give you this narration of
beings so estimable, so happy, and so parted."
"Prince Leopold's voice is of very fine tone, and gentle; and its
articulation exceedingly clear, accurate, and impressive, without the
slightest affectation. You know that sort of reasoning emph
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