not to make the mistake of
refusing an alliance with a family of such distinction as the
Lafayettes, and finally, although this was as yet unknown to the girl
whose future it was to so closely touch, Madame withdrew her objections,
and so was decided the fate of little Adrienne D'Ayen, whose name was to
be in consequence linked thereafter with great events in history.

Two years later, in the spring of 1777, the Hotel de Noailles was in a
bustle of gay preparations. Louise D'Ayen, now fifteen years old, had
just become the bride of the Marquis de Montagu, and no sooner were the
festivities over, than Madame D'Ayen called Adrienne to her room, and
told her of the accepted proposal of M. de Lafayette for her hand. She
added, "In accepting this honour for you, my Adrienne, I have made the
stipulation that you and your husband are to remain here with me for the
present, as you are but children yet, that I may still influence your
education and religious experience. This proposal was made two years
ago, before the education of M. Lafayette was completed, but now that it
is accomplished, and you are fourteen years old, you are to become the
affianced bride of the young Marquis."

No well-brought-up French girl would have thought of resisting her
mother's decree, although her would-be husband was not to her liking,
but in this case the idea was altogether to Adrienne's own choice, and
her brown eyes grew dark with joy, and she clasped her hands,
exclaiming, "Oh, quel bonheur! Quel bonheur!" then escaped to her own
room to think about this wonderful fairy story happening which had come
to her.

Though she and the young Marquis had been constantly thrown together
before this, one can well imagine the degree of shyness which overcame
the young girl on their first meeting after the betrothal had been
announced. The world was in a dazzling array of spring beauty, so says
the historian,--the tender almonds were budding with softest green, the
daffodils and tulips were breaking into rare blooms, the world waking
from its winter sleep. All seemed to smile on the young lovers who
walked as in a dream-world through the flower-bordered paths and spoke
together of that future which they were to share.

But such a tete-a-tete did not occur again, for after that the little
bride-to-be was kept busy with her studies until the time came for a
flurry of preparation just before the marriage day, and it is
interesting to read the description