t
was impossible to a woman so sensitive, but was she not the unconscious
instrument of his keener penetration?

"While I was tormenting myself with these fears, Mrs. Eaton came in,
swinging her lilac parasol, and with her rich lace shawl trailing to the
ground.

"'Oh, I have come to tell you one must have confidence in some persons,
or the heart would give out, you know. Guess who it was that Lucy and I
met in the Court of Oranges, just now.'

"'I cannot tell. Mr. Harrington, perhaps!'

"'Mr. Harrington, no indeed. We can meet him at any time. It was his
Highness, the duke, walking quite alone, under the orange trees, with a
slender little cane in his hand, that he was beating the branches with,
all in a brown study, showering down the blossoms among his gold
buttons--so romantic--and in his glossy hair. Lucy gave a little scream
when she saw him, and clasped her hands so. The duke gave a start and
came toward us, then checked himself and begged pardon in such delicious
Spanish, only we couldn't quite understand it. He saw that, and broke a
twig of orange blossoms from one of the branches bending over him, and
gave it to Lucy with an air--I cannot describe it--but you never saw
anything so princely. Lucy blushed beautifully, and fastened the orange
blossoms in her bosom. He smiled then, and gave her _such_ a look. There
is no two ways about it, Miss Crawford, that girl of mine was born to
wear the purple. Her head is just the size for a coronet. Why not? The
empress Josephine was no handsomer than my Lucy. As for family, who has
got anything to say against any genteel American family being good
enough to marry dukes, and emperors too, providing they've got money
enough?'

"The woman tired me dreadfully. I was too wretched for any enjoyment of
her absurdities, or they might have amused me. I answered her with
civility, and tried my best to fasten some attention on the ridiculous
things she was saying, but an under current of painful thought disturbed
me all the while.

"'Now I tell you this in the strictest confidence, remember,' she went
on to say. 'I must have some one to rely upon; but not a word to the
Harringtons. You know the old adage, 'It's well to be off with an old
love, before you are on with a new.' Promise not to say a word about it,
Miss Crawford.'

"'I shall not speak--I shall not care to speak to any one about it,' I
answered almost impatiently, I fear, for the woman was tormenting me
beyond en