erious girls were
gathered round Doctor Gauthier, urging him to tell their fortunes by
consulting the stars, which to-night shone out with unusual brilliancy.

At that period, as at the present, and in every age of the world, the
female sex, like the Jews of old, asks signs, while the Greeks--that is,
the men--seek wisdom.

The time never was, and never will be, when a woman will cease to be
curious,--when her imagination will not forecast the decrees of fate
in regard to the culminating event of her life and her whole
nature--marriage. It was in vain Doctor Gauthier protested his inability
to read the stars without his celestial eye-glasses.

The ladies would not accept his excuses: he knew the heavens by heart,
they said, and could read the stars of destiny as easily as the Bishop
his breviary.

In truth the worthy doctor was not only a believer but an adept in
astrology. He had favored his friends with not a few horoscopes and
nativities, when pressed to do so. His good nature was of the substance
of butter: any one that liked could spread it over their bread. Many
good men are eaten up in that way by greedy friends.

Hortense de Beauharnais urged the Doctor so merrily and so
perseveringly, promising to marry him herself if the stars said so, that
he laughingly gave way, but declared he would tell Hortense's fortune
first, which deserved to be good enough to make her fulfil her promise
just made.

She was resigned, she said, and would accept any fate from the rank of a
queen to a cell among the old maids of St. Cyr! The girls of Quebec hung
all their hopes on the stars, bright and particular ones especially.
They were too loving to live single, and too proud to live poor. But she
was one who would not wait for ships to land that never came, and plums
to drop into her mouth that never ripened. Hortense would be ruled by
the stars, and wise Doctor Gauthier should to-night declare her fate.

They all laughed at this free talk of Hortense. Not a few of the ladies
shrugged their shoulders and looked askance at each other, but many
present wished they had courage to speak like her to Doctor Gauthier.

"Well, I see there is nothing else for it but to submit to my ruling
star, and that is you, Hortense!" cried the Doctor; "so please stand up
before me while I take an inventory of your looks as a preliminary to
telling your fortune."

Hortense placed herself instantly before him. "It is one of the
privileges of our