ered me
excessively, and I contrasted the picturesque dress of a page of
the sixteenth century with the simple uniform of a captain of
the Austrian guards.

But amidst all these absurd ideas some generous thoughts crossed
my mind, and I was overcome,--yes, overcome by the recollection
of the tenderness of the princess for those poor girls whom she
always terms "my sisters."

The next day the hour for the reception came. I tried on several
uniforms one after another, found them all to fit me very ill,
and departed very dissatisfied with myself.

Although Gerolstein is only a quarter of a league from Ste.
Hermangeld, during the short journey all the childish ideas that
had so occupied me during the night had given place to one sad
and grave thought.

An invincible presentiment told me I was approaching one of the
crises of my life. A magical inspiration revealed to me that I
was about to love, to love as a man loves but once in his life;
and, as if to complete my misfortunes, this love, as loftily as
deservedly bestowed, was doomed to be unhappy.

You do not know the grand ducal palace of Gerolstein. In the
opinion of every one who has visited the capitals of Europe,
there is, with the exception of Versailles, no royal residence
that has a more regal and imposing appearance.

If at this time I speak of this, it is because, thinking over
them, I wonder how they did not recall me to myself; for the
Princess Amelie was the daughter of the sovereign of this
palace, these guards, and of these riches.

You arrived at the palace by the marble court; so called,
because, with the exception of a drive for the carriages, it is
paved with variegated marble, forming the most magnificent
mosaics, in the centre of which is a basin of breccia antique,
into which a stream of water flows from a porphyry vase.

This court of honour is surrounded by a row of beautiful marble
statues, holding candelabras of gilt bronze, from which sprung
brilliant jets of gas. Alternately with these statues are the
Medicean vases, raised on richly sculptured pedestals, and
filled with rose laurels, whose leaves shine in the lights with
a metallic lustre.

The carriages stopped at the foot of the double staircase
leading to the peristyle of the palace. At the foot of this
staircase were