our family ought to be proud of
their descent from him."

"Alas, cousin, I fear my resemblance to my portrait is not
great!"

"You are mistaken, cousin," said the princess. "For at the end
of the concert I recognised you immediately, in spite of the
difference of costume." Then, wishing to change the
conversation, she added, "How charmingly M. Liszt plays!--does
he not?"

"Yes. How attentively you listened to him!"

"Because there is to me a double charm in music without words.
Not only you hear the execution, but you can adapt your thoughts
to the melody. Do you understand me?"

"Perfectly; your own thoughts become words to the air."

"Yes, you quite comprehend me," said she, with a gesture of
satisfaction. "I feared I could not express what I felt just
now."

"I thank God, cousin," said I, smiling, "you can have no words
to set to so sad an air."

I know not whether my question was indiscreet or whether she had
not heard me, but suddenly she exclaimed, pointing out to me the
grand duke, who crossed the room with the archduchess on his
arm, "Cousin, look at my father, how handsome he is! how noble!
how good! Every one looks at him as if they loved him more than
they feared him."

"Ah," cried I, "it is not only here he is beloved. If the
blessing of his people be transmitted to their posterity, the
name of Rodolph of Gerolstein will be immortal."

"To speak thus is to be, indeed, worthy of his attachment."

"I do but give utterance to the feelings of all present; see how
they all hasten to pay their respects to Madame d'Harville!"

"No one in the world is more worthy of my father's affections
than Madame d'Harville."

"You are more capable than any one of appreciating her, as you
have been in France."

Scarcely had I pronounced these words than the princess cast
down her eyes, and her features assumed an air of melancholy;
and when I led her back to her seat the expression of them was
still the same. I suppose that my allusion to her stay in France
recalled the death of her mother.

In the course of the evening a circumstance occurred which you
may think too trivial to mention, perhaps, but which evinces the
extraordinary influence this young girl universally inspires.
Her bandeau of pearls having become disarranged, the Archduche