sed him so highly."

"Not more than he deserved. It is impossible to possess a more noble
nature, or a more generous and elevated character."

"I beseech you, dearest father, to spare me the fresh trial of hearing
him thus praised by you. Alas! I am already wretched enough."

"Go on, my child. I have a reason in thus extolling your cousin--I will
explain hereafter. Proceed."

"Though aware of the danger of thus daily associating with my cousin, I
felt unable to withdraw myself from the pleasure his society afforded
me; nor, spite of my implicit reliance on your indulgence, dear father,
durst I disclose my fears to you. I could then only redouble my efforts
to conceal my unfortunate attachment, and--shall I confess?--there were
moments when, forgetting the past, I gave myself up to all the dear
delights of a friendship hitherto unknown to me. But the departure of
Prince Henry from your court tore the veil from my eyes, and showed me
how truly and ardently I loved him, though not with a sister's love, as
I had made myself believe. I had resolved to open my heart entirely to
you on this subject," continued Fleur-de-Marie, whose strength seemed
utterly exhausted by her long confession, "and then to ask you what
remained for one so every way unfortunate but to seek the repose of a
cloister."

"Then, dearest daughter, let me answer the question ere you have put it,
by saying there is a prospect as bright and smiling awaits your
acceptance, as that you propose is cheerless and gloomy."

"What mean you?"

"Now, then, listen to me. It was impossible for an affection as great as
mine to be blinded to the mutual affection subsisting between yourself
and your cousin; my penetration also quickly discovered that his passion
for you amounted to idolatry; that he had but one hope, one desire on
earth,--that of being loved by you. At the time I played off that little
joke respecting the portrait, I had not the least expectation of Henry's
visiting Gerolstein. When, however, he did come, I saw no reason for
changing the manner in which I had always treated him, and I therefore
invited him to visit us on the same terms of friendly relationship he
had hitherto done. A very little time had elapsed ere Clemence and
myself saw plainly enough the cause of his frequent visits, or the
mutual delight you felt in each other's society. Then mine became a
difficult task.

"On the one hand, I rejoiced as a father that one so every way worthy