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It was a pattern which would require fresh pricking out, and much skill; but Grisell thought she could accomplish it, and took her leave, kissing the Duchess's hand a great favour to be granted to her curtseying three times, and walking backwards, after the old training that seemed to come back to her with the atmosphere. Master Lambert was overjoyed when he heard all.
And we were talking of the ices that evening. Eugenia, you must know, my dears, was in love with the Count Belmarana. I was her sole confidante. The Countess de Pel a horrible creature! Oh! she was the Duchess's determined enemy-would have stabbed her for Belmarana, one of the most beautiful men! Adored by every woman!
Thence, passing through Flanders, she reached the stronghold of Stenay, where the Viscomte de Turenne, already compromised with the Court for having openly espoused the Condé party, had shortly before the Duchess's arrival also taken refuge. Stenay, taken from the Spaniards in 1641, had been given to the Prince de Condé in 1646.
Of later date were the frescoes in the duchess's rooms, representing the marriage of Galeazzo Sforza at the French court and the reception of Bona of Savoy at Genoa, while the paintings which adorned the chapel had only lately been completed by Vincenzo Foppa and Bonifazio da Cremona.
Now the Duchess had her in her arms, and almost forcibly drew her to a sofa. "Darling, my darling," she said, "you must not give way. It is not so bad as you think. You must let me help to make you understand." Hylda laughed hysterically. "Not so bad as I think! Read read it," she said, taking the letter from the Duchess's fingers and holding it before her face. "I found it on the staircase.
He complimented me on my travels and on my being protected by the State Inquisitors instead of being persecuted by them. He kept me to dinner, and asked me to dine with him whenever I had no other engagement. The same evening I met Prince Santa Croce at the duchess's, and asked him to introduce me to his wife.
He was sure she was prompt and fine, but also that she had met her match, and he liked in the light of what he was quite sure was the Duchess's latent insolence the good humour with which the great artist asserted equal resources. Were they, this pair, of the "great world"? and was he himself, for the moment and thus related to them by his observation, IN it?
But the Italian who, as she rode by, had been attracted by the noble features of the aged man, whose eyes still sparkled with youthful enthusiasm, gazed at him enquiringly. Her glance met his, and the Minorite's wrinkled features wore a look of eager enquiry. He longed to rise and ask the name of the black-eyed lady at the duchess's side. But ere he could stand erect, the party had passed on.
He was just reading aloud at the duchess's soiree from the late edition of the almanach, and the society listened with earnest and kind attention, occasionally interrupted with an enthusiastic "Bravo!" or "Excellent!" from the duchess, followed by a murmur of assent around the table, which caused the poet's face to brighten with joy and satisfaction, and him to read on with increased energy.
But there was nothing more to be said at present. After what Arabella had told her Mr. Morton could not be asked there to meet her niece. But all the slight feeling of kindness to the girl which had been created by the tidings of so respectable an engagement were at once obliterated from the Duchess's bosom.
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