whole party into the open air; and, while walking up and down the terrace, the Chevalier easily contrived to engross Francesca's ear. After a few compliments and acknowledgments, the conversation naturally reverted to Paris; and Francesca soon found that she was as ready to make inquiries as De Joinville was ready to answer them.
"In good truth," replied he to some question, "one single subject has engaged all our attention—we have asked, we have heard, we have dreamed of nothing but his Majesty's marriage. The Cardinal declared, that the alliance having given peace to France, he should die content—the Queen Mother, that the hope of her life having been realised, she could die content too. I began to be alarmed lest the whole world, fancying it could never find a finer opportunity, might also come to an end in
'One last great act—the winding-up of fate.'
However, the consequences have not been quite so desperate—no one died after all."
"But the young Queen," asked Francesca—"what is she like?"
"Why, she is one of those persons whom negatives seem invented to describe—I doubt whether she is worth one single bad quality."
