The Marshal did not wait until he had done, nor did the new
Colonel of the cuirassiers; both rushed from the room. The
archbishop frowned; while the princess and the court stared at
the prince with varying emotions. Before the final word had
passed his lips, he approached her Highness, fell on his knee
and raised her hand to his lips. He noticed not how cold it was.
"Thank God, Mademoiselle," he said, "that once more I look into
your eyes. And if one wedding day is gone--well, there is yet
time for another!" He, rose, and proudly before them all he drew
her toward him and kissed her cheek. It was his right; she was,
the light of all his dreams, at once his bride-to-be and lady-
love. But in his joy and eagerness he did not see how pale she
grew at the touch of his lips, nor how the lids of her eyes
trembled and fell.
Next the prince recounted Maurice's adventures, how he became
connected with those at the chateau, even Fitzgerald's fall from
grace. The indignation and surprise which was accorded this
recital was unbounded.
The brown eyes of the princess filled. In a moment she had
traversed the space of ten years to a rare September noon, when
a gray-haired old man had kissed her hand and praised her speech.
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