remarked me the more for it; and then my hair never would remain in
curl for half an hour together. My mother could put it up safely,
but since I had left her it was always coming down, like flax from a
distaff; and though I had in general a tolerably fresh and rosy
complexion, heat outside and agitation within made my whole face,
nose and all, instantly become the colour of a clove gillyflower. It
had so become every afternoon on the journey, and I knew I was
growing redder and redder every moment, and that I should put him, my
own dear Viscount, to shame before his aunt.

'Oh! my friend,' I sighed, 'pardon me, I cannot help it.'

'Why should I pardon thee?' he answered tenderly. 'Because thou hast
so great and loving a heart?'

'Ah! but what will thine aunt think of me?'

'Let her think,' he said. 'Thou art mine, not Madame's.'

I know not whether those words made me less red, but they gave me
such joyous courage that I could have confronted all the dragoons,
had I been of the colour of a boiled lobster, and when he himself
sprinkled me for the last time with essences, I felt ready to defy
the censure of all the marchionesses in France.

My husband took me by the hand and led me to the great chamber, where
in an alcove stood the state bed, with green damask hangings fringed
with gold, and in the midst of pillows trimmed with point-lace sat up
Madam la Marquis, her little sallow face, like a bit of old
parchment, in the midst of the snowy linen, and not--to my eyes--