l meet soon, but I fear that will
never return."

"You are a veritable prophet of ill to-day, Marie," Victor said
with an attempt at gaiety. "Some day, I hope, dear, that we shall
smile together over your gloomy prognostication."

"I hope so, Victor--I pray God it may be so!"

A week later three carriages arrived from Paris to convey the
family there; and upon the following day the whole party started;
the girls, the gouvernante, the abbe, and some of the female servants
occupying the carriages, Monsieur du Tillet, the boys, and several
of the men riding beside them as an escort.

They met with no interruption on the road, and arrived in Paris
on the last day of April, 1792. Harry was glad at the change. The
doings at Paris had been the subject of conversation and thought for
nearly two years, and he had caught the excitement which pervaded
France. He was tired of the somewhat monotonous life in the country,
and had for some time been secretly longing to be at the centre
of interest, and to see for himself the stirring events, of which
little more than a feeble echo had reached them at the chateau.

The change of life was great indeed; the marquis had thrown himself
into the thick of all that was going on, and his salon was crowded
every evening with those of the nobility who still remained In
Paris. But he was regarded as by no means a man of extreme views,
and many of the leaders of the party of the Gironde with whose names
Harry was familiar were also frequent visitors--Roland, Vergniaud,
Lanjuinais, Brissot, Guader, Lebrun, and Condorcer.

Harry was struck with the variety of conversation that went on at
these meetings. Many of the young nobles laughed and chatted with
the ladies with as much gaiety as if the former state of things
were continuing undisturbed; and an equal indifference to the public
state of things was shown by many of the elders, who sat down and
devoted themselves to cards. Others gathered apart in little groups
and discussed gloomily and in low tones the events of the day;
while others who were more liberal in their views gathered round the
deputies of the Gironde and joined in their talk upon the meetings
of the Assembly and the measures which were necessary to consolidate
the work of reform, and to restore peace and happiness to France.

The marquis moved from group to group, equally at home with all,
chatting lightly with the courtiers, whispering gravely with the
elders, or discussi