grave voice.

"No, your Majesty, I am convinced now."

Whereupon the king himself deigned to communicate to me the particulars
relating to the golden cross.

Princess A. was a daughter of one of his cousins, and she was their
fifth child. The duchess, a very pious woman, made a vow before the
birth of her sixth child, that if it was a boy, her youngest daughter
should be dedicated to the service of the church and take the veil. A
son was born, and Princess A. henceforth was educated for the profession
of a nun in becoming retirement and seclusion. Unfortunately, however,
the natural traits of the girl seemed to be entirely in opposition to
that reverend calling. An irrepressible vivacity of spirit, an intense
coveting of worldly joys and pleasures characterized her, and the more
she was separated from the world the more ardent grew her desire to live
in it. Heartrending scenes of resistance and tears were enacted, and
the reigning sovereign felt so much pity for the spirited young creature
that he attempted to save her from her fate of being immured in convent
walls by offering to apply to the pope for a dispensation releasing the
mother from her promise. But the duchess desperately combated this idea.
Her wild laments, that to break her vow would entail her forfeiture of
eternal salvation, her protestations, her tears, her entreaties, at last
prevailed upon the princess to join the Order of the Gray Sisters. For a
short space all seemed to go well. The fervid heart of the royal nun was
apparently beating placidly, in the quiet claustral surroundings. But
during the winter the duchess fell sick, and the young bride of the
church was called to her bedside. Princess A. had remained with her
mother for several weeks, and about that time the carnival season began.
Masked balls were given in the palace, and while the horns and violins
were sounding in the ballroom Princess A. lay on her knees in the throes
of dreadful despair, tearing her hair in furious longing for that lost
paradise. She at last succeeded in bribing a chambermaid to secretly
procure her a fancy dress. If it was to cost her immortal soul, once
she would dance and be young and happy! The plot was betrayed, and the
angriest reproaches were poured out by her parents upon the perjured,
rebellious nun! Princess A. was locked up, and was to be removed to the
convent the next day. However, as the festivities in the palace were
reaching their height that night, t