stic amenity, and Madame des Ursins gained
nothing on the score of benevolence of intention; but the jealousy of
the Spanish ladies was less formidable to her.

The marriage by procuration had been performed at Turin. The definitive
espousals, it was settled, should be accomplished at Figuieras, on
Spanish soil, in order that Marie-Louise might not enter into the
country, where she was destined to reign, save with the irrevocable
titles of wife and queen. Thither was to come, on an appointed day, King
Philip V. He did not keep his bride waiting for him, for, impatient to
behold her to whom, by procuration, he had already given his hand, and
whose charms had been highly extolled to him, he passed beyond the place
fixed upon for the official reception, and went forwards disguised,
without pomp or noise, to meet her. He was followed by a very small
number of cavaliers, and so soon as he perceived the queen's retinue
approaching the town of Hostalnovo, he quitted his attendants, and
"pricked forward like a courier" towards the royal litter. Desirous of
preserving his incognito, he presented himself as a king's messenger,
sent to get the earliest tidings of the Queen, and he addressed himself
in Spanish to the Princess des Ursins, to receive the information which
he asserted he was ordered to obtain. The Queen immediately guessed that
the messenger was no other than the King himself. She was, therefore,
anxious to answer him herself, and so their conversation commenced,
touching her health and that of King Philip V., the incidents of her
journey, and it was continued for about a quarter of an hour. For some
time the Queen pretended not to recognise him; but, at last, her emotion
getting the better of her, she broke through the assumed incognito in
which the King had shrouded himself, and was anxious to alight from her
litter. Philip, without further revealing himself, stayed her with his
hand. Whereupon, she grasped hold instantly of that royal hand, which by
an attention, divined by her heart, was rendered so dear to her; "she
took it in both of her own, kissed it, and held it for some moments,
after which the king rode off to rejoin his suite, and returned
satisfied to Figuieras."[22]

[22] MS. Hist. de l'elevation de Philip V., p. 372.

There was celebrated the marriage of Philip V. with Marie-Louise of
Savoy. But oh, unforeseen mischance! Several days were destined to
elapse ere he could really possess her the sigh