dden! I am glad to see it re-embellished, and it will be lovelier than
ever when you have cast off this disguised.'

'That will never be,' said Eustacie.

'Ah! we know better! My daughter is sending down a counterpart of her
own wedding-dress for your bride of the _Mardi-Gras_.'

'And who may that bride be?' said Eustacie, endeavouring to speak as
though it were nothing to her.

'Nay, _ma petite_! it is too long to play the ignorant when the
bridegroom is on his way from Paris.'

'Madame,' said Eustacie, turning to her aunt, 'you cannot suffer this
scandal. The meanest peasant may weep her first year of widowhood in
peace.'

'Listen, child. There are weighty reasons. The Duke of Anjou is a
candidate for the throne of Poland, and my son is to accompany him
thither. He must go as Marquis de Nid de Merle, in full possession of
your estates.'

'Let him take them,' began Eustacie, 'who first commits a cowardly
murder, and then forces himself on the widow he has made?'

'Folly, child, folly,' said the Chevalier, who supposed her ignorant of
the circumstances of her husband's assassination; and the Abbess, who
was really ignorant, exclaimed--'_Fid donc_ niece; you know not what you
say.'

'I know, Madame--I know from an eye-witness,' said Eustacie, firmly. 'I
know the brutal words that embittered my husband's death; and were
there no other cause, they would render wedlock with him who spoke them
sacrilege.' Resolutely and steadily did the young wife speak, looking
at them with the dry fixed eye to which tears had been denied ever since
that eventful night.'

'Poor child,' said the Chevalier to his sister. 'She is under the
delusion still. Husband! There is none in the case.' Then waving his
hand as Eustacie's face grew crimson, and her eyes flashed indignation,
while her lips parted, 'It was her own folly that rendered it needful to
put an end to the boy's presumption. Had she been less willful and more
obedient, instead of turning the poor lad's head by playing at madame,
we could have let him return to his island fogs; but when SHE encouraged
him in contemplating the carrying her away, and alienating her and her
lands from the true faith, there was but one remedy--to let him perish
with the rest. My son is willing to forgive her childish pleasure in
a boy's passing homage, and has obtained the King's sanction to an
immediate marriage.'

'Which, to spare you, my dear,' added the aunt, 'shall take place in our
c