ardrobe, was trying to
make out whether he had seen the man before, wondering if he were
the same whom he had met in the forest of Montipipeau, though a few
differences in dress, hair, and beard made him somewhat doubtful.

'Perfumes? Yes, lady, I have store of perfumes: ambergris and violet
dew, and the Turkish essence distilled from roses; yea, and the finest
spirit of the Venus myrtle-tree, the secret known to the Roman dames of
old, whereby they secured perpetual beauty and love--though truly Madame
should need no such essence. That which nature has bestowed on her
secures to her all hearts--and one valued more than all.'

'Enough,' said Diane, blushing somewhat, though with an effort at
laughing off his words; 'these are the tricks of your trade.'

'Madame is incredulous; yet, lady, I have been in the East. Yonder boy
comes from the land where there are spells that make known the secrets
of lives.'

The old Chevalier, who had hitherto been taken up with the abstruse
calculation--derived from his past days of economy--how much ribbon
would be needed to retrim his murrey _just-au-corps_, here began to lend
an ear, though saying nothing. Philip looked on in open-eyed wonder, and
nudged his brother, who muttered in return, 'Jugglery!'

'Ah, the fair company are all slow to believe,' said the pedlar. 'Hola,
Alessio!' and taking a glove that Philip had left on the table, he held
it to the boy. A few unintelligible words passed between them; then the
boy pointed direct to Philip, and waved his hand northwards. 'He says
the gentleman who owns this glove comes from the North, from far away,'
interpreted the Italian; then as the boy made the gesture of walking in
chains, 'that he is a captive.'

'Ay,' cried Philip, 'right, lad; and can he tell how long I shall be
so?'

'Things yet to come,' said the mountebank, 'are only revealed after long
preparation. For them must he gaze into the dark poor of the future.
The present and the past he can divine by the mere touch of what has
belonged to the person.'

'It is passing strange,' said Philip to Madame de Selinville. 'You
credit it, Madame?'

'Ah, have we not seen the wonders come to pass that a like diviner
fortold to the Queen-mother?' said Diane: 'her sons should be all
kings--that was told her when the eldest was yet Dauphin.'

'And there is only one yet to come,' said Philip, awe-struck. 'But see,
what has he now?'

'Veronique's kerchief,' returned Madame de Se