He and I were both more English at heart than French,
and I am sure now that he perceived better than I did myself that my
clinging to my brothers and sister, and even my noisy merriment, were
not the effect of want of feeling.
As to my bridegroom, I have since known that he was dreadfully afraid
of us, more especially of me, and was thankful that the injury kept
him a prisoner. Nay, he might have come downstairs, if he had been
willing, on the last evening, but he shrank from another presentation
to me before the eyes of all the world, and chose instead to act the
invalid, with no companion save Eustace, with whom he had made
friends.
I will not tell you about the partings, and the promises and
assurances that we should meet again. My father had always promised
that my mother should see France once more, and he now declared that
they would all visit me. Alas! we little thought what would be the
accomplishment of that promise.
My father and Eustace rode with us from London to Dover, and all the
time I kept close to them. M. de Bellaise was well enough to ride
too. His uncle, the marquis, went in a great old coach with the
ladies, wives of some of his suite, and I should have been there too,
but that I begged so hard to ride with my father that he yielded,
after asking M. le Vicomte whether he had any objection. M. le
Vicomte opened great eyes, smiled, blushed and bowed, stammering
something.
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