I only saw M. de Solivet descend from the
carriage and hand out my mother, my sister, and his two daughters. I
could but embrace my poor sister-in-law, and assure her that I would
bring her tidings of her husband, and then hurry away with Gaspard
that I might meet my half-brother at the salon door. There he was,
looking very happy, with a daughter in each hand, and they had
lighted up into something like animation, which made Petronille
especially show that she might some day be pretty. He embraced me,
like the good-natured friendly brother he had always been, and
expressed himself perfectly amazed at the growth and beauty of my
little Marquis, as well he might be, for my mother and I both agreed
that there was not such another child among all the King's pages.
I asked, as soon as I could, for M. d'Aubepine, and heard that he was
attending the Prince, who would, of course, first have to dress, and
then to present himself to the Queen-Regent, and kiss her hand, after
which he would go to Madame de Longueville's reception of the King.
It was almost a relief to hear that the Count was thus employed, and
I sent my son to tell his aunt that she might be no longer in
suspense.
I asked Solivet whether we might expect the young man on leaving the
Louvre, and he only shrugged his shoulders and said: 'What know I?'
It became plain to me that he would not discuss the matter before his
daughters, now fourteen and fifteen, and we all had to sit down to an
early supper, after which they were to be taken back to their
convent.
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