There were great rooms hung with admirable tapestries, filled with the most beautiful articles imaginable; a salon in old, rare pieces of hand embroidery; a boudoir in blue, soft as the early morning sky; and a sleeping-room, which was particularly attractive: a perfect little corner of white silk and lace--nothing, in short, but white, airy, and light--an exquisite shimmering of purity.

But Angelique had constantly refused to go to see all these wonderful things, although a carriage was always ready to convey her there.

She listened to the recital of that which had been done with an enchanted smile, but she gave no orders, and did not appear to wish to occupy herself with any of the arrangements.

"No, no," she said, for all these things seemed so far away in the unknown of that vast world of which she was as yet totally ignorant.

Since those who loved her had prepared for her so tenderly this happiness, she desired to partake thereof, and to enter therein like a princess coming from some chimerical country, who approaches the real kingdom where she is to reign for ever.