Richard, in his perplexity, determined to wrangle out the matter with the King on the morrow, cost what it might.

So he did; and to his high surprise the King reasoned instead of railing.

Madame Alois, he said, was weakly, un-wholesome indeed.

In his opinion she wanted, what all young women want, a husband.

She was too much given to the cloister, she had visions, she was feared to use the discipline, she ate nothing, was more often on her knees than on her feet.