"
So saying, she curtsied and left me, overcome with surprise. A
thousand fearful ideas pressed upon my brain, and my heart sickened
at the long train of gloomy images which presented themselves. I
had had sufficient proofs since my elevation of the deadly hatred
borne me by those whom my good fortune had rendered my enemies:
yet, hitherto, my strongest apprehensions had never been directed
to anything more terrible than being supplanted in the favor of the
king, or being confined in my chateau du Lucienne. The horrible
ideas of murder, poison, or assassination by any means, had never
presented themselves to me. All at once I recollected the young
man in the garden of the Tuileries; his predictions of my future
greatness had been accomplished. He had also announced to me
fearful vicissitudes, and had threatened to appear to me when
these catastrophes were about to occur. Doubtless he would keep
his word; now was the time for so doing, and I timidly glanced
around as I caught the sound of a slight rustle among the branches,
fully expecting to see my young prophet; but the figure which met
my eye was that of madame de Mirepoix, who, tired of waiting,
had come to rejoin me.
'What! "said she, "are you alone? I did not observe your visitor
leave you. Did she vanish into air?"
"Very possibly," answered I.
Pages:
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519