He met me with the
utmost tenderness and concern, asked of me the very smallest
details of the disastrous events of the morning. I concealed
nothing from him, and he listened to my recital with the most
lively interest; and the account of the apparition of the wonderful
being who seemed destined to follow me throughout my career was
not the least interesting part of our conversation.
"There are," said the duke, "many very extraordinary things in
this life, reason questions them, philosophy laughs at them, and
yet it is impossible to deny that there are various hidden causes,
or sudden inspirations, which have the greatest effect upon our
destiny. As a proof, I will relate to you the following circumstance.
You are aware," continued the duke, "that the cardinal de
Richelieu, the author of our good fortune, spite of the superiority
of his mind, believed in judicial astrology. When his own
immediate line became extinct by the unexpected death of his
family and relatives, he wished to ascertain what would be the
fate of those children belonging to his sister, whom he had
adopted as the successors of his name, arms, and fortune. The
planets were consulted, and the answer received was, that two
centuries from the day on which Providence had so highly elevated
himself, the family, upon whom rested all his hopes of perpetuating
his name, should fail entirely in its male descent.
Pages:
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566