The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1837-12-27


eyes had previously done.
Z" shall not hate him quite as much as
] thought should" was her mental re-
spouse TO this considernte question bu, in
stead Of answering the prince with recipro-
col frankness, she replied with some hau-
tier
am not accustomed to do anything on
! compulsion, Monsieur"
|, was now Condos turn To sigh-he did
80 from the bottom of his heart; and Char
loite felt angry with herself for the perverse-
ness which had prompted her 10 repel his
first advance towards confidential under
standing.
\ A ball succeeded the banquet. The
Prince Ge Conde did not dance, though re-
minded that courtly etiquette required that
he should at least trend one measure with
his bride elect; and Charlotte found more
gallant, if not more suitable partner, in
her admiring sovereign, with whom she
once more danced the graceful paron and
bounded, with flying feet, through The light
courdnt, needless of the grave looks of dis
appreciation with which her yiyacious en-
joyment of her iavorile amusement was re-
garded by him 10 whom her hand was now
plighted.
An early day hnd been fixed by the king
for the nuplsls of Bassompierre and Mad
emoisele ID Aumale. Charlotte expressed
wish that her marriage should preccde
theirs, aud, in the meantime, the Prince de
4 Conde avaled himself Of the privilege of n
betrothed lover, in passing much of his time
at the hotel de Monimorenci but when
there, his attention appeared engrossed by
the parents and the youthful brother of his
faneee, than hy herself In conversation
with them, the shy reserved boy ofConJe"
ms Henri Quartre was accustomed 10 call
his studlous cousin, could be eloquent,
graceful, aud even witty. lie possessed
talents of the finest orber his miad had
been highly cultivated, aud there was sound
sense, aud beautiful morality in every thing
he said. Charlotte, seated at her tapestry
frame, beside her mother, could not help
listening, at first with g,rlish curiosity, but,
\ by degrees, with profound attention, TO the
lobservations which he addressed To her
brother on the course. Of history he was
, reading. and when she saw his pale cheek
kindIing .ith the glow of virtuous and he
roic feeling, and his dark, penetrating eyes
beam,ng with intellectual brightness, she
| blushed at The thought that those eyes
should have witnessed So much vanity and
frivolty in herself.
/ Sometimes she felt mortified that he adj
dressed so little Of his conversation to her
aud then, without refccting that she had
chilled nnd repelled him in the first instance
she piqued into naughty imitation Of his
reserve, when alone with him and when
surrounded by the gay crowd of her courliy
I admirers, she endenvored, by the exercise
Of coquciry, TO shake his equonimi,y, and
provoke him either into qusrrel, or nm
acknowledgement Of love.
She was convinced that he had ceased to
regard her with indifference for she Ind
more than once detected his lustrous dark
. eyes fixed upon her with that intense ex-
preston Of passionate feeling, which cnn
never be mistaken by its object; yet he had
rcsoluiely RETAINED from giving to that feel
ing words and II seemed hard to the most
beautiful girl in France, iha, she should be
welded, unwooed, by him Of sll others,
from whom she most desired to hear the
language of love.
elf could but once see this youthful
stole at my feet, ! should feel prouder of
that triumph than of all the homage which
has been offered to mo this nigh, by him
Of the white plume,' aud his gallant
peers" sighed Charlotte to herself, as she
was returning from the last ball NJ the Lou
vre at which sle was 10 appear as Made
moiselle de Monimorenci.
Il WAS the most brilliant she had ever at
tended aud though on the eve Of her bri
dal, Charlotte ventured on the hazardous
experiment of exciting the jealousy Of her
betrothed. She succeeded only too well,
and Conde, unable to conceal his emotion,
quilted the royal saloon at an early hour.
All the interest that the beautiful and adj
mred Madomoiselle dc Montmorenci had
taken in the gay scene, departed with the
pale agilated stripping, whom every one
present suspected Of being the object Of her
aversion and pleading n bead-ache to ex-
cuse her from. fulfilling her engagement Of
dancing a second lime with the king, she
retired almost immediately afterwards.
On entering her own apartment her at
tendant presented her with a billet. IL was
| from the Prince de Conde--the first he had
ever addressed To her
To every woman Of sensibiliy II is &C.
l,phtful to see her name traced, for the first
time, by tho hand of the object Of her Sc
cret regard. Who can describe the sweet
suspense o. that ngitating moment which
must intervene ere the seal. can be broken,
aud the tbrIirg mystery unfolded Alas,
for Charlotte dc Montmorenci Her re-
cent conduc, rendered her feelings on this
occasion the very reverse Of those bIissful
emotions. Her color faded; ner knees
shook, and it was with difficulty that her
sgi,a,ed hand could open the letter. II
contained only these words:-
"CHARLorTE DE MosTMoREScr,
Late ms it may be when you re-
ceive this, must see you before you retire