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"Certainly," replied the ex-queen, with bitter scorn, "his love, and her
love, and both their childish flutterings, are to be put in fit comparison
with my years of hope and anxiety, with the duties of the offspring of
kings, with the high and dignified conduct which one of her descent ought
to pursue. But it is unworthy of me to argue and complain. Perhaps you will
have the goodness to promise me not to marry during that interval?"
This was asked only half ironically; and Idris wondered why her mother
should extort from her a solemn vow not to do, what she had never dreamed
of doing--but the promise was required and given.
All went on cheerfully now; we met as usual, and talked without dread of
our future plans. The Countess was so gentle, and even beyond her wont,
amiable with her children, that they began to entertain hopes of her
ultimate consent. She was too unlike them, too utterly alien to their
tastes, for them to find delight in her society, or in the prospect of its
continuance, but it gave them pleasure to see her conciliating and kind.
Once even, Adrian ventured to propose her receiving me. She refused with a
smile, reminding him that for the present his sister had promised to be
patient.
One day, after the lapse of nearly a month, Adrian received a letter from a
friend in London, requesting his immediate presence for the furtherance of
some important object. Guileless himself, Adrian feared no deceit. I rode
with him as far as Staines: he was in high spirits; and, since I could not
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