The two nearest relatives of the late Duke, after listening attentively to the document, which was read by the notary, declared their intention of endeavouring to set aside, at least, that part of it which appointed strangers to be the guardians of the young heiress, citing the custom of Brittany, which bestowed that office upon the nearest of kin. But the notary, with a smile, pointed out that Monsieur de Villardin had been fully aware of that fact, and had taken the means provided by the law for effectually barring their claim; and read, at the same time, a note appended to the will, in which the Duke formally declared, that he had considered their title to the guardianship, and, after mature deliberation, had rejected it, believing them to be unfitted for it by their views of private interest. Mortified, disappointed, and affecting great indignation, they quitted the room, and sought their horses, while the notary proceeded to lay before us the other papers. Of these, several were addressed to Monsieur de Loris, several to Father Ferdinand, and several to myself. Amongst the last, I found a letter to the King himself, and in the envelope a desire expressed that I would send it to Paris immediately, and afterwards would deliver, in person, to his Majesty, the baton of field marshal which Monsieur de Villardin had so lately received.
As all the other papers found were of a private nature, we now left the library, and, having eaten and drank as if they came on a festive rather than a mournful occasion, those who had been called to the funeral dropped away one by one, and the house resumed its calm and gloomy solitude. As yet I had scarcely had time to speak with Monsieur de Loris, but I now found the worthy old man as full of affection and regard for me as when last we met. He was overjoyed, he said, that Monsieur de Villardin had fixed upon one as a husband for his daughter, who had already shown that he was capable of protecting her in any circumstances of difficulty or danger. He asked a number of questions, however, concerning my family, and although, to avoid hurting my feelings, he did so under the semblance of taking an interest in my history and affairs, yet I could see that the good Count was anxious to assure himself that the heiress of the houses of De Villardin and Loris was not about to make a mésalliance. I answered him frankly and candidly, and I was happy to find that my replies gave him every sort of satisfaction. The Earl of Norwich, he said, of whom I had spoken, was then in France, and, he doubted not, would be happy to see the son of his old friend.
I was not a little delighted to find that he was so, as it gave me the means of confirming, at once, to any one interested, all the facts which I have related connected with my early history. While my conversation took place with the old Count, Father Ferdinand had retired to his own apartments; and, when I had explained to Monsieur de Loris everything concerning myself, and a number of other events connected with Monsieur de Villardin, we sent up to inquire after Laura's health, and whether we might be permitted to wait upon her. She replied, however, that she felt too unwell to see even her dearest friends at that moment, but that she hoped to have recovered sufficient composure, by the following morning, to receive us both.
The rest of the evening was principally spent in my own apartments, looking over the papers which Monsieur de Villardin had left addressed to myself; and certainly all the signs of strong affection and regard, which were found in every line, tended to make me feel more deeply than ever the loss I had sustained. The papers consisted chiefly of kind admonitions and advice concerning my own conduct in the high station of life which I should be called to fill in France after my marriage with his daughter, and of directions as to the manner of obtaining most easily the King's signature to our marriage contract. Amongst others, he gave me a copy of the letter which he had himself written to his Majesty, and which made it his last and dying request, that the monarch would confirm the arrangements he had made. He also informed the King that he had desired me to write to his Majesty immediately, requesting his consent, in order that Mademoiselle de Villardin might not be longer than necessary without that degree of protection which none but a husband or a father could afford.
Such manifold proofs of confidence, and such minute care for my happiness and welfare, were far more gratifying to my heart than the splendid fortune he had left me, or, indeed, than anything he could bestow, except the hand of that dear girl whose heart already was my own. It was late at night before the reading of all these papers, and the reflections to which they gave rise, came to an end; and towards two o'clock I retired to bed, resolving to consult Monsieur de Loris and Father Ferdinand the next morning concerning the terms in which I was to address the King, a matter wherewith I was very little acquainted. The next morning, however, I was up early; and, as I was descending towards the saloon, I was waylaid by Lise, who informed me that her mistress was anxious to see me, for the first time after her father's funeral, without any other persons being present; and feeling, equally with herself, how much better it was that it should be so, I gladly followed to the little boudoir attached to her apartment.
She was sitting watching for my coming, with her feelings still highly excited; and the moment she saw me she rose, threw herself into my arms, and wept long and bitterly. It was as if she had said, "I have none but you now upon the earth. Forgive me if I mourn for those that are gone." When the first burst of tears was over, she spoke more calmly, and, in a long and interesting, though often painful, conversation, frequently interrupted by tears, she suffered me to recapitulate to her all that had been done, and to tell her exactly the state in which she stood. In the end, as it was necessary that she should make an effort to resume her usual occupations, she suffered me to lead her down to the saloon; and, though every now and then some object, or some association, would agitate her for a time, our conversation was here renewed, and proceeded more tranquilly, till, in about half-an-hour after, we were joined by Father Ferdinand and the Count de Loris. Laura received them with less painful emotions than I had expected; and the day passed over sadly, indeed, and gloomily, but calmly, upon the whole. When informed of the nature of her father's letter to the King, she wished much that it should be delayed for a day or two; but when it was explained to her that to do so might give high offence, she yielded at once; and in the evening I applied to Monsieur de Loris and Father Ferdinand for directions as to the form and manner in which I was to couch my application to the King.
"My dear young friend," replied Monsieur de Loris, "I never was happy enough to be married myself, and consequently cannot exactly tell you what are the precise terms you should use in requesting the King's consent to your union with my niece."
"I think I can direct you, my son," replied Father Ferdinand, "though I have never been married either;" and, taking up the pen, he wrote down the copy of a formal letter to the King, with as much ease and accuracy as if he had been accustomed, throughout his life, to the etiquette and ceremonial of courts, rather than to the shade of the cloister and the retirement of the country. After referring to the directions which I had received from Monsieur de Villardin to that effect, he begged to know when I might be permitted to lay at his Majesty's feet the baton of field-marshal, which I was charged to deliver; and, in requesting the signature of his Majesty to my marriage contract with Mademoiselle de Villardin, it was obvious that, though he avoided everything which might look like presumption, yet he took care not to assume that the King would at all hesitate to grant my request.
With many thanks, I copied the paper exactly, and the next morning it was despatched to Paris by a special messenger. The old Count de Loris, who was kindness itself, agreed to remain with us till after my marriage with Laura had taken place; and, as it was naturally concluded that it would be more agreeable to me to remain at the Prés Vallée with my future bride, Father Ferdinand undertook to make all the arrangements at Dumont, rendered necessary by M. de Villardin's decease; and he set off the following morning, accompanied by Clement de la Marke, whose eagerness for every change of scene and place put me not a little in mind of my own younger days.--Laura's grief for the loss of her father abated but slowly; yet still, as ever with the human heart, the calm hand of time was continually taking something from the poignancy of her first affliction. We passed almost the whole of our hours in each other's society; and, though softened by our mutual sorrow for the dead, those hours still remain among the bright things on which memory can rest so sweetly, and which she preserves for after years, as a store of treasured enjoyments for the wintry season of our age.
Of course we felt some anxiety for the return of our messenger from Paris; for though we never anticipated for a moment that the King would make any opposition to our marriage, sanctioned as it had been by Monsieur dc Villardin himself, yet, when that which we ardently desire is shadowed by even the smallest doubt, the heart can never rest satisfied till certainty is substituted in the place of hope. At the end of eight days Father Ferdinand returned from Dumont; and two or three days more passed in hourly expectation of our messenger's appearance. We were well aware that common couriers, unless on some very extraordinary occasion, always take their time upon the road; but when another day passed, and another, and a whole fortnight elapsed without my receiving an answer to my application, we all became uneasy, and I even thought of setting oft' myself to Paris, to ascertain the cause of the delay. At length, late one evening, the messenger was ushered in, just as we were about to proceed to the supper-room. He instantly presented to me a packet; and, without ceremony, I cut the silk and opened it, when, within the envelope, I found a paper containing the following words, as the only reply which the King had vouchsafed to my request:--