She went hurriedly to a table, and wrote, "Not to-morrow, but to- day."
"Here," said she, "is my answer, and before you go, I beg you to accept this for your trouble."
She was about to hand him a purse of gold, when he retreated, and raised his hand in token of refusal.
"I thank your ladyship, I have already been paid, and have no right to a reward from you. May I be permitted to take my leave?"
"Yes; hasten, I implore you," returned Laura, wondering at his disinterestedness.
Scarcely had the commissionnaire taken his leave, when the door of the antechamber was opened, and a lackey announced:
"Madame, her royal highness the Duchess of Orleans!"
Laura hastily thrust the paper in her bosom, and, coming forward, kissed the hand of her friend. But as she did so, she felt the blood rush to her temples, and bent low her head to hide her confusion.
"I could not stay away any longer," began the unsuspecting duchess. "For three days monsieur has been confined to his room with some trifling ailment, for which peevishness seems to be his only palliative. He is one of those who, when, he sneezes, imagines that the earth is shaken, to her foundations; and when he snuffles, that all the angels in heaven drop on their knees to pray for him. With some trouble, I prevailed upon him to give me one hour wherein to make some change in my dress. I have accomplished the change in fifteen minutes, and the remainder of the hour I come to spend with you."
"Thank you, dear friend," replied Laura, who had now recovered her self-possession, and was sincerely glad to see the duchess. Then leading her to a divan, the graceful young hostess dropped down on a cushion at the feet of her royal guest, and continued: "I have been wondering why I did not see my gracious mistress; I thought she had forgotten me."