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Thedoctordidnotarrivetillnearlyoneo’clock;butIcouldnomorehavegonetomybedandslept,thanIcouldhaveovertaken,onfoot,thecarriageinwhichtheprincessinblackvelvethaddrivenaway.
Whenthephysiciancamedowntothedrawingroom,itwastoreportveryfavorablyuponhispatient.Shewasnowsittingup,herpulsequiteregular,apparentlyperfectlywell.Shehadsustainednoinjury,andthelittleshocktohernerveshadpassedawayquiteharmlessly.Therecouldbenoharmcertainlyinmyseeingher,ifwebothwishedit;and,withthispermissionIsent,forthwith,toknowwhethershewouldallowmetovisitherforafewminutesinherroom.
Theservantreturnedimmediatelytosaythatshedesirednothingmore.
YoumaybesureIwasnotlonginavailingmyselfofthispermission.
Ourvisitorlayinoneofthehandsomestroomsintheschloss.Itwas,perhaps,alittlestately.Therewasasomberpieceoftapestryoppositethefootofthebed,representingCleopatrawiththeaspstoherbosom;andothersolemnclassicscenesweredisplayed,alittlefaded,upontheotherwalls.Buttherewasgoldcarving,andrichandvariedcolorenoughintheotherdecorationsoftheroom,tomorethanredeemthegloomoftheoldtapestry.
Therewerecandlesatthebedside.Shewassittingup;herslenderprettyfigureenvelopedinthesoftsilkdressinggown,embroideredwithflowers,andlinedwiththickquiltedsilk,whichhermotherhadthrownoverherfeetasshelayupontheground.
