Volume VI Part 70 (2/2)
”When is she co?”
”I don't know yet, but I will inform you later on”
”This novelty has turned the house upside down The devotees scarcely knohether they are awake or drea, for with the exception of a few priests, the doctor, and the surgeon, no one has ever entered the house since its foundation”
”All these restrictions are now removed, and you need not ask the cardinal's permission to receive visits froo so far”
The time for the visit was fixed for the afternoon of the next day, and I let the superioress know early the nextThe duchess of Fiano had asked to join us; the cardinal came, of course, dressed as a simple priest, with no indication of his exalted rank He knew Arratulated her on having irl blushed to the roots of her hair; and I thought she would have fainted when the princess, after telling her she was the prettiest girl in the house, gave her two affectionate kisses, a mark of friendshi+p strictly forbidden by the rules
After these caresses, the princess proceeded to compliment the superioress She said that I had done well to praise her parts, as she could judge of thened everywhere
”I shall mention your name to Cardinal Orsini,” she added, ”and you may be sure I shall do you all the justice you deserve”
When we had seen all the roo, I presented Ereat cordiality
”I have heard of your sadness,” she said, ”but I know the reason of it
You are a good girl, and pretty too, and I shall get you a husband ill cure you of your ave a s wry faces
Emilie dared not reply, but she took the princess's hand and kissed it, as if to suhted to see that though all the girls were really pretty, ht of the sun obscures the stars
When we came down to the parlour, the princess told Armelline that she meant to ask leave of the cardinal to take her two or three tian This observation seemed to petrify everyone except the superioress, who said that his eht to relax any or all of the rules of the establishment
Poor Armelline was so overwhelmed between joy and confusion that she could not speak She seemed unable to find words wherein to thank the princess, who commended her and her friend Eave her a small present to buy necessaries for them
Not to be outdone, the duchess of Fiano told the superioress that she would make me the almoner of her bounty towards Arratitude to the princess ere back in the carriage ined
I had no need to excuse Ared her capacities Her confusion had prevented her shewing her cleverness, but her face shewed her to possess it Besides, the influence of the education she had received had to be taken into account The princess was impatient to take her to the theatre, and afterwards to supper at an inn, according to the Roman custom
She wrote the names of Armelline and Emilie upon her tablets, so as to reet the mistress of my poor friend Menicuccio, but the ti her naot the cardinal's ear, and told hi man The cardinal saw hie took place before the end of the carnival, the bride having a dowry of five hundred crowns With this suave him, he was in a position to open a shop for himself
The day after the princess's visit was a triu the superioress was sent for, and we had an interview
The princess had given her fifty crohich she was going to lay out on linen for Armelline and Emilie
The recluses were stupefied when I told them that the fat priest was Cardinal Bernis, as they had an idea that a cardinal can never doff the purple
The duchess of Fiano had sent a cask of wine, which was an unknown beverage there, and these presents er of all this good luck, and gratitude shewed itself so plainly in every word and glance that I felt I