love. The king's watchfulness saved her from this romantic folly,
and gave her another husband. This unhappy match was now at an end.
Louise was again free. She still felt in her heart some of the wild
love of romance and adventure of the little Louise; she was the same
daring, dreamy, impressible Louise, only now she was less innocent.
The little coquette from instinct was changed into a coquette from
knowledge.

She stood before the glass and surveyed once more her appearance;
then acknowledged with a pleased smile that she was beautiful enough
to fascinate all men, to arouse in all hearts a painful longing.

"But I shall love no one but the prince," she said, "and when my
power over him is sufficient to induce him to marry me, I shall
reward him by my faith, and entire submission to his wishes. Oh! I
shall he a virtuous wife, a true and faithful mother; and my lovely
little Camilla shall find in her mother a good and noble example. I
shall promise this to my angel with my farewell kiss; and then--to
the ball!"

She entered the next chamber, and stood at her child's bed. What a
strange sight! This woman, in a fantastic, luxuriant costume,
bending over the cot of the little girl, with such tender, pious
looks, with folded hands, and soft, murmuring lips, uttering a
prayer or holy wish!

"How beautiful she is!" murmured Louise, not dreaming that her own
beauty at this moment beamed with touching splendor--that mother
love had changed the alluring coquette into an adorable saint--"how
beautiful she is!"