returned with them shortly after.

"Now that we are alone," said Her Highness, "I will tell you what Her
Majesty has graciously commanded me to signify to you in her royal name.
The Queen commands me to say that you are provided for for life; and
that, on the first vacancy which may occur, she intends fixing you at
Court.

"Therefore mia cara Inglesina, take especial care what you are about, and
obey Her Majesty's wishes when you are absent, as implicitly as you have
hitherto done all her commands during your abode near her. You are not
to write to any one. No one is to be made acquainted with your route.
You are not to leave Paris in your own carriage. It will be sent after
you by your man servant, who is to join you at Chalon sur Saone.

"I have further to inform you that Her Majesty the Queen, on sending you
the cipher, has at the same time graciously condescended to add these
presents as further marks of her esteem."

Her Highness then showed me a most beautiful gold watch, chain and seals.

"These," said she, placing them with her own hands, "Her Majesty desired
me to put round your neck in testimony of her regard."

At the same time Her Highness presented me, on her own part, with a
beautiful pocketbook, the covers of which were of gold enamelled, with
the word "SOUVENIR" in diamonds on one side, and a large cipher of her
own initials on the other. The first page contained the names of the
Queen and Her Royal Highness the Princesse Elizabeth, in their own
handwriting. There was a cheque in it on a Swiss banker, at Milan, of