They all sat down together and eat their quiet
breakfast in the parlour, to which a fortnight's habitation had now
accustomed them. Henri wore no bridal dress. He had on the uniform of
a Vendean officer, and round his waist was fastened a white scarf with
a black knot, the distinguishing mark which he now bore of his rank in
the army as Commander-in-Chief. Marie de Lescure was dressed in white,
but her dress was as simple and unadorned as it could be well made; no
bride, young, beautiful, and noble was ever prepared for the altar with
less costly care, with less attention to the generally acknowledged
proprieties of hymeneal decoration. Agatha and Madame de Lescure had in
no respect altered their usual attire. It may easily be understood that
leaving their homes in the manner they had done, they had not brought
with them a full wardrobe; and since their arrival in Laval, they had
had more pressing cares than that of supplying it.
De Lescure was daily getting weaker; but still the weaker he got the
less he suffered, and the more capable he became of assuming his
accustomed benevolent demeanour and anxious care for others.
Pages:
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858