Pagina 692 van 3800

Her fate was decided and happily decided. But what her father had

said about Mademoiselle Bourienne was dreadful. It was untrue to

be sure, but still it was terrible, and she could not help

thinking of it. She was going straight on through the

conservatory, neither seeing nor hearing anything, when suddenly

the well-known whispering of Mademoiselle Bourienne aroused her.

She raised her eyes, and two steps away saw Anatole embracing the

Frenchwoman and whispering something to her. With a horrified

expression on his handsome face, Anatole looked at Princess Mary,

but did not at once take his arm from the waist of Mademoiselle

Bourienne who had not yet seen her.