“I shall laugh—I know I shall; I shall die of laughing,” she said, lugubriously.
However, she turned and ran down to the prince as fast as her feet could carry her.
“Well, what does it all mean? What do you make of it?” asked the general of his spouse, hurriedly.
“I hardly dare say,” said Lizabetha, as hurriedly, “but I think it’s as plain as anything can be.”
“I think so too, as clear as day; she loves him.”
“Loves him? She is head over ears in love, that’s what she is,” put in Alexandra.
“Well, God bless her, God bless her, if such is her destiny,” said Lizabetha, crossing herself devoutly.
“H’m! destiny it is,” said the general, “and there’s no getting out of destiny.”
With these words they all moved off towards the drawing-room, where another