She was the niece of the rich Cardinal de Segur, who had sent and brought her from Louisiana.  This is why Madelaine had such large privileges at the convent.  She told me she was engaged to the young Count Louis le Pelletrier de la Houssaye, and I, with some change of color, told her of Abner.

One day Madelaine’s aunt, the Countess de Segur, came to take her to spend the day at her palace.  My dear friend besought her aunt with such graciousness that she obtained permission to take me with her, and for the first time I saw the Count Louis, Madelaine’s fiance.  He was a very handsome young man, of majestic and distinguished air.  He had hair and eyes as black as ink, red lips, and a fine mustache.  He wore in his buttonhole the cross of the royal order of St. Louis, and on his shoulders the epaulettes of a major.  He had lately come from San Domingo [where he had been fighting the insurgents at the head of his regiment].[23] Yes, he was a handsome young man, a bold cavalier; and Madelaine idolized him.  After that day I often accompanied my friend in her visits to the home of her aunt.  Count Louis was always there to wait upon his betrothed, and Abner, apprised by him, came to join us.  Ah! that was a happy time, very happy.

At the end of a year my dear Madelaine quitted the convent to be married.  Ah, how I wept to see her go!  I loved her so!  I had neither brothers nor sisters, and Madelaine was my heart’s own sister.  I was very young, scarcely fifteen; yet, despite my extreme youth, Madelaine desired me to be her bridesmaid, and her aunt, the Countess de Segur, and the Baroness de Chevigne, Count Louis’s aunt, went together to find my mother and ask her to permit me to fill that office.  My mother made many objections, saying that I was too young; but—­between you and me—­she could refuse nothing to ladies of such high station.  She consented, therefore, and proceeded at once to order my costume at the dressmaker’s.

It was a mass of white silk and lace with intermingled pearls.  For the occasion my mother lent me her pearls, which were of great magnificence.  But, finest of all, the Queen, Marie Antoinette, saw me at the church of Notre Dame, whither all the court had gathered for the occasion,—­for Count Louis de la Houssaye was a great favorite,—­and now the queen sent one of her lords to apprise my mother that she wished to see me, and commanded that I be presented at court—­grande rumeur!

Mamma consented to let me remain the whole week out of the convent.  Every day there was a grand dinner or breakfast and every evening a dance or a grand ball.  Always it was Abner who accompanied me.  I wrote of all my pleasures to my mother Catharine.  Joseph read my letters to her, and, as he told me in later days, they gave him mortal pain.  For the presentation my mother ordered a suit all of gold and velvet.  Madelaine and I were presented the same day.  The Countess de Segur was my escort [marraine] and took me by the hand, while Mme. de Chevigne rendered the same office to Madelaine.  Abner told me that day I was as pretty as an angel.  If I was so to him, it was because he loved me.  I knew, myself, I was too small, too pale, and ever so different from Madelaine.  It was she you should have seen.