However, I thought no more of my young prophet, when one Sunday,
after my return to Versailles from Compiegne, I attended mass at
the castle; all at once I caught a glimpse of my mysterious
acquaintance, leaning his back against the wall behind the altar.
He was examining my countenance with a deep and fixed attention.
You may picture to yourself my astonishment and surprise at
recognising in this place the person who had so long ago foretold
my brilliant destiny. The color rushed to my cheeks, and he could
distinctly observe how much I was agitated by his presence, and
his beautiful countenance was lit up with a pleasant smile; after
which he gracefully waved his hand round his head as tho' he
would say, "Are you not queen of France?" This gesture excited
my astonishment still further; however, I returned his mute inquiry
by a slight inclination of the head, intended to say, "You are
right." In a moment a sort of cloud seemed to cover my eyes. So
soon as I could recover from the sudden dimness which obscured
my vision, I endeavored to bend my looks in an opposite direction;
for so greatly was I the point of general observation, that I
feared to awaken suspicion by an indiscreet attention to one
particular person or place: and when after some little time had
elapsed, and I ventured to turn my eyes again to the spot where
the young man had been standing, he had disappeared.
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