"
Then he made her a low bow, and departed, with as self-satisfied and
jaunty an air as if he had been in truth a favoured suitor. Half an
hour later a lackey brought in a beautiful bouquet, of the rarest
and choicest flowers, while the stems were clasped by a magnificent
bracelet, fit for a queen's wearing. A little piece of folded paper
nestled among the flowers--a note from the duke--and the fair prisoner
recognised the handwriting as the same in which "For Isabelle" was
written, on the slip of paper that accompanied the casket of jewels at
Poitiers. The note read as follows:
"DEAR ISABELLE--I send you these flowers, though I know they will be
ungraciously received. As they come from me, their beauty and fragrance
will not find favour in your eyes. But whatever may be their fate, even
though you only touch them to fling them disdainfully out of the window,
they will force you to think for a moment--if it be but in anger--of him
who declares himself, in spite of everything, your devoted adorer,
"VALLOMBREUSE."
This note, breathing of the most specious gallantry, and tenacity of
purpose, did produce very much the effect it predicted; for it made
Isabelle exceedingly angry; and, without even once inhaling the
delicious perfume of the flowers, or pausing for an instant to admire
their beauty, she flung the bouquet, diamond bracelet and all, out into
the antechamber.
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