The countess received her lady-guest with the most effusive heartiness,
called her by her Christian name on the spot, and invited her to do that
same with her. She told Henrietta she was to feel quite at home, dragged
her all over the castle, and showed her in rapid succession her rare
flowers, her Parisian furniture, her Japanese curiosities; played
something for her on the piano, made her parrot talk to her and
incontinently popped on her finger a large and beautiful opal ring,
which she told her she was to keep as an eternal souvenir.
Then the countess seized the hand of the child-wife and led her into her
bed-chamber. On the wall hung a fine large battle-piece, a splendid oil
painting by a Viennese master.
"A magnificent picture, is it not?" enquired the countess with a broad
smile.
"Yes," replied Henrietta absently.
"How do you like the central figure? I mean the hero on horseback with
the standard in his hand?"
"He is handsome, but it seems to me that, situated as he is, he smiles
too much."
The countess laughed loudly at this remark.
"That," said she, "is the portrait of a young hussar officer who for a
long time paid his court to me. I could not, of course, keep his
portrait in my room, for there everyone would know all about it, so I
had a battle-piece painted in all round, and nobody suspects anything.
Oh! my friend, if women were not so inventive, they would often be very
unhappy.
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