HTJNAWAY MAERIAGE. 19

obstinacy with which the Duchesse de Koquekure demanded
a larger sum with M. de Leon than M. de Eohan chose to
give.

The young couple were in despair: M. de L&m, lest his
father should always act In this way, as an excuse for giving
Mm nothing; the young lady, because she feared she should
•rot in a convent,, through the avarice of her mother, and never
marry. She was more than twenty-four years of age; lie was
more than eight and twenty. She was in the convent of the
Daughters of the Cross in the Faubourg St. Antoine.

As soon as M. de Leon learnt that the marriage was "broken
off, he hastened to the convent; and told all to Mademoiselle
de Roquelaure; played the passionate, the despairing; said,
that if they waited for their parents' consent they would never
marry, and that she would rot in her convent. He proposed,
therefore, that, in spite of their parents, they should marry
and become their own guardians. She agreed to this project,
and he went away in order to execute it.

One of the most intimate friends of Madame de Roquelaure
was Madame de la Yieuville., and she was the only person
(excepting Madame de Koquelaure herself) to whom the Su-
perior of the convent had permission to confide Mademoiselle
de Koquelaure. Madame de la Yieuville often cajne to see
Mademoiselle de Roquelaure to take her out, and sometimes
sent for her. M. de Leon was made acquainted with this, and
took his measures accordingly. He procured a coach of the
same size, shape, and fittings as that of Madame de la VieuviHe?
with her arms upon it, and with three servants in her livery ;
lie counterfeited a letter in her handwriting and with her
seal, and sent this coach with a kckey well-instructed to carry
the letter to the convent, on Tuesday morning, the 29th of
May, at the hour Madame de la Yieuville was accustomed to
send for her.

Mademoiselle de Roquelaure, who had been let into the
scheme, carried the letter to the Superior of the convent, and
said Madame de la Yieuville had sent for her. Had the Su-
perior any message to send 1

2—2