The things we do!

In due time Madame la Duchesse d'Ivry gave birth to a child, a daughter,
whom her noble father received with but small pleasure. What the Duke
desired, was an heir to his name, a Prince of Moncontour, to fill the
place of the sons and grandsons gone before him, to join their ancestors
in the tomb. No more children, however, blessed the old Duke's union.
Madame d'Ivry went the round of all the watering-places: pilgrimages were
tried: vows and gifts to all saints supposed to be favourable to the
d'Ivry family, or to families in general:--but the saints turned a deaf
ear; they were inexorable since the true religion and the elder Bourbons
were banished from France.
Living by themselves in their ancient castles, or their dreary mansion of
the Faubourg St. Germain, I suppose the Duke and Duchess grew tried of
one another, as persons who enter into a mariage de convenance sometimes,
nay, as those who light a flaming love-match, and run away with one
another, will be found to do.


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