As if to show that joys, as well as misfortunes, do not come single, this afternoon arrived a courier with letters from Lusignan,—one from Monseigneur to Guy, another from Raoul for Amaury, and one from Alix for me. All are well, thank the saints!—and Alix has now three children, of whom two are boys. Raoul is about to make a grand match, with one of the richest heiresses in Normandy,—the Lady Alix, Countess of Eu. Little Valence, Guillot’s elder child, has been betrothed to the young Seigneur de Parthenay. I am rather surprised that Guillot did not look higher, especially after Guy’s marriage and Raoul’s. Guy asked me to-day when I meant to be married. "Oh, please, Guy, don’t talk about it!" said I. "I would so much rather not." "Dost thou mean to be a nun, then?" asked he. I think he hardly expected it. "Well," said I, "if I must, I must. But I want to know why I could not go on living quietly without either?" "Ah, one of the original notions of the Damoiselle de Lusignan," said he. "Because, my eccentric Elaine, nobody ever does." "But why does nobody?" said I. "And why should not I begin it? Every thing must begin some time, and with somebody." But Guy seemed so much amused that I did not pursue the topic. "Please thyself," said he, when he had finished laughing. "But why dost thou prefer single life?" "For various reasons," said I. "For one, I like to have my own way." "Well, now, women are queer folks!" said Guy. "Oh my most rational sister, wilt thou not have to obey thine abbess? And how much better will that be than obeying thine husband?" "It will be better in two respects," I answered. "In the first place, an abbess is a woman, and would therefore be more reasonable than a man; and in"—— "Oh dear! I did not understand that!" said Guy. "I am rather ignorant and stupid." "Thou art," said I. "And in the second, I should try, as soon as possible, to be an abbess myself." "My best wishes attend thy speedy promotion, most holy Mother!" said Guy, bowing low, but laughing. "I perceive I was very stupid. But thou seest, I really did not know that women were such extremely reasonable beings. I fancied that, just now and then, they were slightly unreasonable." "Now, Guy, give over!" said I. "But can I not wait a while? Must I decide at once?" "Of course not, if that be thy wish," said Guy. "But thou art past the usual age for profession." "Then I shall be all the more likely to receive promotion quickly," I replied. "Fairest of nuns, here is my sword!" said Guy, kneeling and offering me the hilt. "I surrender myself, a vanquished prisoner, to thy superior wisdom." So the matter passed off in a good laugh.