As Mary advanced in years, she grew very beautiful. In some of the great processions and ceremonies, the ladies were accustomed to walk, magnificently dressed and carrying torches in their hands. In one of these processions Mary was moving along with the rest, through a crowd of spectators, and the light from her torch fell upon her features and upon her hair in such a manner as to make her appear more beautiful than usual. A woman, standing there, pressed up nearer to her to view her more closely, and, seeing how beautiful she was, asked her if she was not an _angel_. In those days, however, people believed in what is miraculous and supernatural more easily than now, so that it was not very surprising that one should think, in such a case, that an angel from Heaven had come down to join in the procession. Mary grew up a Catholic, of course: all were Catholics around her. The king and all the royal family were devoted to Catholic observances. The convent, the ceremonies, the daily religious observances enjoined upon her, the splendid churches which she frequented, all tended in their influence to lead her mind away from the Protestant religion which prevailed in her native land, and to make her a Catholic: she remained so throughout her life. There is no doubt that she was conscientious in her attachment to the forms and to the spirit of the Roman Church. At any rate, she was faithful to the ties which her early education imposed upon her, and this fidelity became afterward the source of some of her heaviest calamities and woes. CHAPTER III THE GREAT WEDDING 1558 Hastening the wedding.--Reasons for it.--Attempt to poison Mary.--The Guises.--Catharine's jealousy.--Commissioners from Scotland.--Preliminaries.--Stipulations.--Plan of Henry to evade them.--Marriage settlement.--Secret papers.--Their contents.--Ceremonies.--The betrothal.--The Louvre.--Notre Dame.--View of the interior.--Amphitheater.--Covered gallery.--The procession.--Mary's dress.--Appearance of Mary.--Wedding ring.--Movement of the procession.--Largess.--Confusion.--The choir.--Mass.--Return of the procession.--Collation.--Ball.--Evening's entertainments.--A tournament.--Rank of the combatants.--Lances.--Rapid evolutions.--_Tourner._--Francis's feebleness.--Mary's love for him.--He retires to the country.--Rejoicings in Scotland.--Mons Meg.--Large ball.--Celebration of Mary's marriage.