The time never was, and never will be, when a woman will cease to be
curious,--when her imagination will not forecast the decrees of fate
in regard to the culminating event of her life and her whole nature--
marriage. It was in vain Doctor Gauthier protested his inability
to read the stars without his celestial eye-glasses.
The ladies would not accept his excuses: he knew the heavens by
heart, they said, and could read the stars of destiny as easily as
the Bishop his breviary.
In truth the worthy doctor was not only a believer but an adept in
astrology. He had favored his friends with not a few horoscopes and
nativities, when pressed to do so. His good nature was of the
substance of butter: any one that liked could spread it over their
bread. Many good men are eaten up in that way by greedy friends.
Hortense de Beauharnais urged the Doctor so merrily and so
perseveringly, promising to marry him herself if the stars said so,
that he laughingly gave way, but declared he would tell Hortense's
fortune first, which deserved to be good enough to make her fulfil
her promise just made.
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