"
It was a careless shaft of the old dame's, but it went to the heart
of Caroline. "Who is she, good dame?--pray tell me!"
"Oh, my Lady, I should fear her anger, if she knew what I say! She
is the most terrible coquette in the city--worshipped by the men,
and hated, of course, by the women, who all imitate her in dress and
style as much as they possibly can, because they see it takes! But
every woman fears for either husband or lover when Angelique des
Meloises is her rival."
"Is that her name? I never heard it before, dame!" remarked
Caroline, with a shudder. She felt instinctively that the name was
one of direful omen to herself.
"Pray God you may never have reason to hear it again," replied Dame
Tremblay. "She it was who went to the mansion of Sieur Tourangeau
and with her riding-whip lashed the mark of a red cross upon the
forehead of his daughter, Cecile, scarring her forever, because she
had presumed to smile kindly upon a young officer, a handsome
fellow, Le Gardeur de Repentigny--whom any woman might be pardoned
for admiring!" added the old dame, with a natural touch of the
candor of her youth.
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