If a girl cannot marry for love, she will marry for
money; and if not for money, she can always marry for spite--I did,
when I was the Charming Josephine!"
"It is a shocking and sinful way, to marry without love!" said
Caroline, warmly.
"It is better than no way at all!" replied the dame, regretting her
remark when she saw her lady's face flush like crimson. The dame's
opinions were rather the worse for wear in her long journey through
life, and would not be adopted by a jury of prudes. "When I was the
Charming Josephine," continued she, "I had the love of half the
gallants of Quebec, but not one offered his hand. What was I to do?
'Crook a finger, or love and linger,' as they say in Alencon, where
I was born?"
"Fie, dame! Don't say such things!" said Caroline, with a shamed,
reproving look. "I would think better of the Intendant." Her
gratitude led her to imagine excuses for him. The few words
reported to her by Dame Tremblay she repeated with silently moving
lips and tender reiteration. They lingered in her ear like the
fugue of a strain of music, sung by a choir of angelic spirits.
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