But you don't know women, Le
Gardeur," added she, with a smile; "you don't know me, the one woman
you ought to know better than that!"
It is easy to recover affection that is not lost. Angelique knew
her power, and was not indisposed to excess in the exercise of it.
"Will you do something for me, Le Gardeur?" asked she, tapping his
fingers coquettishly with her fan.
"Will I not? Is there anything in earth, heaven, or hell,
Angelique, I would not do for you if I only could win what I covet
more than life?"
"What is that?" Angelique knew full well what he coveted more than
life; her own heart began to beat responsively to the passion she
had kindled in his. She nestled up closer to his side. "What is
that, Le Gardeur?"
"Your love, Angelique! I have no other hope in life if I miss that!
Give me your love and I will serve you with such loyalty as never
man served woman with since Adam and Eve were created."
It was a rash saying, but Le Gardeur believed it, and Angelique too.
Still she kept her aim before her. "If I give you my love," said
she, pressing her hand through his thick locks, sending from her
fingers a thousand electric fires, "will you really be my knight, my
preux chevalier, to wear my colors and fight my battles with all the
world?"
"I will, by all that is sacred in man or woman! Your will shall be
my law, Angelique; your pleasure, my conscience; you shall be to me
all reason and motive for my acts if you will but love me!"
"I do love you, Le Gardeur!" replied she, impetuously.
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