Untrue to him, she was true to
her selfish self. The thought of the Intendant and the glories of
life opening to her closed her heart, not to the pleadings of Le
Gardeur,--them she loved,--but to the granting of his prayer.
The die was cast, but she still clasped hard his hand in hers, as if
she could not let him go. "And will you do all you say, Le Gardeur--
make my will your law, my pleasure your conscience, and let me be
to you all reason and motive? Such devotion terrifies me, Le
Gardeur?"
"Try me! Ask of me the hardest thing, nay, the wickedest, that
imagination can conceive or hands do--and I would perform it for
your sake." Le Gardeur was getting beside himself. The magic power
of those dark, flashing eyes of hers was melting all the fine gold
of his nature to folly.
"Fie!" replied she, "I do not ask you to drink the sea: a small
thing would content me. My love is not so exacting as that, Le
Gardeur."
"Does your brother need my aid?" asked he. "If he does, he shall
have it to half my fortune for your sake!" Le Gardeur was well
aware that the prodigal brother of Angelique was in a strait for
money, as was usual with him.
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