She sat down in her fauteuil. "Pity Renaud is such a fool!" said
she; "yet I am not sure but he is wiser in his folly than I with all
my tact and cleverness, which I suspect are going to make a greater
fool of me than ever he is!"
She leaned back in her chair in a deep thinking mood. "It is
growing dark," murmured she. "Le Gardeur will assuredly be here
soon, in spite of all the attractions of Belmont. How to deal with
him when he comes is more than I know: he will renew his suit, I am
sure."
For a moment the heart of Angelique softened in her bosom. "Accept
him I must not!" said she; "affront him I will not! cease to love
him is out of my power as much as is my ability to love the
Intendant, whom I cordially detest, and shall marry all the same!"
She pressed her hands over her eyes, and sat silent for a few
minutes. "But I am not sure of it! That woman remains still at
Beaumanoir! Will my scheming to remove her be all in vain or no?"
Angelique recollected with a shudder a thought that had leaped in
her bosom, like a young Satan, engendered of evil desires.
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