"I love you, Le
Gardeur--you know I do! But I will not--I cannot--marry you now!"
repeated she.
"Now!" he caught at the straw like a drowning swimmer in a
whirlpool. "Now? I said not now but when you please, Angelique!
You are worth a man's waiting his life for!"
"No, Le Gardeur!" she replied, "I am not worth your waiting for; it
cannot be, as I once hoped it might be; but love you I do and ever
shall!" and the false, fair woman kissed him fatuously. "I love
you, Le Gardeur, but I will not marry you!"
"You do not surely mean it, Angelique!" exclaimed he; "you will not
give me death instead of life? You cannot be so false to your own
heart, so cruel to mine? See, Angelique! My saintly sister Amelie
believed in your love, and sent these flowers to place in your hair
when you had consented to be my wife,--her sister; you will not
refuse them, Angelique?"
He raised his hand to place the garland upon her head, but Angelique
turned quickly, and they fell at her feet. "Amelie's gifts are not
for me, Le Gardeur--I do not merit them! I confess my fault: I am,
I know, false to my own heart, and cruel to yours.
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