Amelie, with peculiar tact, sought to entangle Le Gardeur's thoughts
in an elaborate cobweb of occupations rivalling that of Arachne,
which she had woven to catch every leisure hour of his, so as to
leave him no time to brood over the pleasures of the Palace of the
Intendant or the charms of Angelique des Meloises.
There were golden threads too in the network in which she hoped to
entangle him: long rides to the neighboring seigniories, where
bright eyes and laughing lips were ready to expel every shadow of
care from the most dejected of men, much more from a handsome
gallant like Le Gardeur de Repentigny, whose presence at any of
these old manors put their fair inmates at once in holiday trim and
in holiday humor; there were shorter walks through the park and
domain of Tilly, where she intended to botanize and sketch, and even
fish and hunt with Le Gardeur and Pierre, although, sooth to say,
Amelie's share in hunting would only be to ride her sure-footed pony
and look at her companions; there were visits to friends far and
near, and visits in return to the Manor House, and a grand excursion
of all to the lake of Tilly in boats,--they would colonize its
little island for a day, set up tents, make a governor and
intendant, perhaps a king and queen, and forget the world till
their return home.
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