CHAPTER XXX.
"NO SPEECH OF SILK WILL SERVE YOUR TURN."
Angelique des Meloises was duly informed, through the sharp
espionage of Lizette, as to what had become of Le Gardeur after that
memorable night of conflict between love and ambition, when she
rejected the offer of his hand and gave herself up to the illusions
of her imagination.
She was sorry, yet flattered, at Lizette's account of his conduct at
the Taverne de Menut; for, although pleased to think that Le Gardeur
loved her to the point of self-destruction, she honestly pitied him,
and felt, or thought she felt, that she could sacrifice anything
except herself for his sake.
Angelique pondered in her own strange, fitful way over Le Gardeur.
She had no thought of losing him wholly. She would continue to hold
him in her silken string, and keep him under the spell of her
fascinations. She still admired him,--nay, loved him, she thought.
She could not help doing so; and if she could not help it, where
was the blame? She would not, to be sure, sacrifice for him the
brilliant hopes which danced before her imagination like fire-flies
in a summer night--for no man in the world would she do that! The
Royal Intendant was the mark she aimed at.
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