Therefore I want
him back to the city."
De Pean glanced towards Bigot. "Pardon me, Mademoiselle. Did the
Intendant never speak to you of Le Gardeur's abrupt departure?"
asked he.
"Never! He has spoken to you, though. What did he say?" asked she,
with eager curiosity.
"He said that you might have detained him had you wished, and he
blamed you for his departure."
De Pean had a suspicion that Angelique had really been instrumental
in withdrawing Le Gardeur from the clutches of himself and
associates; but in this he erred. Angelique loved Le Gardeur, at
least for her own sake if not for his, and would have preferred he
should risk all the dangers of the city to avoid what she deemed the
still greater dangers of the country,--and the greatest of these, in
her opinion, was the fair face of Heloise de Lotbiniere. While,
from motives of ambition, Angelique refused to marry him herself,
she could not bear the thought of another getting the man whom she
had rejected.
De Pean was fairly puzzled by her caprices: he could not fathom, but
he dared not oppose them.
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