"I would not have treated any gentleman so rudely," said Amelie in
confidence to Heloise de Lotbiniere when they had retired to the
privacy of their bedchamber. "No woman is justified in showing
scorn of any man's love, if it be honest and true; but the Chevalier
de Pean is false to the heart's core, and his presumption woke such
an aversion in my heart, that I fear my eyes showed less than
ordinary politeness to his unexpected advances."
"You were too gentle, not too harsh, Amelie," replied Heloise, with
her arm round her friend. "Had I been the object of his hateful
addresses, I should have repaid him in his own false coin: I would
have led him on to the brink of the precipice of a confession and an
offer, and then I would have dropped him as one drops a stone into
the deep pool of the Chaudiere."
"You were always more bold than I, Heloise; I could not do that for
the world," replied Amelie. "I would not willingly offend even the
Chevalier de Pean. Moreover, I fear him, and I need not tell you
why, darling. That man possesses a power over my dear brother that
makes me tremble, and in my anxiety for Le Gardeur I may have
lingered, as I did yesterday, too long in the parlor when in company
with the Chevalier de Pean, who, mistaking my motive, may have
supposed that I hated not his presence so much as I truly did!"
"Amelie, your fears are my own!" exclaimed Heloise, pressing Amelie
to her side.
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